Notes on Diseases of the Horse: Cause, Symptoms and TreatmentKorinek, Charles James
Science
Notes on Diseases of the Horse: Cause, Symptoms and Treatment
Korinek, Charles James
Horses -- Diseases
Although dislocations are infrequent, this is the most common form which
occurs in the horse.
CAUSE.—Young loose jointed horses are predisposed to dislocation of the
stifle on account of the comparative want of strength of their ligaments.
They are much more liable to this accident than older horses, especially
if they are in poor health or in rough hilly pastures; the nature of
which would naturally make them susceptible to this injury, which,
however, may take place as a result of accident at any age. Young horses
that suffer, off and on from dislocation, often lose their liability with
increasing strength and age. This dislocation may be partial or complete.
In the former instance and the most common is where the patella, or the
little stifle bone that glides in the groove composed of the lower hip
and upper thigh bones, has become partially dislocated or removed from
its natural position.
SYMPTOMS.—When the dislocation is complete the affected limb is drawn
forward, while the foot from the pastern down is drawn backward, and the
animal may throw weight on it when made to move, which is accomplished
with great difficulty. When the dislocation is partial, the symptoms are
about the same as mentioned, only the limb is less rigid. If the horse is
moved, the stifle makes a clicking sound. In this form both limbs may be
affected.
TREATMENT.—In partial dislocation, the stifle bone may be replaced by
drawing the leg forward, and with the hand pressing in on the stifle.
In complete dislocation, tie a rope around the pastern of the affected
leg, then draw the rope through a collar placed around the horse’s neck
and draw forward as far as possible and tie. Then press with both hands
inward. After the stifle is placed back into position use the following
liniment: Aqua Ammonia Fort., four ounces; Oil of Turpentine, four
ounces; Raw Linseed Oil, four ounces. Mix and apply well over the stifle
joint once or twice a day for two or three days. Feed nourishing food and
put the animal to slow, easy work or turn out to good pasture.
In chronic cases of Stifle Joint Lameness, treatment is of no value,
therefore, care for the animal as soon as the catch in the walk or
lameness appears.
STRING-HALT.
_Cause._—Several theories have been put forth as to the cause of
String-Halt which is generally supposed to be a nervous disease; a
condition opposite to paralysis. The exact cause of this disease is
hard to determine, but it is likely to occur in highly nervous horses.
It sometimes follows an injury which may have irritated the nerves in
some way. I believe that castration causes it in many instances, due to
the severe struggle when being thrown, or pulling down severely on the
spermatic cord when removing the testicle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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