150 NON-SPECIFIC OR GENERAL DISEASES 



shoe-boils may be treated bv completely removing the diseased 

 tissue. The surgical treatment of capped elbow requires the 

 service of an exj^erienced veterinarian. His efforts may prove 

 a complete failure, unless the irritation to the part by the shoe or 

 hoof is prevented. 



Injuries to the Knee (Broken Knee). — Horses frequently 

 fall and bruise or lacerate the knee when moving at trot or canter. 

 The injury varies according to the force of the fall, and the 

 character of the road that the animal is travelling over. Some 

 individuals are more liable to suffer from this class of injuries 

 than others. Horses that are weak-kneed because of poor con- 

 formation, or knee-sprung, are inclined to stumble. Careless 

 driving, especially if the animal is tired, predisposes it to this 

 class of injury. Because of the predisposition toward stumbling 

 on the part of some horses, scars on the front of the knee are 

 termed broken knee, and the animal is considered unsound. 



The symptoms vary with the extent of the injury. Slight 

 bruises or abrasions result in local swelling and soreness that dis- 

 appear within a few days. Laceration of skin interferes with 

 the movement of the knee and the animal may be quite lame. 

 The part becomes swollen and painful. In injuries involving the 

 sheaths of the tendons and the synovial membrane, the pain is 

 severe and the accompanying inflammation may take on a serious 

 form. 



The preventive treatment should not be overlooked. Horses 

 should be trained to carry the head at a proper height when 

 moving. The driver should handle the reins properly and keep 

 his attention on the horse or horses that he is driving. Super- 

 ficial bruises require no special treatment other than rest. Lacer- 

 ation of the skin and underlying tissue requires complete rest 

 and careful removal of any particles of dirt and gravel that may 

 be present in the wound. Shreds of tissue that may take no part 

 in the healing should be cut away. The hair in the region of the 

 wound should be trimmed short. Careful and repeated dressings 



