Common Diseases of Farm Animals Part 15

THE MIDDLE OR SECOND DIGITAL BONE is quite short. It articulates superiorly with the first, and inferiorly with the third bone of the digit. The superior face shows two shallow cavities, and the inferior two convex surfaces separated by a median groove. The latter face articulates with the third and navicular bones. The popular name for this articulation is the coffin joint.

THE THIRD OR DISTAL DIGITAL BONE may be compared to a cone that has been cut away posteriorly, obliquely downwards and backwards. The superior face shows two shallow cavities that are completed posteriorly by the superior face of the coffin or navicular bone. The anterior face is convex and cribbled by openings, and the inferior face is concave, forming the sole.

Tendons belonging to the digital muscles terminate on the summit and inferior face of this bone.

THE PELVIS OR HAUNCH is formed by a single bone, the _c.o.xa_ that in the foetus may be divided into three bones. These are the _ilium, pubis_ and _ischium_. It belongs to the cla.s.s of flat bones. Anteriorly it is flattened from before to behind and directed inward and upward. The external angle is rugged and is generally termed the angle of the haunch.

The internal face of the opposite angle articulates with the sacrum, to which it is firmly attached by ligaments. The middle portion is constricted and forms a neck. The inferior or posterior portion is flattened from above to below, and directed inward to meet the border of the opposite bone. Just below the neck and externally, there is a cup-shaped cavity into which the head of the thigh bone fits. The two c.o.xa, together with the sacral ligaments (sacrum) and the muscles of the quarter, enclose the pelvic cavity.

THE REGION OF THE THIGH is formed by the _femur_, the largest long bone in the body. The superior extremity is formed by a rugged eminence, to which the heavy muscles of the quarter are attached, and by an articular head.

The inferior extremity is formed by two convex articular surfaces that are separated by a deep notch, and a third pulley-like articular surface, with which the patella or knee-cap articulates. The pair of condyles articulates with the superior extremity of the leg bone. The thigh or femoral region is heavily muscled.

THE LEG is formed by three bones. The patella, a short bone, has already been mentioned as articulating with the thigh bone. The tibia and fibula are the other two bones in the region.

THE TIBIA belongs to the cla.s.s of long bones and the fibula is quite rudimentary, being represented by a stylet-shaped bone that lies posterior to, and along the outer border of the tibia. The superior extremity of the tibia shows a central spine margined laterally by rather plain articular faces. It articulates with the thigh bone. The muscles of this region are divided into two sub-regions, _anterior_ and _posterior_ tibial. The muscles originate from the lower extremity of the femur and the two bones in this region, and terminate inferiorly in tendons that are attached to the bones of the hock, cannon and digit.

THE HOCK OR TARSAL region is formed by six bones. They are described as forming two rows. In the upper row there are two bones and in the lower four. They form a series of articulations, the same as the bones of the knee. Practically all of the movement occurs in the articulation between one of the large bones in the upper row and the lower extremity of the tibia. It may be mentioned here that this is the most perfect hinge-joint in the body. A very large tendon is attached to the summit of the hock.

Other tendons cross and become attached to the hock bones.

The regions of the _hind cannon_ and digit are practically the same as the corresponding regions of the forefoot.

QUESTIONS

1. Name the different bones of the fore-limb; hind limb.

2. Describe the regions of the shoulder, arm and forearm.

3. Describe the region of the forefoot.

4. Describe the regions of the haunch, thigh and leg.

5. Describe the region of the hindfoot.

CHAPTER XV

UNSOUNDNESSES AND BLEMISHES

GENERAL DISCUSSION.--The value of a horse depends largely on the condition of the limbs and their ability to do the work for which they are intended.

This fact is frequently overlooked by experienced hors.e.m.e.n, who give attention to general conformation and action rather than to soundness of limb.

Diseases affecting the limbs may be cla.s.sed as _unsoundnesses_ and _blemishes_. This cla.s.sification is based on the degree to which the disease interferes or may interfere with the work that the animal is called on to perform. Unsoundnesses interfere with the use of the part or the use of the animal for a certain work; blemishes do not. Such a basis for the cla.s.sification of diseases does not enable us to place certain diseased conditions of the limbs in the unsound, or the blemish cla.s.s at all times.

