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Two Cases of Deformity
2 I
<.tlinical Brticles. TWO CASES OF DEFORMITY. BY LIEUTENANT F. C. O'RORKE, ARMY VETERINARY CORPS, MEERUT, INDIA.
WHILST travelling in Kashmir during August and September of this year, I came across the two following unique cases, which I think are somewhat interesting. CASE 1. Near Srinagar I came across a pony, grazing in a field, which appeared to have great difficulty in moving about. On closer examination I found that both hind feet were badly deformed. The animal was walking on his coronets with the sole and frogs pointing in a backward and upward direction, and the antero-superior portion of both hoofs were worn quite flat and dragging along the ground. History of the Case.-The owner, a native of Kashmir, informed me that previously the pony had been a very bad kicker, and that two years ago, as the animal was going down a narrow mountain path, he lashed out, striking a rock, and in some mysterious manner dislocated the corono-pedal joints of both hind legs. It was difficult to follow his description of the accident very closely, as his Hindustani was intermingled with many local Kashmiri words.
FIG. t.-Posterior View of the Deformity.
FIG. 2.-Latual Vie w.
After the accident no treatment was adopted, and he said since then the pony had' done nothing but graze all day. The former part of the history may be true, as the post· mortem examination revealed, but the latter part-about not being worked-I know was a lie, as the pOlly had a quite recent saddle gall on his back, and when I saw him he was at least four miles from the village where iJe lived. To save any further cruelty, and thinking the case worthy of recording, I purchased the pony, which was a seven-year-old countrybred. I then shot him (and made a post-mortem examination), after taking several photogra phs, which I here produce.
The Veterinary
22
'.1 ournal.
Post-mortem Examination.- The lesions in both legs were almost identical. Osteophytes on the extensor pedis tendon where it passes over the second phalanx. In fact, all the structures on the articular surface of the os corona; were embedded in a bony deposit, most probably the result of the inflammatory action set up by the pressure on these soft structures during locomotion. As I mentioned above, when either walking or standing, the whole of his weight behind was borne by the coronets. The cartilage on the lower (inferior) extremity of the suffraginis and os corona; of both hind limbs was ulcerated, and on the near hind suffraginis it had extended right through the articular surface of the bone. The anterior and lateral surfaces of the corona; were covered with exostoses, and the lateral ligaments of the first interphalangeal joint were becoming ossified. The inferior borders of 'both pedal bones were in a condition of rarefying ostitis, and from the relative portions of the os corona; and os pedis it was evident that the dislocation was of old standing. CASE 2.-0n September 7, when out shooting by moonlight, we killed a brown she bear. When the coolies lifted it on to a ladder, to carry it back to camp, we saw that she had no foot on the near hind leg, but only a stump hanging down. Next morning I made a careful examination of the distal extremity of the limb and found a faint cicatrix ~ inch in length, but the hair was growing quite thick all over the stump. Although, after separating the hair, I saw this faint scar, I was still undecided whether the deformity was congenital or the result of an accident. The cicatrix being so small, I thought that possibly it might be the result of an injury received whilst climbing up the mountains over sharp rocks, stones, &c. On dissecting the legs I found the distal extremity of the tibia and fibula intact, also that the astragalus was uninjured, but the calcis was fractured and only the posterior portion of it remaining. Its anterior portion and the remainder of the foot were missing, It was marvellous to see the neat way in which Nature, without the aid of human hands or antiseptics, had healed up what at one time must have been a bad wound. It is difficult to say how the poor beast lost her foot; most probably in a native trap or by a bullet.
TWO POST MORTEMS. BY A.
c.
DUNCAN, M.R.C.V.S., PROFESSOR IN THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, Cl RENCESTER.
RUPTURED HEART IN A EWE.
ON June 6 last, during the course of a shearing competition at the Royal Agricultural College, an Oxford ewe, four and a half years old, and in good condition, was shorn by one of the students. On rising from the ground, the ewe walked across the field and lay down. The shepherd following, she rpse, but almost immediately lay down again.
