PREVENTION, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT 



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blows or kicks, and is a hot, tender, circumscribed swelling, usually 

 fluctuating, and often coming on in a night. Its location corre- 

 sponds to the seat of a bursa. The content is serum or blood. 

 A dry inflammation, with crepitation of the swelling, may exist. 

 Septic bursitis with suppuration arises from injury, often with 

 abrasion and puncture of the bursa, and is accompanied by marked 

 tenderness and swelling and perhaps fever. It does not tend to sub- 

 side and aseptic aspiration with a hypodermic syringe may solve 

 the diagnosis. Finally, tuberculous bursitis occurs in cattle, com- 

 monly of the subcutaneous bursa over the knee. It may reach great 

 size and consist largely of fibrous tissue. Caseous matter, floating, 

 fibrous bodies, and gelatinous matter are also seen in these. 



Chronic bursitis (hygroma, hygrops) is common and is due to 

 frequent attacks of the acute form and constant irritation and pres- 

 sure. Fluctuating or semi-solid, painless, circumscribed swellings 

 with indurated walls are seen at bursal sites. 



The common sites of bursitis are as follows : At the point of 

 the elbow (capped elbow), at the point of the hock (capped hock), 

 between the ligamentum nuchae and atlas (in puppies), between 

 the ligamentum nuchae and 2nd cervical vertebra (poll evil), on 

 either side of the withers (terminating often in fistulous withers). 

 Also over the tuberosities of the ischia, external angle of ilium, the 

 trochanter, the stifle, fetlock, metacarpus, and knee. One of the 

 most important forms is bursitis podotrochlearis, or inflammation 

 Of the bursa between the perforans tendon and under surface of 

 the navicular bone in the fore feet. This eventuates in navicular 

 disease, i. e., in erosion of the navicular cartilage, in rarefying 

 ostitis, laceration of the tendon and even fracture of the bone accom- 

 panied by incurable lameness and contracted feet. 



Prevention. — The avoidance of injury to bursse will prevent 

 the occurrence of bursitis. In the case of shoe ball or capped elbow 

 the horse must be prevented from lying with the heel of the shoe 

 upon this part. This may be accomplished by affording a roomy 



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