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Coarse hocks are not necessarily to be regarded unfavourably, as they 

 commonly become finer, as the young animal matures in age. If, however 

 there be any dissimilarity in the size of the two hocks, or if there be any 

 lameness, our suspicions are aroused. If the hocks are coarse in an old 

 horse, and there is no alteration in the animal's gait, lameness very rarely 

 indeed results. It is fortunate that in horses six years old and under, spavin 

 is generally amenable to treatment. In old animals therapeutic measures 

 are of little avail. 



Spavin lameness is sometimes difficult to distinguish from alteration 

 of the progression owing to other causes. Hip lameness, we should 

 remember, causes stiffness of the whole limb ; and there are generally 

 tenderness, heat, and swelling at the hip, in such cases. The toe also is 

 dragged along the ground in hip lameness. Regarding the judgment we 

 may pass upon the spavin, we may point out that animals with well-shaped 

 hocks, as a rule, more speedily recover, and are less likely to have a renewal 

 of the inflammatory process, than others with badly-shaped hocks. Spavin 

 also is more damaging to an animal required for fast and heavy work, than 

 for one employed for lighter work at a slower pace. A spavin situated 

 internally is, as we have pointed out already, less likely to interfere with the 

 progression, than one situated on the front of the joint ; and low spavins, we 

 also mentioned, were less likely to cause lameness than high ones. 

 Moreover, when the true hock joint is implicated^ there is but little chance 

 of recoveiy. Bony deposits, situated at the back part of the inner surface of 

 the hock, do not often cause much lameness. In animals well shapen, a 

 spavin is not likely to be so damaging as in long-backed horses, badly 

 ribbed up, having poor appetites. When the deposit is associated with 

 string-halt, or causes any other disease by its presence, the prognosis is not 

 so favourable. 



In those instances where there is no external sign of any bony deposit, 

 even although there may be very marked lameness, the disease is spoken of 

 as occult spavin. In occult spavin, no bony deposit is thrown out, but the 

 inflammatory action results in ulceration of the contiguous surfaces of the 

 bones, and is not followed by any reparative process. Our readers will 

 understand that spavins, like splints and other such bony growths, are in 

 reality " nature's means of fortification against more serious failures." In 

 occult spavin, this reparative process of bone formation, in order to make 

 good the loss by ulceration, does not occur ; and therefore there is no 

 external sign of the disease. Occult spavin is more grave and intractable 

 than ordinary spavin. It is of much more frequent occurrence in old 

 animals than in younger ones. 



We may now say a few words regarding the means of detecting spavin, 

 and then proceed with the treatment of this common disease. In spavin 

 lameness, there are some points specially noteworthy. There is a lack of 

 bending at the hock joint. The lameness, as a rule, is less marked, after 

 the animal has been exercised for a time. The step will be noticed to be on 

 the toe, at which part the shoe is consequently more worn, than elsewhere. 



