FRACTURE OF THE FEMUR. 
659 
when the limb is carried, slowness in movement, shortening of the 
forward stride, and, usually, by abduction of the limb. Fracture of 
one of the lower condyles produces severe localised pain and marked 
flexion of the limb, similar to that of inflammation of the stifle-joint 
(gonitis) ; the other symptoms of stifle lameness develop during the 
next few days. 
In horses and cattle the course is generally unfavourable, particularly 
if much lameness is shown when weight is placed on the leg. Fractures 
of the diapliysis may be followed by death from bleeding if the femoral 
artery be injured. Union never occurs in fracture of the head or neck 
of the femur. Hess and Schwerdtfeger kept cases of fracture of the 
articular head under observation for one year and for six months 
respectively; in neither was there any bony union between the head 
and shaft. Even where union occurs, the animal remains lame, owing 
to injury of the articular cup by the friction of splinters of bone; the 
articular cartilage may be completely rubbed away. Fractures of the 
lower condyle take a very unfavourable course. In small animals 
fractures of the diaphysis are more promising if there is no great 
displacement or shortening of the limb. Unfortunately, in dogs these 
two symptoms are generally marked, the upper fragment being thrust 
backwards through the muscular tissue, the lower one forwards; the 
mass of muscle thus interposed renders callus formation difficult, or 
altogether impossible. Recorded observations show, however, that even 
in large animals recovery is not entirely out of the question. Wilhelm, 
indeed, saw a fracture of the femur unite, though the horse was at the 
same time suffering from fracture of the os pubis of the other side. 
After ten weeks in slings the horse resumed light farm-work, though 
the injured limb had become 8 inches shorter than its neighbour. 
Fracture of the diaphysis in dogs is sometimes followed by formation of 
a callus fibrosus and permanent lameness, sometimes by perfect bony 
union and soundness. These fractures are least serious, and unite most 
quickly in swine and small ruminants, which are better able to rest the 
limb. Fractures of the trochanters are least dangerous, as they do not 
prevent the animal standing on the limb, and therefore are not likely to 
induce laminitis in the opposite foot; but even they sometimes give rise 
to permanent lameness, which restricts the animal to show work. The 
prognosis must largely depend on the degree of lameness associated with 
the fracture. Heuberger, in a horse, saw complete union of a fracture 
of the upper trochanter. 
Treatment is confined to resting the animal, and if a horse to placing 
it in slings. The methods of reduction often described are usually 
inadmissible ; even in dogs the muscles of the quarter are comparatively 
powerful, and oppose great resistance to manipulation. The extension 
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