The Osseous System 333 



The coccygeal vertebrae become broken mostly through the tail 

 being run over or caught in doors. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. The principal symptoms are ten- 

 derness, crepitus, and motor and sensory paralysis. Crepitus and 

 tenderness alone must not be regarded as serious symptoms since 

 they may arise merely from fracture of a spinous process. 



When the lesion is in the cervical region, death is usually im- 

 mediate, owing to paralysis of the phrenic nerve, that nerve having 

 its origin in the fifth, sixth, and seventh cervical pairs. If the frac- 

 ture occurs at or posterior to the seventh cervical vertebra, the 

 phrenic nerve still functions and supports respiration which becomes 

 then wholly diaphragmatic, the function of the intercostals being 

 destroyed. The neck is held stiflEly and crepitus may be noticed if 

 the head is submitted to a twisting motion. 



In the lumbar and sacral regions the symptoms are : paraplegia, 

 and paralysis of the rectum and bladder. The intestines become 

 tympanitic from reduced innervation. 



It is sometimes a matter of difficulty to make an early differ- 

 ential diagnosis between true dislocation, fracture of the vertebral 

 column and simple injury sustained by the cord from violent con- 

 cussion resulting from falls from great heights, which are far from 

 common. The cord may become ruptured or hemorrhage take place 

 into the canal. In these cases the symptoms usually disappear within 

 one or two weeks and recovery is often complete but will of course 

 depend upon the presence and extent of hemorrhage or degene- 

 ration. 



Treatment. No treatment of fracture is possible. Concussion 

 cases must have rest, administration of water and liquid nourish- 

 ment and assistance in evacuation of the bowels with the aid of 

 enemata if necessary. The animal must be frequently turned to 

 prevent the formation of bedsores. 



Simple fracture of coccygeal vertebrae is treated in the same 

 manner as a broken leg, but the bandage must be of the lightest 

 character possible, and made to include three or four vertebrae on 

 either side. When compound the prognosis is unfavorable and the 

 tail has eventually to be amputated above the seat of injury. 



The Sternum. Fracture of this bone is a lesion of great rarity. 

 Koenig and Zundel have seen instances in which a run-over was 

 the productive factor. 



