352 



DISEASES OF THE ARTICULATIONS 



outside, could easily be pushed back into its normal position; but if left, 

 it immediately slipped out of position, and became dislocated again. 

 This was due to the fact that the crest of the joint had disappeared, 

 offering no resistance to dislocation. Treatment is useless, as the tissues 

 are relaxed and will not hold the patella in place. 



Dislocation of the Hip. — Other luxations occur in the dog — for 

 instance, in the hip-joint. In this the head of the femur becomes pushed 

 upward after laceration of the capsular ligament, and out of the acetab- 

 ulum, and being drawn upward and by the muscular contraction the 

 leg is shortened (Fig. 113). 



The animal must be held by the assistant, keeping the body firm, 

 then grasping the leg at the tarsus and drawing it along from the body 



iM^ 



Fig. 114. — Skiagraph of luxation of the hip upwards and backwards. 



downward and outward as far as possible, and keep moving the leg 

 forward and backward; at the same time, with the other hand, seize the 

 trochanter major in the finger, or use the flat of the hand, to manipulate 

 the joint into position. It is impossi])le to keep a bandage on this part 

 unless it is a pitch plaster, which should be applied and the animal kept 

 as cpiet as possible. 



The joints of the phalanges sometimes become dislocated. These 

 do not possess any special symptoms that may not be easily recognized 

 by the indications stated under Clinical Symptoms of Luxations. 



