What is "spavin"

Spavin \Spav"in\, n. [OE. spaveyne, OF. esparvain, F. ['e]parvin; akin to OF. espervier a sparrow hawk, F. ['e]pervier, fr. OHG. sparw[=a]ri (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.

disease of the hock joint of a horse, early 15c., from Middle French espavain (Modern French épavin, cognate with Italian spavenio, Spanish esparavan); in most sources said to be perhaps from Frankish *sparwan "sparrow" (see sparrow), on the supposition that a horse affected with spavin moved with a walk that reminded people of the bird's awkward gait. This seems a stretcher, and Century Dictionary admits it rests on mere resemblance of form.

n. A disease of horses characterized by a bony swelling developed on the hock as the result of inflammation of the bones.

n. a swelling of the hock joint of a horse; resulting in lameness

Spavin is a condition in livestock. It may refer to:

• Bone spavin, a type of osteoarthritis that often causes lameness
• Bog spavin, a swelling condition that does not cause lameness, but may be produced by something that does