DISEASES OP THE FOOT. 509 



1026 a. Of Remedies. 



In good truth there is no remedy. Long experience has proved that. 

 But though there is no remedy, the disease can be averted. The Cause 

 is jar and concussion. That can be averted by maintaining in full 

 strength and vigor the Sole and Frog. 



Of course there may be here and there cases of weakness of the navi- 

 cular ligament or caries of the sole. And possibly a case of navicular 

 disease may occur. 



1027. Laminitis. 



Laminitis or inflammation of the sensitive laminae is the disease popu- 

 larly known as Fever in the Feet, or Founder. The original attack is 

 always acute. It may be entirely relieved, and no ill effects remain. 

 But often a change of structure results from the effects of the acute 

 attack. This after result is known as Chronic Laminitis. Horses suffer- 

 ing from it are subject to recurrence of the acute disease. 



Laminitis is very painful, and the lameness is excessive. The pain is 

 due to confinement of the products effused by the inflammation within 

 the outer hard unyielding case of the foot, and the pressure thereby 

 caused on the sensitive structures of the interior. The seat of the disease 

 is in the anterior and lateral portions of the foot. (Plate 56.) 



1028. Causes. 



A predisposition to this disease is often traceable to hereditary ten- 

 dency and to defective conformation of the feet. But the immediate 

 cause most frequently is concussion. The fore-feet are more often affected 

 than the hind, because concussion is most severely felt in them. Rasping 

 of the crust, and paring of the sole and frog are the more usual causes 

 chiefly because by impairment of the structure they increase concussion. 

 Excitement, over-exertion, and indigestion are also frequent causes. The 

 disease, however, in many cases is due to metastasis or a sudden shifting 

 of inflammation existing in some other organ of the body to the feet. 

 Confinement on board ship is frequently a cause of laminitis from long- 

 continued strain on the sensitive laminae. 



Horses with flat, weak feet are predisposed to this disease. 



Both feet, either hind or fore, are usually affected. Similar causes 

 generally affect both feet, and therefore produce similar results. Some- 

 times all four feet are affected. When one foot only is affected, the 

 cause is generally some injury of the opposite foot, which has caused the 

 horse to throw all the weight on the previously sound foot. 



1029. Symptoms. 



The symptoms of Laminitis are very marked. The attack is very 

 sudden in its occurrence. The horse can hardly be got to move. He 

 seems as if all his body were cramped. 



. There is heat in the feet affected. As the seat of the disease is in the 

 anterior portion of the feet, the animal will save that portion of his feet 

 as much as possible, and will throw his weight on his heels. The disease 

 is intensely painful. On account of the pain the pulse is always accele- 



