BONE SPAVIX. SOI 



• 



neglect to remove it. When the inflammation is acute, the 

 synovial fluid, or joint-oil, is soon absorbed ; the cartilages of 

 the joint are turned to bone, and uniting, one with the other, 

 form one solid mass, destroying the elasticity as well as the mo- 

 bility of the parts involved, and constituting what is called 

 anchylosis of the hock-joint. This anchylosis, or union of bone, 

 is not always general, there being in many cases but two, three, 

 or four of the bones involved. When these changes are con- 

 fined to the cartilage, external enlargement, or spavin-bunch, is 

 never found. This the author calls spavin without any external 

 indication. 



When, however, the ligaments surrounding the joint are con- 

 verted into bony substance, external enlargement in all cases 

 exists. When a low, inflammatory action is found going oa 

 within the joint, it is an evidence of ulceration, in which, in- 

 stead of new bone being thrown out, as in the acute stage, the 

 natural bone is gradually decaying or rotting away. Hence 

 arises the difficulty often experienced in the treatment of this 

 disease. 



As symptoms, the horse is very lame on leaving the stable, 

 but when he is warmed up the lameness passes off; the leg is 

 drawn up quickly with a kind of jerk ; and there is a peculiar 

 hard tread, which can only be distinguished by close observa- 

 tion. Where the bones are all united together, whether there 

 is external enlargement or not, there is a peculiar twist of the 

 heel outwards, which is more readily observed in the walk, and 

 which the author lias always found an infallible symptom of 

 complete anchylosis. 



Both spavin and ring-bone are incurable diseases. The 

 lameness may be removed, but the disease, when once estab- 



