492 FISTULOUS WITHERS. — BRUISED BACK. 



ner the enlargement upon the point of the hock should be treated 

 until it entirely disappears. The dispersion of the soreness will 

 be much facilitated by exercising the horse occasionally. 



During the treatment care should be taken to prevent the 

 hock from being again injured. The animal should be well 

 supplied with straw. 



FISTULOUS WITHERS.— BRUISED BACK. 



A fistulous condition of the withers, and a bruise or crush 

 upon the back, are injuries caused in almost every instance by 

 the saddle. 



The tissues of the withers when bruised or injured inflame ; 

 the common symptoms of which are, swelling of the parts, 

 accompanied with increased heat and great tenderness. As the 

 disease proceeds, the swelling increases until at last matter is 

 formed, which ulcerates through the skin and is discharged ; 

 and thus a condition of the structurs is established, which may 

 continue for an indefinite period, unless prevented by proper 

 treatment 



Treatment.— The treatment of Eistulous "Withers should 

 be of a very direct and simple character. Arnica lotion and 

 cold water cloths are the proper remedies to commence with, 

 unless matter should exist within the structures injured at the 

 time the animal is brought to a veterinary surgeon for treat- 

 ment, or if the structures be in that state that the formation of 

 matter is inevitable, then warm lotions and hot fomentations are 

 the best to adopt until purulent matter is formed, when the 

 abscess should be opened and its contents evacuated. The 

 abscess should be cut open to the very bottom. Unless every 

 sinus in connection with the abscess is freely exposed, the puru- 

 lent matter within will gravitate in many directions, and the 



