332 CUAi'TEli 43. 



662. Si/)n2)toi)is of various diseases in the Fed. 



Excluding from present consideration temporary causes, suck as prick- 

 ing, tight nailing, bruises to the sole, etc., most of the various diseases 

 which affect the feet present certain special and peculiar symptoms. We 

 shall veiy briefly note the chief peculiarities. 



663. Symptoms of Laminitis. 



Acute Laminitis, or Fever in the Feet, is at once indicated by great 

 heat in the jiart, by throbbing of the i)lantar arteries', and by abnost 

 absolute inability of the horse to move. The animal stands with his hind 

 legs drawn uj) under the body, in order to take the weight off the fore 

 feet. If he is compelled to move, he plants the heels of these feet on 

 the ground and brings the hind legs well forward. Great constitutional 

 disturbance is also present. 



Chronic Laminitis — the disease resulting from the acute attack — if 

 severe, is indicated by a Avido spreading-out of the cmst, and by loss of 

 the concave fonu of the sole, by wavj' circular ridges in the hoof, by an 

 abnoi-mal degree of heat, by a concavity in the front of the wall, by a 

 thickened and elevated condition of the toe and also by the animal 

 treading as much as possible on his heels in order to avoid giving pain 

 to the sensitive laminfc, which are the structures principally affected by 

 the disease. 



Subacute Laminitis, common in weak, brittle feet, presents the same 

 symptoms, but in a modified degree. The examiner should carefully 

 Avatch for any tendency on the jiart of the horse to plant the liecls on the 

 ground before the other parts of the feet. 



WaAy circular ridges in the honi are often found in the feet of young 

 horses at gi'ass. In these cases, though they should be viewed Avith some 

 suspicion, they frequently arise not from disease, but from accelerated or 

 diminished growth of the horn at various times according to the moisture 

 or othenvise of the pastui'es on Avhich the animals are kept, and on other 

 temporary causes. " Grass rings," as they are termed, differ from lamin- 

 itis rings by being more regular in character. The latter spread more at 

 the heels, and besides this are associated Avith other characteristic 

 sym})toms. 



664. Symptoms of Navicular disease. 



The synijitoms of Navicular disease in confirmed cases are very pecu- 

 liar. In the stable it is indicated by the horse standing either Avith his 

 legs straight out and bearing his Aveight on his toe (the heel being raised 

 off the ground) : or by the fetlock being flexed, Avhilst the toe is drawn 

 back and stuck into the ground. In action it is manifested by the animal 

 treading chiefly on his toes, and consequently digging them in the ground. 

 When the horse has been shod a Aveek, the extra Avear thus occasioned 

 Avill have made itself i)erce)itible on the toe of the shoe. The object of 

 the horse in all these iteculiar positions and motions is to avoid putting 

 Aveight on the back part of the foot, which is the seat of the disease. 



