MANUAL FOR STABLE SERGEANTS. 



109 



Causes. Sprains, bruises, hard and fast work, and penetrating- 

 wounds involving the periosteum; improper shoeing, such as- 

 cutting the toe too short or leaving the heels too high, or leaving 

 one side of the hoof wall higher than the other. 



Symptoms. Lameness, which may disappear with exercise, is- 

 usually the first symptom^ observed. Later, there appears a hard, 

 painless swelling, over which the skin is freely moveable. 



Treatment. Remove the shoe and level the foot. Use cold baths 

 and cold packs for a week, 

 then apply a biniodide of mer- 

 cury blister. Keep the animal 

 in a level stall and give per- 

 fect rest for four to six weeks. 



389. Side bone (fig. 42). 

 Side bone is a condition in 

 which the cartilages of the 

 foot have changed to bone. 

 The disease is most frequently 

 seen in heavy draft horses and 

 in draft and pack mules. The 

 front feet are affected more 

 often than the hind ones, and 

 the outer cartilage suffers more 

 frequently than the inner one. 



Causes. Concussion pro- 

 duced by fast work on hard 

 roads; allowing the feet to be- 

 come dry and hard; lack of 

 frog pressure; mechanical in- 

 juries, such as treads and 

 similar wounds ; and improper 

 shoeing, i. e., leaving the heel 



too hign or the use of high FIG. 42. Sidebone. 



heel calks. 



