DISEASES OF THE HOESE. 385^ 



dons of the leg, the lig-Jiments of the joints, and, in many cases, the> 

 bones of the foot as well. 



Fortunately this form of quittor is less common than the preceding;: 

 yet any case beginning as simple cutaneous quittor may, at any time 

 during its course, become complicated by the death of some part of the 

 tendons, by gangrene of the ligaments, sloughing of the coronar}^ band,, 

 caries of the bones, or inflammation and suppuration of the synoviaF 

 sacs and joints, thereby converting a sim.ple quittor into one which- 

 will, in all probabilit}^, either destroy the patient's life or maim him 

 for all time. 



Causes.- — Tendinous quittor is caused b}^ the same injuries and intlu- 

 ences that produce the simple form. Zundel believes it to be a not 

 infrequent accompaniment of distemper. In my own experience I 

 have seen nothing to verify this belief, but I am satisfied that young 

 animals are more liable to have tendinous quittor than older ones, anct 

 that they are much more likely to make a good recovery. 



Symptoms. — When a case of simple quittor is transformed into the- 

 tendinous variety the change is announced by a sudden increase in the- 

 severity of all the symptoms. On the other hand, if the attack pri- 

 marily is one of tendinous quittor, the earliest S3^mptom seen is a well-- 

 marked lameness. In those cases due to causes other than injuries- 

 this lameness is at first very slight, and the animal limps no more in- 

 trotting than in walking; but later on, generally during the next forty- 

 eight hours, the lameness increases to such an extent that the patient 

 often refuses to use the leg at all. An examination made during the- 

 first two days rarely discloses any cause for this lameness; it may not 

 be possible even to say with certainty that the foot is the seat of the- 

 trouble. On the third or fourth day, sometimes as late as the fifth, a. 

 doughy-feeling tumor will be found forming on the heel or quarter. 

 This tumor grows rapidly, feels hot to the touch, and is extremely 

 painful. As the tumor develops, all the other symptoms increase in- 

 intensity; the pulse is rapid and hard; the breathing quick; the tem- 

 perature elevated three or four degrees; the appetite Is gone; thirst 

 increased, and the lameness so great that the foot is carried in the air- 

 if locomotion is attempted. At this stage of the disease the patient" 

 generally seeks relief by lying upon the broad side, with outstretched 

 legs; the coat is bedewed with a clammy sweat, and every respiration- 

 is accompanied h\ a moan. The leg soon swells to the fetlock; later- 

 this swelling gradually extends to the knee or hock, and in some cases- 

 reaches tire body. As a rule, several days elapse before the disease- 

 develops a well-defined abscess, for, owing to the dense structure of 

 the bones, ligaments, and tendons, the suppui*ative process is a slow 

 one, and the pus is prevented from readily collecting in a mass. 



Recently I made a postmortem examination on a typical case of this 

 disease, where the animal had died on the fourth day after being; 

 14384—03 25 



