i>d^i*:A«fc8 OF domp:stic animals. 183 



in question whicb lie doul)ted. But you see the ditference hetweeu 

 the cannon-bones of the fore and hind legs, so you will h:ive no 

 doubt as to which is which from these specimens. 



DISEASE OF THE FOOT. 



Coming to the foot, 1 will not speak of all the diseases that horses 

 are liable to in these joints, but I will call your attention to some 

 that are quite marked. On this coffin bone are two cartilaginous ears 

 that in a state of nature remain soft all through life ; but sometimes 

 ossification occurs in tliem and. thus makes side-bones as seen in this 

 specimen, but if only on one side the foot it is no longer symmetrical. 

 So if now you take a pair of pincers and grasp the horse at the heel 

 he will cringe exceedingly, because there is a tender spot. This is 

 an excrescence and a deformity ; still, after it is grown on the horse 

 may not be very lame, but it is a blemish and constitutes an unsound- 

 ness hard to detect. 



Another type of bony growth occurs on top of this little pyramid. 

 You see here a ragged piece of bone growing out that you know is 

 abnormal. A large tendon comes down here to elevate the toe. 

 Ill certain cases this disease is produced by a tread, the calk of the 

 shoe on the other foot may be placed at the edge of the hair on the 

 top of the hoof. A bony deposit occurs here, which is known as a 

 disease ossification of the pyramidal process. But the treatment is 

 such that you will not care to undertake it, as it requires much surgical 

 skill in every case of this kind. 



Question. Is a splint an unsoundness in a horse usually? 



Dr. Cresset. Not after it has grown on. While he is lame he 

 cannot pass muster with the surgeon for perfect soundness ; a horse 

 lame from an\' cause is unsound for the time being. 



Question. Ma}' not a horse have a splint and never be lame ? 



Dr. Cressey. Yes, it is possible, but such cases are very rare ; if 

 the horse is lame that is proof in itself, and if he isn't, you wouldn't 

 know that he had a splint. 



Question. Could you not see it? 



Dr. Cressey. There are lots of splints that 30U cannot see or feel, 

 even when a horse is quite lame. 



A Farmer. I have a horse with a splint that was never lame. I 

 owned him before he had the splint, and have owned him ever since. 



Dr. Cresset. That may be one of those peculiar bunches that ha» 

 grown wholly on the cannon bone. If the splint becomes involved 

 the chances are he wiU be lame while it is growing on. 



