AND CATTLE DOCTOR. 187 



watch for the symptoms, and without delay apply the 

 remedy. 



Symptoms. — When an animal is at all lame, its 

 foot should be carefully felt. The first indication is 

 usually an uncommon degree of warmth, and soft and 

 puffed feel of the parts immediately connected with 

 the slit between the hoof, either before or behind the 

 foot, and generally above it. If in the hind foot, and 

 not easily handled, a fulness may generally be per- 

 ceived, by standing behind the animal and carefully 

 comparing the appearance of the two feet, between the 

 dew claws and the hoofs, (for it very rarely com- 

 mences its attack on more than one foot.) In the fore 

 foot it generally swells forward ; and on taking up the 

 foot, the slit between the hoofs will have the appear- 

 ance of dryness, easily distinguishable to a person 

 used to cattle ; and the animal frequently licks the 

 front part of the foot. Instances frequently occur of 

 sudden and extreme lameness, without any appear- 

 ance of heat or swelling in the foot ; but these are 

 often the worst cases ; but one symptom rarely fails 

 to accompany the disease, which is, extreme restless- 

 ness, and appearance of anguish, attended with loss 

 of appetite and flesh ; but without, in the least, affect- 

 ing the brightness of the eye, and, perhaps sometimes 

 unnaturally increasing it ; but the eye has a peculiar 

 cast. As a general rule, it is safest to attribute all 

 lameness of the foot, which cannot be traced to a suffi- 

 cient cause, to the hoof ail. Lameness of the foot can 

 generally be distinguished from that of the leg., hip, or 

 shoulder, by making the animal step over a stick or 

 rail, and carefully watching its motions. 



Remedies. — The foot should be carefully washed 



