406 BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



to be accompanied by arthritis and to result in false 

 anchylosis of the joint. The sheaths of the tendons 

 about this part always undergo thickening in such cases. 

 Sometimes the inflammation runs so high as to give rise 

 to considerable systemic disorder^ so that a cathartic 

 and febrifuge agents must be administered. Overgrowth 

 of the hoofs, by giving rise to abnormal direction of 

 tension, predisposes to this injury. 



Sprain of Ligamentum Teres of the Hip is seen in the 

 ox, for he has no pubio-femoral ligament to strengthen 

 the union of the head of the femur with the acetabulum. 

 Armatage gives the following symptoms : — Flexion of the 

 affected limb during rest and drooping of the haunch of 

 that side. Inability to raise the thigh and advance the 

 leg, so that the hoof is dragged along the ground. Great 

 pain on movement of the limb, absence of external in- 

 dications, and in chronic cases, wasting of the quarter, 

 with a clicking noise during progression. The most 

 frequent cause of this is beasts ^'mounting'' on one 

 another, but blows may also give rise to it. Abscess 

 in the hip-joint may result. These cases are not rare, 

 and prove severe and protracted, and seriously interfere 

 with condition. The ordinary treatment for sprain must 

 be tried ; in chronic cases a seton may prove useful. 

 Above all things thorough rest must be secured ; this 

 ligament has been found ruptured. 



A case of Ruptured Suspensory Ligament may be read in 

 the ' Veterinarian,^ vol. xvi, p. 254. This ligament divides 

 inferiorly into four in the ox and assists the perforatus 

 to form its sheaths for perforans. 



The muscular system of the ox is less liable to injury 

 and disorder than that of the horse, since the tendons 

 are seldom subject to excessive strain, and the animal is 

 not compelled to undergo excessive muscular exertion. 

 Yet, as a result of over-feeding, the muscles degenerate, 

 undergoing fatty change, and are liable to give way 

 under the influence of a comparatively slight degree of 

 force. Of this nature is the Rupture of serratus magnus, 



