SPRAINS, LUXATIONS AND FRACTURES 



297 



appearing after a few days. Such animals usually cannot rise. 

 When assisted they knuckle over at the fetlocks of the hind 

 legs, remaining in the standing posture but a short time. The 

 subsequent drawing shows a cow suffering with a limited 

 luxation of the sacro-iliac articulation, the result of excessive 

 traction during parturition (fig. 72). 



Prognosis and Course. — When the sacrum is but little dis- 

 placed, it is possible that the cow gets up in eight to ten days 

 and improves gradually but very slowly. 



At the same time it is impossible to ascertain how much 

 union there is still between the sacrum and ilia ; in fact, any 



Fig. 72.— Luxation of the Sacro-iliac Articulation. 



attempt to rise may increase the rupture. The prognosis 

 therefore must always be doubtful. 



There are cases where the dislocation amounts only to a 

 few centimeters and where such a firm connective tissue union 

 is established in two months that the cow can walk about 

 nicely. From the standpoint of the breeder, it must be remem- 

 bered that the height of the pelvic inlet is lessened in such a 

 case. 



Stockfleth had a picture made of a sacro-iliac luxation 43 

 days old which occurred the day after calving and where the 

 displaced wings of the sacrum had become united with the 

 posterior iliac angles by strong connective tissue. 



