504 CHAPTER 05. 



Paring the frog, in(lt'i)t'nclent of its injurious effect in removing the 

 frog from pressure, has also a further tendency to produce disease. It 

 will be remembered that the structure of the frog is such that its external 

 coat shells bff itself in due time. When, however, this coat is artiticially 

 removed, the surface, which is then freshly exposed, is not adapted at 

 that time by nature to resist the eft"ect of wet and dirt, and is therefore 

 very susceptible of injuiy. 



Thrush is more common in the hind than in the fore feet, probably 

 because the former usually stand in the dirtiest and wettest part of the 

 stable. 



1016. Treatment. 



In the treatment of those cases which originate in dirt and wet, our 

 first care must be to remove the cause and keep the frog scrupulously 

 clean and dry. The removal of any ragged or i»artial!y detached parts 

 Avill lessen the ditticulty of keeping it clean. 



Having removed the cause, our next endeavour must be to clean the 

 ])art thoroughly and then to absorb the discharge. This is essential, 

 because the discharge is of an acrid nature, and has in itself a tendency 

 to cause disintegration of the structure. The cleft of the frog should be 

 thoroughly washed out from the bottom by means of a thin flat piece of 

 wood and some soft tow and hut water. If the case is a bad one, poul- 

 tices will be beneficial. 



After the part has been thoroughly cleansed a piece of Mne tow well 

 saturated with a lotion composed of one i)art of carbolic acid to twenty 

 })arts of water must be gently thrust to the bottom of the cleft and 

 covered with dry tow. This dressing may be repeated night and morning 

 for a few days, and the thrush then dressed over with calomel and dry 

 tow. Care must be taken to keep the frog free from dirt and moisture. 



Further, with a view of restoring the parts to healthy action, pressure 

 must be applied. This will be best effected by lowering the crust at the 

 heels every fortnight, by shortening the toes, so as to throw more pres- 

 sure and work on the heels, or still more effectually by the use of tii)S 

 instead of shoes. 



When the disease in the frog has arisen from deprivation of its natural 

 functions by paring or by the use of high-heeled shoes, the treatment will 

 bo first to dry up the discharge by the means recommended above, and 

 secondly to remove the causes, viz. want of work and pressure (see pre- 

 ceding paragraph). 



When the disease has its origin in navicular disease, little more can be 

 done than to keep the frog scru]tulously clean and to dry up the discharge 

 as soon as it appears. 



1017. Chronic Thrush. 



For Chronic Thrush, when not arising from navicular disease, it will 

 be advisable in addition to the treatment recommended above to shoe 

 the horse with tips. This remedy will bring wear and pressure on the 



