104 LAMENESS OF THE HORSE 



provision for its ready evacuation, as conditions seem to require. 

 Daily injections for three, four or five days, are not harmful 

 and will control infection in many instances. 



Thecltis and Bursitis. 



Etiology and Occurrence. — The thecae and bursae of the leg 

 are several in number. In the carpal region, the flexors of the 

 phalanges are contained together in the carpal sheath, and this 

 is the principal theca in the carpal region. Each of the tendons 

 is provided with synovial sheaths which are subject to inflam- 

 mation and occasionally synovitis and distension of these synovial 

 sheaths occur. 



Because of faulty conformation, some animals are subject to 

 inflammation of these sheaths, and all forms of strenuous work 

 which taxes the tendons greatly is apt to result in synovitis. 

 Direct injury such as blows may be the cause of synovial disten- 

 sion of thecae and the affection is to be seen in all horses that 

 have done much fast work on hard road surfaces or pavements. 



The usual case as it occurs in practice is a non-infective syn- 

 ovitis, but where puncture wounds cause the trouble, an in- 

 fectious inflammation obtains. 



Symptomatology. — No trouble is experienced in diagnosing 

 distension of tendon sheaths, for the affection is very palpable. 

 During acute inflammatory stages of this affection, some lame- 

 ness is present — in infectious inflammation lameness is intense. 

 Local heat and pain upon manipulation are readily discernible 

 in all acute cases. And finally, where there is reason for doubt, 

 an aseptic exploratory puncture of the wall of the fluctuating 

 enlargement may be made with a suitable trocar, and the dis- 

 charging synovia will be proof of the existence of synovial dis- 

 tension. 



After the affection becomes subacute or chronic, no lameness 

 or inconvenience is manifested, and the condition is undesirable 

 only because of its being a blemish. 



Treatment. — Acute non-infectious synovial distension of ten- 

 don sheaths is treated by aspirating as much synovia as pos- 

 sible from the affected theca (this is, of course, done under 



