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Webster 1913 Edition
Spavin
Spav′in
,Noun.
[OE.
spaveyne
, OF. esparvain
, F. éparvin
; akin to OF. espervier
a sparrow hawk, F. épervier
, fr. OHG. sparwāri
(G. sperber
), fr. OHG. sparo
sparrow, because this disease makes the horse raise the infirm leg in the manner of a sparrow hawk or sparrow. See Sparrow
.] (Far.)
A disease of horses characterized by a bony swelling developed on the hock as the result of inflammation of the bones; also, the swelling itself. The resulting lameness is due to the inflammation, and not the bony tumor as popularly supposed.
Harbaugh.
Bog spavin
, a soft swelling produced by distention of the capsular ligament of the hock; – called also
– blood spavin
. Bone spavin
, spavin attended with exostosis; ordinary spavin.
Webster 1828 Edition
Spavin
SPAV'IN
,Noun.