DISEASES OF THE JOINTS 443 



and pain in the fetlock on palpation, and a swelling of the 

 affected parts, such swelling being at first slight, 3'ielding, 

 and barely distinguishable, and afterwards larger, bony and 

 hard, and more marked. Later still there is distinct evidence 

 of * knuckling ' over at the fetlock and inability to fully flex it. 



In cases of shoulder lameness the gait alone should be 

 sufficient to render liability of error small, for with nearly 

 every case there is a manifest inability to ' get the limb 

 forward,' and this is best seen at a side view when the 

 animal is trotting past the observer. When trotting towards 

 one, there is a further and unmistakable symptom common 

 to most shoulder lamenesses that serves to distinguish it at 

 once, and that is the peculiar ' sweeping ' outwards with 

 the affected limb. 



Lastly, with either of the conditions we have just 

 mentioned, it is the exception to get contracted foot follow 

 on. With navicular disease it sooner or later makes its 

 appearance. 



Prognosis. — The prognosis of navicular disease (once 

 diagnosed with certainty) must almost of necessity be 

 unfavourable. The facts that the disease has made serious 

 progress before it is really noticeable, that the situation of 

 the parts prohibits operative interference, and that the 

 disease is one of a chronic and slowly progressive type, all 

 point to an unfavourable termination. 



Treatment. — We have seen from the pathology of this 

 disease that it may commence either as a rarefactive ostitis, 

 or as a synovitis and tenositis in connection with the bursa. 

 With the former condition in existence, or when this and 

 the synovitis has led to erosion of the cartilage, treatment 

 is probably of no avail, on account of the more chronic 

 nature of these two conditions. When, however, the con- 

 dition is simply that of synovitis or tenositis, a more or less 

 acute condition, we may assume that suitable treatment and 

 a long rest will bring about resolution. 



The first indications in treatment are those of what we 

 may term ' nursing ' the foot. It should have sufiicient 

 rest, should be placed so as to minimize as far as possible 



