CHAPTER XVin. 



LAMENESS FOLLOWING FRACTURE OF THE 

 VERTEBRA. 



History. — Falling over backwards, starting and stopping 

 an animal suddenly, violent struggling when cast and unable 

 to rise, and also jumping. 



Fracture of the Body of the Vertebrae. 



Inspection. — The animal lies upon the ground stretched 

 out, or sits upon his haunches like a dog, able to move the 

 fore-legs, but the hind-legs are paralyzed. Sometimes the 

 vertebra is only fissured ; in these cases the animal can still 

 walk, the back is arched and held stiffly, and in a few days 

 paraplegia sets in. Then again the vertebrae may be 

 fractured, yet the animal stands ; in these cases the sciatic 

 nerve, but not the crural nerve, is involved ; walking is 

 impossible. Such symptoms are due to a fracture some- 

 where behind the fourth to the sixth lumbar vertebrae. 



Palpation. — Deformity and crepitation are rarely de- 

 tected ; pressure upon the supposed seat of the fracture may 

 give rise to pain. Insensibility of the hind-quarters, sharply 

 defined, is noticeable, the animal not ofi'ering any resistance 

 when pricked with a needle, etc. Under such conditions 

 the fracture is in the lumbar region, or behind it; but in 

 fracture of the dorsal vertebra, or anterior to it, reflex 

 irritability is present, and may even be exaggerated, as by 

 pricking the paralyzed muscles active clonic and even tonic 



