Naturally, when much extravasation of serum and blood takes place, there is occasioned a fluctuating swelling which is usually less painful to the subject upon manipulation than is a dense inflammatory change without marked extravasation.
In acute carpitis, there is present, then, a very painful condition which involves the articulation, causing marked lameness, disturbance of appetite and some elevation of temperature.
Chronic cases do not occasion serious pain or constitutional disturbances, but do interfere with locomotion in direct proportion to the existing articular inflammation and periarticular hypertrophy of ligamentous and tendinous structures.
Treatment.—If possible, keep the subject absolutely quiet, employing the sling if necessary. During the first stages of inflammation, the application of ice packs to the affected parts, is of marked benefit. At the end of forty-eight hours, hot applications may be used and this treatment continued throughout several days. Anodyne liniments are of service and should be employed throughout the acute stage of inflammation during intervals between the hydrotherapeutic treatments.
As inflammation subsides, a counterirritating application such as a suitable liniment and later blistering or line-firing is helpful in stimulating resolution.
Fig. 12—Hygromatous condition of the right carpus, also distension of sheaths of extensor tendons of both fore legs.
Open Carpal Joint.
Anatomy.—The carpal bones as they articulate with one another and with the radius and metacarpal bones, as classed by anatomists, form three distinct articular parts of the joint as a whole and are known as radiocarpal, intercarpal and carpometacarpal. These three pairs of articulating surfaces are all enclosed within one capsular ligament. On the anterior face of the bones, the capsular ligament is attached to the carpal bones in such manner that an imperfect partitioning of the three joint compartments is formed. Posteriorly, the capsule is very heavy and forms a sort of padding over the irregular surfaces of the bones, and also its reflexions constitute the sheaths of the flexor tendons. The anterior portion of the capsular ligament forms sheaths for the extensor tendons, and both portions of the joint have an attachment around the distal end of the radius and another at the proximal end of the metacarpal bones.