154 MANUAL FOR STABLE SERGEANTS. 



points the toe, and if lame in both feet the limbs are advanced and 

 the feet rested alternately. In traveling the affected leg takes a 

 short step and the toe strikes the ground before the heel comes down. 

 In some cases the lameness may disappear for a day or two, but only 

 to return with greater severity than ever. At times there is in- 

 creased sensitiveness of the foot, and pressure over the navicular 

 area with the tester causes great pain. Bar shoes greatly increase 

 the lameness. As time goes on the frog atrophies, the heels contract, 

 and the wall at the heel becomes higher than normal. 



Treatment. — The disease is incurable and only relief can be given. 

 In the early stages reduce the inflammation with cold* baths or cold 

 packs. The toe is then carefully shortened and a shoe with a rolled 

 toe and thickened heels applied. The foot should be softened 

 two or three times a week by means of foot baths or poultices and a 

 light coating of linseed oil or cosmoline applied. 



AMien possible the animal should be allowed to run barefoot on 

 soft ground for several months. 



459. Punctured wounds of the frog and sole — Pricks in 

 shoeing. 



Causes. — Punctures of the frog and sole are caused by the animal 

 stepping on nails, pieces of glass, sharp sticks, and other pointed 

 objects. 



Pricks in shoeing may be direct or indirect. 



In direct pricking the nail is driven directly into the sensitive 

 structures, causing immediate lameness. 



In indirect pricking the nail is not driven into the sensitive tissues, 

 l)ut so close that it crowds the inner layer of the horn in against them. 

 In such cases lameness may not appear for several days. 



Symptoms. — Lameness more or less severe. The foot is hot; there 

 is more or less throbbing in the digital arteries, and pressure with the 

 tester over the injured spot causes pain. If the animal goes lame 

 immediately after having been shod, pricking is to be suspected. 

 Clean the foot thoroughly, remove the nails one at a time and ex- 

 amine each nail carefully for moisture, blood, or pus. Test each nail 

 hole with the tester or pincers; when the injured spot is pressed, the 

 horse will flinch. If the nails are found to have produced no injury 

 examine the frog and the rest of the sole in the same manner for nails 

 or other sharp objects that may have been picked up in the road or 

 elsewhere. 



Treatment. — Whether old or recent, whether caused by pricking 

 or by a nail or other sharp object, the treatment is the same. Trim 



