Lameness of the Horse: Veterinary Practitioners' Series, No. 1Lacroix, John Victor
Science
Lameness of the Horse: Veterinary Practitioners' Series, No. 1
Lacroix, John Victor
Horses -- Health; Lameness in horses
Where bandages of pure rubber are employed great care is necessary, if
one is not experienced in their use, lest necrosis result. Where
bandages are uncomfortably tight the subject will manifest discomfort,
and an attendant should observe the animal at intervals for a few hours
(where there may be some doubt as to the degree of pressure which is
exerted by elastic bandages) and readjustment made before any harm is
done.
Arthritis of the Fetlock Joint.
Anatomy.--The anatomy of the metacarpophalangeal articulation is
briefly reviewed on page 58 under the heading of "Anatomo-Physiological
Review of Parts of the Foreleg."
Etiology and Occurrence.--The chief causes of non-infective arthritis
of the fetlock joint are irritations from concussion and contusions due
to interfering. The condition occurs in young animals that are
over-driven in livery service or other similar exhausting work, where
they become so weary that serious injury is done these parts by striking
the pasterns with the feet--interfering. In these "leg-weary" animals,
that are always kept shod with fairly heavy shoes, much direct injury is
done at times by concussion due to self-inflicted blows. In older
animals, where there exists similar conditions, with respect to their
being worn from fatigue and, in addition, periarticular inflammatory
organizations, arthritis is not of uncommon occurrence.
[Illustration: Fig. 30--Rarefying osteitis wherein articular cartilage
was destroyed in a case of arthritis of fetlock joint.]
Symptomatology.--In true arthritis there exists a very painful
affection which is characterized by manifestations of distress. The
subject may keep the extremity moving about--where pain is
great--suspended and swinging. There is swelling which is more or less
hot to the touch and compression of the parts with the fingers increases
pain. Lameness is always pronounced and no weight is supported with the
affected member in very acute and generalized arthritic inflammations.
There occurs the usual facial manifestations of pain--the tense
condition of the facial muscles and the fixed eye and nostril are in
evidence.
In cases where there exists a synovitis or where a very limited portion
of the articulation is involved, a somewhat different clinical picture
is presented. Then, the disturbance causes less distress; local swelling
and evidence of supersensitiveness are not so pronounced and lameness is
not intense, though weight-bearing is painful.
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