232 The Diseases of Animals 
seriously and permanently lame. In a majority of 
cases, spavins can be treated successfully, the lameness 
will disappear, and the horse can perform ordinary 
labor with little, if any, inconvenience. 
Occult spavins, when there is no visible bony bunch, 
are difficult to remedy. After the joint is well knit 
together and the lameness disappears, the exostosis, or 
bunch, will usually be absorbed and disappear. A light 
blister, rubbed on occasionally, will assist in remov- 
ing it. 
Bog-spavin is a very different dis- 
ease and is separately treated near 
the end of this Chapter (page 238). 
RING - BONE 
This name is applied to the same 
condition as a spavin, except that it 
occurs on the pastern-joint, rarely 
the coffin-joint, on any one of the 
four legs. There is inflammation of 
the joint, followed by exostosis, and Fig. 45. Ring-bone on bones 
usually by anchylosis, or welding to- °° ‘P® Pasterdoint. 
gether of the large and small pastern-bones. In many 
cases there is no “ring” of bone around the joint, only 
a bony bunch at one or on both sides of the joint. Figs. 
45 and 46. The predisposing causes of ring-bone are 
‘long, oblique or very short straight pasterns. There 
may be, also, an hereditary tendency to the disease. 
The exciting causes are practically the same as those of 
spavins,— sprains, injuries and concussion. Ring-bone 
