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
Treatment.--At the onset complete rest should be provided and the
local application of some good cataplasm is in order. A stimulating
liniment is beneficial when employed several times daily and massage is
also quite helpful. Later, the application of a blistering ointment is
good treatment. The use of the actual cautery stimulates prompt
resolution, but there is seldom any resorption of products of
inflammation following firing. Whereas, in cases where other treatment
is begun early, there usually follows considerable diminution in the
size of the exostosis. A rest of four or five weeks is necessary and
very young animals should not be put to work too soon, if the character
of the work is such as to induce a recurrence of the trouble.
Many cases are treated successfully in draft types of animals (where the
subjects are not kept at work that occasions serious irritation to the
affected parts) by blistering the exostosis repeatedly and allowing the
animals to continue in service. In such cases, it is unreasonable to
expect to check the size of the exostosis and, of course, such methods
are not employed where lameness causes distress to the subject.
Firing usually causes prompt recovery from lameness and is a dependable
manner of treating such cases but there remains more blemish following
cauterization than where vesication is done.
OPEN FETLOCK JOINT.
This condition, because of the frequency with which it occurs may be
taken as typal, from the standpoint of treatment and results obtained
therefrom. While it serves to constitute a basis from which other
joints, when open, are to be considered, due allowance must be made for
the fact that, as has been previously mentioned, some articulations when
open constitute cause for grave consequences; while with others an open
capsule, even when infected, does not cause disturbance enough to be
classed as difficult to handle. Moreover, the fetlock joint is admirably
suited, anatomically, to bandaging; and when wounded, is easily kept
protected by means of surgical dressings. This fact is of great
importance in influencing the course and termination in any given case
of open fetlock joint and should not be forgotten.
There is no logical reason for comparing the pedal joint with the
pastern on the basis that it may also be completely and securely
bandaged. Open navicular joint does not occur, as a rule, except by way
of the solar surface of the foot, and the introduction of active and
virulent contagium is certain to happen; consequently, an acute
synovitis quickly resulting in an intensely septic and progressively
destructive arthritis soon follows in perforation of the capsule of the
distal interphalangeal articulation.
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