BOIfE-SPAYIN.] 



THE HOESE, A.ND 



[eingboke. 



Eub about two table spoonfuls of the lotion 

 on the hock night and morning, shaking the 

 bottle well each time. Should this not have 

 the desired effect, apply a 



Strong Blister. 



Cantharides, powdered ... 6 drachms. 



^Mercurial Ointment .... 4 „ 



Hog's Lard 2 ounces. 



Clip the hair off close, say an inch and a-half 

 further round than the spavin extends. Eub the 

 blister well in with the hand. In all probability 

 this blister will remove the spavin entirely, or 

 at least the pain and lameness ; for, when 

 once bony matter is formed, it is difficult to 

 completely remove it. Be careful that the horse 

 wears a cradle in every case of blistering. 



Some spavins may require a second or third 

 blister. In such cases repeat the above at an 

 interval of about three weeks — not earlier — to 

 prevent the chance of having a blemish. 



With full-grown horses, as well as with old 

 ones, this disease is with difficulty remedied. 

 As success, however, sometimes attends even 

 the milder methods, it should not, even at any 

 age of the animal, deter us from trying other 

 remedies. Bold adventurers succeed some- 

 times with them, "where superior skill, under 

 the direction of prudence, fails ; but notwith- 

 standing this, their more frequent ill effects, 

 by exciting excessive pain and inflammation, 

 and even causing death, should induce great 

 caution in their use. 



If the ointment is not effectual, recourse 

 must be had to firing. In this operation care 

 must be taken not to fire through the skin; 

 for wherever this is done, a blemish will be 

 certain to be left. Lay the following blister 

 on lightly, but on no account let it be rubbed 

 in, or a blemish will be the result. 



31ild Blister, 

 Cantharides, powdered ... 2 drachms. 

 Hog's lard 2 oz. 



Smear this, or lay it lightly on the part 

 fired. In the course of five weeks, should this 

 first firing not have had the desired eflect, fire 

 again, and extend beyond the edges of the 

 first operation, and apply the blister again. 

 Mr. White, in his Compendium of the Veteri- 

 nary Art, says that the only cure for this com- 

 plaint is firing, and blistering immediately after. 

 178 



The practice for the cure of spavins made 

 use of at the Eoyal Yeterinary College, is by 

 introducing setons over the diseased part, 

 dividing the skin above and below the spavin, 

 about two inches; then with a blunt seton 

 needle, introducing tapes — generally two — and 

 dressing daily with digestive ointment, com- 

 posed of the following proportions : — 



Common Turpentine ...... 3 oz. 



Hog's Lard 8 do. 



These are melted together over a slow fire. 

 The setons are suffered to remain for about a 

 fortnight, being changed daily at each dressing. 

 In some cases a very good effect is produced 

 by this mode ; but, like all other remedies, it 

 is not applicable to all stages of the disease ; 

 in the early or incipient state, it may be 

 considered a good remedy. During the ope- 

 ration of any of the above methods of practice, 

 the following medicine should be adminis- 

 tered : — 



Cape Aloes ...... 



Linseed meal with soft soap, 



2 drachms. 



formed into a moderately sized ball. Give 

 one about every third day. Medicine that 

 will act on the urinary organs must not be 

 given while using so much blistering ointment. 



RINGBONE. 



This disease takes its name from its situa- 

 tion, which is at or about the joint of the large 

 and small pastern bones. Erom the existence 

 of great inflammation, it spreads round the 

 coronet, capping the hoof with a bony ring. 



This is produced by the ligaments having 

 been injured by over-exertion; and it more 

 fi-equently occurs in the hind than in the fore 

 limbs. Overweighting the animal will produce 

 it, or putting him to work before he finished, 

 as it is termed. Any severe strain, and even 

 blows will produce it. And, as it is not un- 

 common for ill-tempered grooms or carters to 

 kick their horses about their fetlocks, the 

 eflect of such an act may be to set up inflam- 

 mation, and ultimately to produce ringbone. 



Horses aflected with ringbone, may or may 

 not be lame. It all depends on that degree of 

 inflammation which would increase the greater 

 deposit of bony matter, and occasion the 

 disease to spread, which it frequently will do, 



