SPEAIN OF THE FLEXOE TENDONS. 497 



opinion upon the nature of the case, he should carefully examine 

 the foot of the affected limh. Errors of a grave and very 

 damaging character have arisen in consequence of practitioners 

 not attending to this simple, and what ought to he an undeviating, 

 rule of practice. 



SPKAIN OF THE FLEXOR TENDONS. 



Sprain of the flexor tendons is a common cause of lameness, 

 and one wliich, if not recognised and properly treated at the 

 commencement, is very liable to terminate in disease and lame- 

 ness of an incurable character. 



The flexor tendons are liable to be sprained at every part 

 of their structure, or from their origin at the back of the 

 knees and the hocks, down to where they terminate at the 

 back of the feet ; and, so far as I have hitherto observed, the 

 tendons of the hind limbs are just as liable to sprain and 

 injury as those of the fore limbs. 



One of the most common forms in which these structures 

 are injured, is that of sprain of the metacarpal ligament (5, 

 Fig. 28). A reference to the engraving on the the following 

 page will enable the reader to clearly comprehend the matter. 



The symptoms of Sprain, or injury of the metacarpal liga- 

 ment, are generally of a very direct character. The animal 

 steps lame ; he treads upon the toe ; the structures behind the 

 limb affected are swollen, tender upon pressure, and of a higher 

 temperature than ordinary. If the disease is not perceived 

 at its onset, which is very frequently the case, and the animal 

 is continued at work, the ligament becomes greatly thickened : 

 the limb becomes shortened ; it also projects or shoots over at 

 the fetlock joint, and the animal is rendered thereby incapable 

 of rapid locomotion. 



2 I 



