246 DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



.a cure. In place of the hot water bath, warm bran poultices may 

 be kept on the feet several hours a day. After the disease is well 

 established the above treatment will only relieve and not cure it. 

 When the disease becomes incurable, all we can do is to relieve 

 the animal by certain forms of shoeing, keeping the foot soft by 

 bathing, or by nerving the foot. Apply either a bar shoe with 

 slightly thickened heels, or a light, plain shoe with a small heel 

 salk, to raise the heels slightly. (See Figs. 4 and 5, Plate 

 VI., special shoes, page 254.) During the dry summer weathei* 

 stand the horse either in a mud or water bath to his ankles three 

 or four times a week for an hour at a time, and blister the quarters 

 and heels once a month with our Spavin Cure. After the animal 

 gets so lame he is useless for the work he is intended to do, then 

 the only relief for him is bv performing the operation of neurot- 

 ^omy (nerving), which is done by cutting a small hole just above 

 the ankle on each side and removing a portion of the nerve. It 

 is advisable to perform this operation only in animals that 

 have good, strong feet. No matter how sore the foot is, the ani- 

 mal will not limp after the operation is performed, as there is no 

 feeling left in the foot. By being careful what kind of feet we 

 operate on, we have had good success with this operation. In 

 some cases the animal will go on and do its regular work for 

 years without laming at all. This operation, although not suc- 

 cessful in all cases, is in some cases an act of mercy to perform, 

 as it instantly relieves all pain from the poor sufferer's foot. As 

 this is a particular operation, we wouldn't advise any one but a 

 qualified veterinary surgeon to perform it, as he can judge 

 whether the operation is advisable, and is competent of perform- 

 it if necessary. 



