DISEASES OF THE BONES. 



415 



disturbance, more commonly the former. Its nature, causes, symp- 

 toms, and treatment will be better understood by taking the most 

 common example of splint, spavin, and ringrbone. 



Splint, or Splent. 



Splint is a hard, bony tumor occurring 

 on the inside of the shank or cannon- 

 bone of the fore leg, usually well up near 

 the knee, which is well represented by 

 Fig. 704. It is situated partly on the 

 splint-bone (from which it takes its 

 name), and partly on the cannon. 

 Young horses are most subject to 

 splints. The periosteum in them being 

 more vascular than in old animals, it is 

 more liable to inflammation, which is 

 very readily induced in the unsolidified 

 bones of the young horse when exposed 

 to concussion or external violence. It 

 occurs on the inside, because the center 

 of gravity falls through that part ; when 

 there is splint or enlargement on the 

 outside, it is usually caused by an injury. 

 Sometimes the opposite foot striking the 

 part will cause so much inflammation as 

 to produce considerable soreness and 

 lameness, followed by thickening and 

 enlargement of the part. 



Symptoms. — At the start there may be 

 no enlargement, nor anything to indicate 

 the seat of trouble. The horse appears 

 all right on a walk or on soft ground ; 

 but if moving rapidly on a hard road, 

 and especially down hill, considerable 

 lameness will be showu. Running the 

 fingers along the edge of the bone from 

 the knee down, and pressing with the 

 ends of the fingers, inflammation or en- 

 largement will soon be discovered, both by heat and tenderness, 

 and in time by enlargement. 



Treatment. — If the inflammation is up near the joint, it will 

 usually be more serious, and cause more lameness ; but as a general 



Fig. 707.— Bones of Leg and Foot 