A curb may, if it produces lameness, be cla.s.sed as an unsoundness. If it does not cause the animal to go lame, and the enlargement on the posterior border of the hock is small, it is cla.s.sed as a blemish. A high splint may place the animal in the unsound cla.s.s, but usually a low splint is not considered a serious blemish. This cla.s.sification is based to a certain extent on the relative economic importance of the disease, or the influence that the disease may have on the value of the animal, as well as any interference with the animal's ability to work.

RECOGNITION OF THE DISEASE.--The seat of the disease may be in a muscle, tendon, bone or ligament. The general symptom manifested is lameness or pain. The local symptoms are heat, pain, swelling and bony enlargements.

The degree of lameness and the character of the local lesions vary greatly in the different cases. When the animal shows a slight lameness and there is little evidence of any local symptom, it requires the services of a skilled and experienced person to locate the diseased part. When the part shows local lesions of disease and the lameness is characteristic, diagnosis is not difficult.

THE EXAMINATION should be made while the animal is at rest; while standing in the stall and on level ground; when moved at a walk, or a slow trot on soft ground, or a hard roadway; and when moved out after resting a few hours. While examining the animal under the different conditions mentioned, the examiner must be careful and not pa.s.s over any part of a limb without determining whether it is normal or not. He should note any abnormal position that the animal may take while standing at rest. Every movement should be watched closely, as the manner of favoring the part may characterize the lameness. Negative symptoms of lameness in a part may at times prove as valuable in forming a diagnosis as positive symptoms.

The resting of either of the front feet, when the horse is standing at ease, indicates that there is some soreness in the rested limb. _Pointing_ or placing one or both feet well in front of the line of support, when the animal is standing, usually indicates a diseased condition of the feet. It is natural for a horse that is standing in a stall to rest the hindfeet alternately. When the hindfoot is rested because of a soreness in some portion of the limb, it may be flexed or extended, the weight rested on the toe, and the foot flexed and bearing practically no weight. In serious inflammation of the front feet, both feet may be placed well in front of the normal position, and the hindfeet well under the body.

WHEN EXAMINING A HORSE, the blanket or harness should be removed. The horse should have on an open bridle or halter, and the attendant should give it as much freedom of the head as possible. The examiner should examine each limb carefully and note any symptom of disease that may be present. The attendant should walk the animal straight away from the person making the examination, toward, and past him, so that the animal's movements can be observed from both sides, from behind and in front. This examination should be repeated with the horse at a slow trot.

The character of the lameness may enable us to locate the seat of the disease. We must first determine in which limb the animal is lame. This part of the diagnosis is not difficult. The pain suffered every time weight is thrown on the diseased limb causes the horse to step quickly and shift as much of the body weight as possible on the well foot. The foot of the lame limb is jerked up rather quickly after weight is thrown on it. This favoring of the part varies in the different diseases. When the foot of the sound limb comes to the ground, more weight than common is placed on it. If the seat of the lameness is in a front limb, there is a decided nodding or movement of the head downward when the weight is placed on the well foot.

If both forefeet are diseased, the animal steps shorter and more quickly than common. Lameness in a hind limb is characterized by more or less dropping of the quarter of the well limb when weight is thrown on it, and sometimes by a "hitch" or elevation of the quarter of the diseased limb when it is carried forward.

Unless there are _local symptoms of disease_ present, it may be quite difficult to locate the seat of lameness. Sometimes local symptoms are misleading. After the lameness has been located in a certain limb, its movement must be carefully noted in order to detect the part favored. If the lameness is not characteristic enough to enable the examiner to locate the seat of it, it is then necessary to put the animal through some movement that may emphasize the soreness in the part. The animal may show a certain reluctance to throw weight on the limb when turned to the right or left. Moving the horse in a small circle with the lame limb on the outside may cause the animal to use the muscles of the shoulder more freely, and emphasize any soreness that may be present. If the lame limb is on the inside, soreness anywhere in the foot may be increased, because of the extra weight thrown on this portion of the limb. Moving the animal over a hard driveway may increase the pain resulting from an inflammation of the feet. Causing the animal to trot on soft ground, step over high objects, flexing, extending, abducting and adducting the part may enable the examiner to locate the exact group of shoulder or arm muscles involved by the disease.

