Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun Veterinary Pathology.
- See under spavin(def 1).
noun Veterinary Pathology.
- a disease of the hock joint of horses in which enlargement occurs because of collected fluids (bog spavin), bony growth (bone spavin), or distention of the veins (blood spavin).
- an excrescence or enlargement so formed.
noun
- vet science enlargement of the hock of a horse by a bony growth (bony spavin) or fluid accumulation in the joint (bog spavin), usually caused by inflammation or injury, and often resulting in lameness
disease of the hock joint of a horse, early 15c., from Middle French espavain, perhaps from Frankish *sparwan “sparrow” (see sparrow), so called perhaps from comparison of the bird’s awkward gait to that of a horse affected with spavin.