Alveolar periostitis is a common dental disease of the horse. It is the result of any process which exposes the alveolar periosteum to the action of an irritant. These underlying or causative conditions include such processes as fractures of the teeth, fractures of the mandible or maxilla, wearing the occlusal surface below the gum-line, separation of the tooth and gum by coarse food or dental tartar, deep caries, and canals in the infundibulum due to incomplete filling by cement during the early development of the tooth.

On Nov. 2, 1951, a Cocker Spaniel was admitted to Stange Memorial Clinic with a fracture of the distal end of the right humerus. The patient was 4 years of age and in good physical condition. The leg was extremely swollen and painful to palpation. Several days were allowed to elapse to allow the swelling to subside before fixation was attempted.

A one-year-old male cocker spaniel was presented to Stange Memorial Clinic on Feb. 15, 1952, with a history of having been vaccinated four days earlier with 25 mg. of distemperoid virus. Since the vaccination, the animal had shown vomition, salivation, diarrhea and had refused all food except milk and meat. The owner said the dog had trembled when lying down at rest. The reaction started approximately 12 hours following vaccination.