Small puncture wounds in the region of the elbow are often met with. These may be inflicted when horses lie down upon sharp stumps of vegetation or shoe-calk injuries may be the means of introducing contagium, and an infectious inflammation results. Abscess formation, the result of strangles or other infection in the prescapular glands, may be observed at times. Following castration, the inguinal lymph glands may become involved in an infectious inflammation and locomotion is impeded to a marked degree. Horses running at pasture sometimes become injured by trampling upon pieces of wood, causing one end of these or of various implements to become embedded in the soft earth and the other end to enter at the inguinal region and even penetrate the tissues to and through the skin and fascia just below the perineal region.
Nail punctures resulting in infection frequently cause an infectious lymphangitis and a marked and painful swelling of the legs supervenes.
Symptomatology.—Lameness, mixed or swinging-leg, signalizes the presence of acute lymphangitis. There is always more or less swelling present and manipulation of the affected parts gives pain to the subject. Depending upon the character of the infection and its extent, there is presented a varying degree of constitutional disturbance. There may be a rise in temperature of from two to five degrees, and in such instances there is an accelerated pulse. Where much intoxication is present, anorexia and dipsosis are to be noticed.
Swelling may increase gradually and in time discharge of pus may take place spontaneously without drainage being provided for, if the character of the infection does not cause early death. In these cases lameness is pronounced and the cause of the disturbance is to be sought, particularly if the condition be due to a nail puncture.
Treatment.—Location of the site of injury is advisable in all cases and in some instances provision for drainage, as in puncture wounds, is helpful. Locally, curettage and the application of suitable antiseptics are indicated. Hot fomentations are beneficial and should be continued for several days if necessary, to stimulate resolution. A brisk purge should be admintered at the onset and strychnin, because of its indirect stimulative effect upon the circulation together with its tonic effect upon the musculature, is beneficial.