IN EXAMINING THE FEET it may be necessary to remove the shoes and practise percussion and pressure over the region of the sole. In some forms of lameness it may be necessary to destroy the sensation in the foot by injecting cocaine along the course of the nerves that supply the foot before arriving at a definite diagnosis.

QUESTIONS

1. Define the term unsoundness and give an example.

2. Define the term blemish and give an example.

3. Give the general method of examining a horse for soundness.

CHAPTER XVI

DISEASES OF THE FORE-LIMB

SPRAINS AND INJURIES IN THE REGION OF THE SHOULDER.--Sprains and injuries of the structures in the shoulder region are more common in horses that are called on to do heavy work than among driving horses.

The following _causes_ may be mentioned: Ill-fitting collars, pulling heavy loads over uneven streets or soft ground, where the footing is not secure, and slipping are common causes. Young horses that do not know how to pull, or horses that are tired out by hard work, are predisposed to muscular strain, and are apt to suffer injury if forced to do heavy work. Sore shoulders, or an ignorant driver, may cause the animal to pull awkwardly and throw more strain on certain groups of muscles than they can stand.

Rheumatism frequently causes shoulder lameness. The muscle usually affected by rheumatism is the large muscle extending from the region of the point of the shoulder to the summit of the head.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 31.--Shoulder lameness.]

_The symptoms_ of shoulder lameness vary in the different cases. The horse may walk without going lame, but when made to trot lameness is quite noticeable. The animal may point with the foot of the diseased limb, holding it forward, but squarely on the floor. In severe strain, little weight is thrown on the limb and the lameness is marked (Fig. 31). In "shoulder slip" the head of the arm bone pushes outward every time the animal throws weight on the limb. This luxation can be noticed best when standing in front of the animal. Marked atrophy of the external shoulder muscles may occur. Such atrophy may appear and disappear quickly, and may result from an injury to the nerve supply of the muscle as well as from favoring the part. Atrophy of the shoulder may occur if the animal is lame in other regions of the limb, especially the feet. The outcome of shoulder lameness is favorable if the disease causing it is given prompt treatment.

_Rest_ is a very important part of the _treatment_. It may be advisable to restrict the horse's movements by placing it in a single stall, and tying the animal so that it can not lie down. This should be continued for at least one week. If the horse is restless, it should be given a box-stall or turned out in a small lot alone. It should be watered and fed in the quarters where confined. The _local treatment_ consists in applying mild liniments or blisters to the shoulder. It is not advisable, however, to apply a blister if the muscles feel hot and tender.

CAPPED ELBOW, "SHOE-BOIL."--Capped elbow is an inflammation of the bursa at the posterior surface of the elbow (Fig. 32). The swelling that results is usually sharply defined. It may feel abnormally warm and doughy, and it may be painful. Later, the enlargement may be well defined and hard. Sometimes the skin is indurated and lies in folds, or the shoe-boil shows abrasions on its surface and fistulous openings leading from abscess centres. The cystic or soft tumor is a common form. Such an enlargement fluctuates on pressure, and when opened, a blood-stained fluid escapes. All forms of capped elbow tend to become chronic.

_The treatment_ is both preventive and local. As capped elbow is caused by bruising the part with the hoof or heel of the shoe, the preventive treatment consists in hindering the animal from taking a position that may favor injury to the part. Confining the animal in a small stall and tying it with too short a halter strap favors a sternal position when lying down.

A roomy stall that permits the animal to stretch or change position is an important preventive measure. Shoes that project beyond the quarters should be avoided. The elbow may be protected by placing a thick pad over the heels when the animal is in the stable.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 32.--Shoe-boil.]

_Local treatment_ varies according to the character of the enlargement.

Soft, doughy swellings may be treated by application of cold, iodine and blisters. The cystic form of tumor must be opened, the fluid removed and the lining membrane destroyed by the injection of tincture of iodine. Hard, indurated shoe-boils may be treated by completely removing the diseased tissue. The surgical treatment of capped elbow requires the service of an experienced veterinarian. His efforts may prove a complete failure, unless the irritation to the part by the shoe or hoof is prevented.