36q Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



Treatment. Reduction being effected, as light a bandage as 

 possible is to be applied, similar to that used when this extremity 

 suffers fracture. 



SYNOVITIS. 



By synovitis is meant inflammation of the synovial membrane 

 alone. When other structures of the joint are involved, the term 

 arthritis is employed. It may be acute or chronic. In the acute 

 form the synovial membrane becomes red, congested and swollen, 

 and at first stops secreting but later pours out an excess of turbid 

 fluid ; in the chronic it undergoes thickening. Either form is caused 

 by some slight injury such as a sprain, contusion twist, or overuse. 

 The articulations most commonly affected are the carpal, coxo- 

 femoral, femoro-tibial, and digital. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. In acute synovitis the leg is held 

 in any position giving the greatest ease, and any movement of the 

 joint gives rise to lameness. Examination shows the joint to be 

 hot and fluctuating and painful to pressure. In chronic synovitis 

 lameness only becomes evident_ after use of the joint, but the sac 

 fluctuates. 



Treatment. Treatment comprises rest, immobilization of the 

 joint with bandages, cold applications, and later painting with io- 

 dine. When the effusion is great, the sac should be aspirated with 

 antiseptic precautions. 



ANTHRITIS. 



This term is applied to general inflammation of all the struc- 

 tures composing and surrounding a joint. It may occur as a local 

 manifestation of rheumatism when it is of infectious origin though 

 unaccompanied by suppuration, it may develop as a simple inflam- 

 matory disturbance consequent upon local sprains, luxations, etc., 

 or it may result from pyogenic processes, the germs entering either 

 by a wound, through extension of periarticular suppuration or 

 osteomyelitis, or in a pyemic embolus as may occur in cases of 

 omphalo-phlebitis of the newly-born. 



Rheumatic arthritis may be acute or chronic. The former 

 runs a rapid course, the symptoms appearing within twenty-four to 

 forty-eight hours. The commonest seats of this form of the dis- 



