168 



DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



SPAVIN AND BINQBONE. 



There are two kinds of bone spavin, namely : Jack and 

 occult, or consolidated joint. The first is located at the 

 upper portion of the metatarsal bone at its juncture with 

 the cuboid bones. The second is usually located higher up 

 and more on the inside of the astragalus bone at its junc- 

 tion with the cuboid bones. 



Spavins of either of the above classes have the same ori- 

 gin and same causes, namely, inflammation of the cartilage 

 of the joint in the first instance, and extending to ulcera- 

 tion of the bone, consequently bony matter is thrown out, 

 uniting more or less of the bone of the hock and excess of 

 matter and ulceration of the bones from the enlargent. 



The causes of spavin are numer- 

 ous, but principally of one class, such 

 as sprains, hard work, blows, and, 

 in fact, any cause exciting inflamma- 

 tion of this part. But a common 

 cause and a great fault lies in the 

 breeders of horses, as very often the 

 colt is bred from spavined sire or 

 dam, or both, and the colt is certain 

 to inherit the same predisposition. 

 The symptoms at the commencement are treacherous. 

 Very often horses are treated for hip lameness before any 

 enlargement makes its appearance. The horse, at first, is 

 very lame while laboring under acute inflamma- 

 tion of the hock joint. He will not wear out or 

 the lameness as he does in the more advanced 

 stage of the disease. The tumor generally 

 makes its appearance from the fifth to the 

 eighth week. Sometimes, however, the lame- 

 ness is very gradual — scarcely perceptible at 

 first — getting worse until there is marked lame- 

 ness at starting, which will soon wear off" as the 

 horse warms up. 



The method of curing is varied, as there are hundreds oi 

 different remedies and applications. Some men go so far 

 as to pretend they can remove spavins. To a skillful practi- 

 tioner this is absurd. It will be seen that if such quacks can 

 remove the external tumor, they cannot separate the bones 



Showing the Changes of Struc 

 ture Caused. 



Bone Spavin. 



