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Double Fracture of the Premaxilla in a Horse
Double Fracture of the Premax£lla
£1t
a Horse.
475
DOUBLE FRACTURE OF THE PREMAXILLA IN A HORSE. By D. FOR\VELL, '\1.R.C.V.S. Towcester.
ON April 17 an aged nag gelding, the property of a local butcher, was brought to my yard, the owner, who brought him, saying he would not touch his morning feed. I happened to look at the horse's face , and noticed his upper lip was twisted to one side. On opening his mouth I found he had fractured his anterior maxillary bone in two different places. On examination of his stable we found he had fixed his upper jaw through the iron bars of his hay rack, and in drawing away had caused the damage. The largest fracture was dividing the premaxilla down the middle between the central incisor teeth. This fracture extended for over two inches above the incisor teeth. The second and smaller fracture was between the .comer and lateral incisor teeth, and extended for about an inch and a quarter above these teeth. The spaces formed by the fractures were well separated, and filled by food the animal had tried to eat. I cast the horse, and after cleansing the wounds, &c., drilled two holes through the gums, bone, and palatine plate, one hole on the outside of the central fracture, and the other on the outside of the smaller fracture. I then used copper wire to bring the bones and teeth firmly together, afterwards twisting the wire up and fixing firmly. This under ordinary circumstances would have been sufficient to hold the fractures in apposition; howev~r, I thought I would make it extra seCUl'e, so I now cut a groove on the outside of the two corner incisor teeth, and fixed a copper wire round these, bringing this also firmly together and fixing .in front under the upper lip. The horse on getting up put his head down to graze in the field, but was not allowed to do so . The first three weeks I ordered sloppy bran mashes with crushed oats and linseed, &c., which he had out of a deeR tub. After this we had some grass cut for him. I was afraid of letting him out to graze too soon. However, we turned him out t'o grass on June I, and he is still going on satisfactorily. The wires are still in the mouth, but these I do not intend to remove for another month yet. The mouth and wounds were washed out with an antiseptic solution for the first few days after the operation, but since then nothing has been done. The horse is now at his regular work.
£1t
a Horse.
475
DOUBLE FRACTURE OF THE PREMAXILLA IN A HORSE. By D. FOR\VELL, '\1.R.C.V.S. Towcester.
ON April 17 an aged nag gelding, the property of a local butcher, was brought to my yard, the owner, who brought him, saying he would not touch his morning feed. I happened to look at the horse's face , and noticed his upper lip was twisted to one side. On opening his mouth I found he had fractured his anterior maxillary bone in two different places. On examination of his stable we found he had fixed his upper jaw through the iron bars of his hay rack, and in drawing away had caused the damage. The largest fracture was dividing the premaxilla down the middle between the central incisor teeth. This fracture extended for over two inches above the incisor teeth. The second and smaller fracture was between the .comer and lateral incisor teeth, and extended for about an inch and a quarter above these teeth. The spaces formed by the fractures were well separated, and filled by food the animal had tried to eat. I cast the horse, and after cleansing the wounds, &c., drilled two holes through the gums, bone, and palatine plate, one hole on the outside of the central fracture, and the other on the outside of the smaller fracture. I then used copper wire to bring the bones and teeth firmly together, afterwards twisting the wire up and fixing firmly. This under ordinary circumstances would have been sufficient to hold the fractures in apposition; howev~r, I thought I would make it extra seCUl'e, so I now cut a groove on the outside of the two corner incisor teeth, and fixed a copper wire round these, bringing this also firmly together and fixing .in front under the upper lip. The horse on getting up put his head down to graze in the field, but was not allowed to do so . The first three weeks I ordered sloppy bran mashes with crushed oats and linseed, &c., which he had out of a deeR tub. After this we had some grass cut for him. I was afraid of letting him out to graze too soon. However, we turned him out t'o grass on June I, and he is still going on satisfactorily. The wires are still in the mouth, but these I do not intend to remove for another month yet. The mouth and wounds were washed out with an antiseptic solution for the first few days after the operation, but since then nothing has been done. The horse is now at his regular work.