LAMENESS IN THE REGION OF THE HOCK JOINT. Ill 



The principles involved in diagnosing spavin lameness, 

 are : 



1. The presence of any exostosis, particularly about the 

 antero-internal part of the hock joint. 



2. The peculiar lameness described above. 



3. Certain pathological conditions, due to lameness of 

 some standing, as atrophied muscles. 



Palpation. — Heat aud pain on pressure upon the supposed 

 seat of the spavin, unless the result of external violence, are 

 not of much importance in the diagnosis of spavin. The 

 enlargement is of bony hardness. In some cases, which are 

 a little doubtful, the so-called spavin test can be employed 

 to intensify lameness. Yet it must be remembered that this 

 test is not infallible, and a good deal of judgment is required 

 to interpret the result correctly. Old horsfes, which are 

 merely stiff, often go lame after the test. The same refers 

 to cases of hip lameness, which also increases after the test, 

 as the writer has frequently observed. The test consists in 

 raising the leg and keeping it flexed for about one minute; 

 if the animal is then trotted, lameness usually is more 

 pronounced than originally. 



Differential Diagnosis. — 1. Curb. This does not usually 

 cause much lameness unless accompanied by a spavin. 

 (See page 115.; 



2. Inflammation of the flexor pedis tendon. Careful 

 palpation will discern it from spavin. 



3. Chronic inflammation of the stifle joint. In this 

 affection the leg is kept flexed, when trotting there is no 

 jerk, and the whole leg is carried forward stiffly. 



4. Hip lameness. As a rule the lameness is only seen 

 while the leg is swung forward, and the animal often trots 

 obliquely, like a dog. Lnmeuess the result of spavin is seen 



