HORSES: THEIR POINTS AND MANAGEMENT 



crack), a practice which an unscrupulous dealer might make 

 use of in order to hide a sandcrack. 



CANKER OF FOOT. 



This is a very troublesome disease, and one equally difficult 

 to cure. One foot, or more, may be affected at the same time. 

 The disease appears to be due to imperfect horn production, a 

 greasy stinking substance being formed instead. The frog (foot- 

 pad), sole, bars, may be attacked in the order named ; subse- 

 quently the wall, and even the coronet. Commonly we find 

 the disease confined to the lower surface of the foot. It is very 

 seldom that the malady causes any lameness at first. The 

 changes may become so extensive as to lead on to loss of 

 the hoof, though this is a comparatively slow process. If 

 the disease extends rapidly, it is a bad sign. 



Causes. — The precise use is probably of a specific nature 

 (germ or parasite growth). Grease may be the forerunner ot 

 canker, or vice versa. Neglected thrush of the foot is favourable 

 towards its production. The same applies to an injury. Heavy 

 cart horses, of a soft, sluggish temperament, are the most inclined 

 to become affected (predisposition). 



Symptoms. — The sole and frog will be seen to be covered 

 with a sponge-like growth of greasy horn, emitting a most 

 obnoxious odour. The frog looks shapeless, and its cleft is 

 filled with a nasty stinking material — the products of decom- 

 position. The horn secreting eminences (papillt^) of the frog 

 are greatly enlarged. 



Treatment. — ^The veterinary operation consists of stripping 

 off the whole of the sole, and dressing with chromic acid, tow, 



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