132 THE SURGICAL ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



period of about three months is absolutely essential, and long after active 

 treatment has been discontinued cold douches are necessary, and even 

 blisters may prove very beneficial. 



In cases of perforatus sprain the treatment is similar, but it is much 

 more hopeful. In recent cases the pressure treatment is usually com- 

 pletely successful, and a considerable measure of success attends the 

 treatment of old cases by cold applications, firing, and blistering. 



When both tendons are sprained treatment is less hopeful, and is 

 still more difficult when the suspensory ligament is also involved. 



BREAKDOWN 



This is a term which has a very loose application. A race-horse is 

 sometimes said to break down if he falls suddenly lame. According to 

 Macqueen, the term should be applied to cases in which the flexor tendons 

 are ruptured and the suspensory ligament is lacerated. The fetlock sinks, 

 and either rests upon or is close to the ground. Fracture of the sesa- 

 moid bones may occur as a complication. The fetlock also sinks a little 

 towards the affected side in cases of rupture of one of the divisions of the 

 suspensory ligament. These cases are trivial as compared with the 

 condition under consideration, and it is important to distinguish carefully 

 between rupture of the tendons and rupture of the ligament only. There 

 will be no difficulty in diagnosis if it be remembered that the fetlock 

 cannot sink to the ground unless the tendons be ruptured. 



Common seats of rupture are at the insertions of the tendons, where 

 the check ligament is united to the perforans, and a few inches above 

 the fetlock. 



Rupture occurs as the result of some violent effort on the part of the 

 animal, such as rearing, jumping, buck-jumping, kicking in hobbles, &c. 

 It occasionally occurs as a result of the animal being pulled up too 

 suddenly, and at times mares are found with their tendons ruptured 

 after having been served by a stallion. 