<.tlinical Brticles. TWO CASES OF DEFORMITY. BY LIEUTENANT F. C. O'RORKE, ARMY VETERINARY CORPS, MEERUT, INDIA.
WHILST travelling in Kashmir during August and September of this year, I came across the two following unique cases, which I think are somewhat interesting. CASE 1. Near Srinagar I came across a pony, grazing in a field, which appeared to have great difficulty in moving about. On closer examination I found that both hind feet were badly deformed. The animal was walking on his coronets with the sole and frogs pointing in a backward and upward direction, and the antero-superior portion of both hoofs were worn quite flat and dragging along the ground. History of the Case.-The owner, a native of Kashmir, informed me that previously the pony had been a very bad kicker, and that two years ago, as the animal was going down a narrow mountain path, he lashed out, striking a rock, and in some mysterious manner dislocated the corono-pedal joints of both hind legs. It was difficult to follow his description of the accident very closely, as his Hindustani was intermingled with many local Kashmiri words.
FIG. t.-Posterior View of the Deformity.
FIG. 2.-Latual Vie w.
After the accident no treatment was adopted, and he said since then the pony had' done nothing but graze all day. The former part of the history may be true, as the post· mortem examination revealed, but the latter part-about not being worked-I know was a lie, as the pOlly had a quite recent saddle gall on his back, and when I saw him he was at least four miles from the village where iJe lived. To save any further cruelty, and thinking the case worthy of recording, I purchased the pony, which was a seven-year-old countrybred. I then shot him (and made a post-mortem examination), after taking several photogra phs, which I here produce.
The Veterinary
22
'.1 ournal.
Post-mortem Examination.- The lesions in both legs were almost identical. Osteophytes on the extensor pedis tendon where it passes over the second phalanx. In fact, all the structures on the articular surface of the os corona; were embedded in a bony deposit, most probably the result of the inflammatory action set up by the pressure on these soft structures during locomotion. As I mentioned above, when either walking or standing, the whole of his weight behind was borne by the coronets. The cartilage on the lower (inferior) extremity of the suffraginis and os corona; of both hind limbs was ulcerated, and on the near hind suffraginis it had extended right through the articular surface of the bone. The anterior and lateral surfaces of the corona; were covered with exostoses, and the lateral ligaments of the first interphalangeal joint were becoming ossified. The inferior borders of 'both pedal bones were in a condition of rarefying ostitis, and from the relative portions of the os corona; and os pedis it was evident that the dislocation was of old standing. CASE 2.-0n September 7, when out shooting by moonlight, we killed a brown she bear. When the coolies lifted it on to a ladder, to carry it back to camp, we saw that she had no foot on the near hind leg, but only a stump hanging down. Next morning I made a careful examination of the distal extremity of the limb and found a faint cicatrix ~ inch in length, but the hair was growing quite thick all over the stump. Although, after separating the hair, I saw this faint scar, I was still undecided whether the deformity was congenital or the result of an accident. The cicatrix being so small, I thought that possibly it might be the result of an injury received whilst climbing up the mountains over sharp rocks, stones, &c. On dissecting the legs I found the distal extremity of the tibia and fibula intact, also that the astragalus was uninjured, but the calcis was fractured and only the posterior portion of it remaining. Its anterior portion and the remainder of the foot were missing, It was marvellous to see the neat way in which Nature, without the aid of human hands or antiseptics, had healed up what at one time must have been a bad wound. It is difficult to say how the poor beast lost her foot; most probably in a native trap or by a bullet.
TWO POST MORTEMS. BY A.
c.
DUNCAN, M.R.C.V.S., PROFESSOR IN THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, Cl RENCESTER.
RUPTURED HEART IN A EWE.
ON June 6 last, during the course of a shearing competition at the Royal Agricultural College, an Oxford ewe, four and a half years old, and in good condition, was shorn by one of the students. On rising from the ground, the ewe walked across the field and lay down. The shepherd following, she rpse, but almost immediately lay down again.