194: PRINCIPLES OF VETEEINAEY SURGERY 



the irritant by directly invading the system, or a toxic agent 

 enters some way or other. I have seen hundreds of cases in 

 the South, but do not believe in a direct contagion. I think 

 that accessory causes, by interfering with bone nutrition, pre- 

 dispose the creature to succumb to an invasion by a pathogenic 

 germ, or some other toxic agent; as such accessory causes may 

 be mentioned unwholesome stables, as are frequently met 

 with in cities, faulty food, etc. While this disease has been 

 frequently observed in the large cities, I have seen but three 

 cases of osteoporosis in the past five years in Milwaukee, and 

 two of these horses came to the city suffering with the dis- 

 ease, while the third, a pony, was in town about one year 

 before my attention was called to its "big head." 



Describe the symptoms of osteoporosis. 



Its beginning is often insidious. As a rule, the animal 

 soon becomes fatigued, sweats easily and has a poor and 

 irregular appetite. Or the animal is brought to you on 

 account of a lameness. The vast majority of cases seen by 

 me were either shoulder, hip or stifle lame. Other animals 

 are stiff, experience difficulty in lowering the head, walk stiffly, 

 stumble easily, the long bones of the extremities may enlarge. 

 Synovial distention about the various joints is an early symp- 

 tom. A close study of the bones of the face usually shows in 

 the earlier stages of the disease a rounded state — that is, a 

 bulging of the nasal and superior maxillary bones; and when 

 one hand is rested upon the nose and the other hand against 

 the chin, now making lateral motion with the lower jaw- 

 that is, grating the teeth upon each other — a dull, muffled 

 sound is produced. Fractures and distortions are common. 



Mow do you treat osteoporosis ? 



A change of climate gives the best result, even if it 



