372 DISEASES OF THE HOBSE. 



Treatmeni.— The injured member should receive the earliest atten- 

 tion possible, not only when the inflammatory condition is present, 

 but when it is subsiding and there is only the thickening of the liga- 

 ments, the tendons, or the sheath. 



The most important remedy is rest, and the shoes should always be 

 removed. During the first three days cold in the form of immersion 

 or continuous irrigation is indicated. Then warm moisture and con- 

 tinuous pressure are advised. The latter is best applied by placing 

 two padded splints about the thickness of the thumb along the two 

 sides of the tendon and binding them in place with even pressure by 

 bandage. Frequent bathing with warm soap suds is also beneficial. 

 The absorption of the exudate may be promoted and the work of 

 restoration effected by frictions with alcohol, tincture of soap, spirits 

 of camphor, mild liniments, strong, sweating liniments, and blisters. 

 An excellent ointment to apply with massage consists of equal parts 

 of blue ointment and green soap, with double the quantity of vaseline. 

 The action of blisters in these cases depends chiefly upon the massage 

 used in applying them and upon the continuous pressure of the swol- 

 len skin on the inflamed tendons. In old cases more beneficial results 

 will follow line firing. In these cases shoeing is very important. 

 Leave the quarters long, shorten the toe, give the shoe rolling motion, 

 and either put short heel calks on the branches or thicken the 

 branches. Although this line of treatment is efficacious in many 

 cases, there are others in which the thickening of the tendons refuses 

 to yield and the changed tissues remain firmly organized, leaving 

 them in the form of a thick mass resting upon the back part of the 

 cannon bone. 



KNUCKLING OF FETLOCK. 



As a consequence of the last-mentioned lesion of the tendons, a new 

 condition presents itself in the articular disposition, constituting the 

 deformity known as the knuckling fetlock. (See also p. 400.) 



By this is meant a deformity of the fetlock joint by which the 

 natural angle is changed from that which pertains to the healthy 

 articulation. The first pastern, or suffraginis, loses its oblique direc- 

 tion and assumes another, which varies from the upright to the 

 oblique, from before backward, and from above downward ; in other 

 words, forming an angle with its apex in front. 



Causes. — This condition, as we have seen, may be the result of 

 chronic disease producing structural changes in the tendons, and it 

 may also occur as the result of other affections or some peculiarity 

 independent of this and situated below the fetlock, such as ringbones, 

 sidebones, or traumatic disease of the foot proper. Animals are 

 sometimes predisposed to knuckling, such, for example, as are natur- 

 ally straight in their pasterns, or animals which are compelled to 

 labor when too young. The hind legs are more predisposed than the 



