422 



HEALTH AND DISEASE 



with the fetlock joints. Movement aggravates the symptoms, and may 

 cause the animal to fall, when more or less difficulty or complete inability 

 will be experienced in rising. 



Paraplegia in the horse, save when arising out of reflex causes, offers 

 very little encouragement to treatment. Injury to the brain or cord of a 

 paralysing nature seldom yields to medicine. In cases of a slight character 

 it may be desirable to administer a dose of physic, to apply hot cloths over 

 the loins, and to place the animal in slings or on a good bed of peat-moss, 

 and later to administer iodide of potassium and nux vomica for two or 

 three weeks and apply a blister along the back; but these are cases which 

 should be promptly placed under the care of a qualified person. 



PERIPHERAL OR LOCAL PARALYSIS 



When paralysis is confined to muscles supplied by a particular nerve it 

 is said to be " peripheral ". The most common example of this form of the 

 malady is that in which the seventh nerve is involved. The seventh nerve 

 after leaving the brain emerges from the cranium through a canal in the 



Fig. 180. Facial Paralysis. A, Partial. B, Total. 



petrous temporal bone, and on reaching the surface passes underneath the 

 joint formed by the lower jaw and the temporal bone, and then over the 

 cheek, where it gives off branches to the muscles of mastication, the 

 nostrils, and the lips. 



Injury to this nerve gives rise to paralysis of the muscles of the face, 

 hence it is termed "facial paralysis". It may occur on one side, as is 

 mostly the case, or both nerves may be simultaneously affected. 



Causes. Facial paralysis may result from injury to the nerve as it 



