346 BOVINE OBSTETRICS 



owner observes that she rises only with difficulty. She seems 

 to suffer a great deal of pain and lies down most of the time. 

 The appetite, rumination and lacteal secretion have diminished. 

 The temperature rises to 40-40.5 deg. C. On examination, the 

 afterbirth is often found in the uterus, but sometimes it is 

 already expelled. In the latter instance quite a quantity of 

 chocolate colored secretions is discovered in the uterus, by no 

 means always fetid ; in fact, inodorous in many cases. 



The painful joint is often recognized by the swelling. 

 The hock is swollen at the epiphysis of the tibia. Palpation 

 causes the animal decided pain. The capsular ligament is 

 often tense, due to an over amount of synovia, especially 

 noticeable on the anterior and internal aspect of the articula- 

 tion. 



When standing up the cow elevates the diseased leg, 

 momentarilly touches the ground with the toe of the claw, 

 followed by immediate flexion, acting as if it causes her pain 

 to rest the foot upon the floor. This symptom, characteristic in 

 itself, is almost always present. In many cases the carpus is 

 also diseased, either because the epiphysis of the radius is 

 swollen and very painful, or on account of the distension of 

 the upper capsular ligament. 



When both joints are diseased, walking is very painful, 

 and when the cow lies down, it is difficult to induce her to 

 rise. The femoro-tibial articulation may also be involved: 

 although it is rare to see it primarily diseased, it usually 

 follows when the tarsus and carpus have been already attacked. 

 In case the epiphyses are also involved emaciation sets in 

 rapidly. Vogel states that in such cases turbid urine is 

 passed, and that dyspnoea, oedema of the brisket and in front 

 of the udder is met with, depending on internal metastasis 

 (lungs, liver, kidneys). 



Course and Prognosis.— When the disease is confined to a 

 synovitis serosa the course is usually favorable, and complete 

 recovery may follow in a few weeks even when the tarsus and 

 carpus are implicated. Osteomyelitis, on the other hand, may 

 be of an acute type, terminating fatally in four to six days, 



