Causation. Strain of the stifle may follow violent collisions, such as occur in entering or leaving the stable, from falls on rough ground, from direct blows, from slips, etc., or even from the sudden and violent contraction of the muscles of the antero-external surface of the quarter.
Symptoms. Lameness follows immediately or soon after the accident, and is of a peculiar character; to avoid using the injured joint, the animal advances the hind limb with a mowing movement.
The injured region exhibits diffuse inflammatory swelling, which impedes palpation, and makes it difficult to determine the exact nature of the local lesion. The thigh at the stifle is painful.
Diagnosis and prognosis. Diagnosis presents no considerable difficulty. The prognosis must be based on the intensity of the symptoms, and becomes grave if the tendons or aponeurotic insertions be injured, or extensive damage have been done to ligaments.
Treatment. At first, continued cold applications, douches, and massage are most useful; blisters are more effective in the grave cases, and comprise not only the ordinary blisters, but the powerful mixed blister containing tartar emetic, powdered hellebore, bichromate of potash, etc. If for any special reason it is of importance to preserve the animal’s life, the parts may be fired; but for economic reasons it is usually better to fatten it for the butcher.
STRAIN OF THE HOCK JOINT.
Causation. Strain of the hock joint is commonest in young oxen which are being trained to work. Their hind quarters are necessarily more or less free, and the animals are apt to make side movements to avoid the goad, thus exposing the hock to irregular strain.
The internal ligaments are more frequently strained than the external, a fact due to the conformation of the hocks.
Symptoms. Strain is accompanied by lameness, most marked when the animals endeavour to turn, by exaggerated sensibility of the entire hock region, and, in grave cases, by subcutaneous œdema.
Diagnosis and prognosis. Diagnosis is simple. The prognosis is sometimes grave, because a spavin or a permanent chronic enlargement of the capsule of the true hock joint may form.