the part and their dilation; (2) diminished velocity followed by the
blood-flow becoming entirely suspended; (3) following the retardation or
suspension of the blood stream, white blood-corpuscles accumulate along the
walls of the small veins and capillaries; (4) white and red
blood-corpuscles migrate from the vessels into the neighboring tissue, and
blood-serum transudes through the walls of the vessels, forming the
inflammatory swellings. The red blood-cells do not escape from the
blood-vessels in any numbers unless the walls of the blood-vessels become
injured or badly diseased.

_The causes of inflammation_ may be grouped under the following heads:
mechanical, chemical, thermic and infectious. The _mechanical_ or
_traumatic causes_ commonly produce inflammation in domestic animals. These
are kicks, strains of tendons, ligaments or muscles and wounds.
Inflammation originating from injuries very frequently changes to an
infectious form, through the infection of the part by bacteria. Bruised
tissue may become infected with pus-producing organisms, and an abscess or
local swelling form. All accidental wounds in domestic animals become more
or less infected by irritating microorganisms.

The following _symptoms_ occur in local inflammation. Increased heat in the
part is an important symptom. It is due to the increased blood-flow to the
part. Because of the pigmented, hairy skin of domestic animals, redness is
of little value in locating superficial inflammation. Swelling is a
valuable local symptom. It is produced by the inflammatory exudates. Pain
results from the pressure on the sensory nerves by the inflammatory
swelling. For example, the laminae of the foot are imprisoned between the
horny wall and the pedal bone. This structure is well supplied with sensory
nerves, and when it becomes inflamed and swollen, the tissues are subject
to severe pressure and the pain is severe. Inflammation of a tendon results