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HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



HOBSE, Rheumatic. — It is believed 

 that much of the obscure lameness 

 to which horses somewhat advanced in 

 years, and especially those that have had 

 much severe driving and work, are sub- 

 jected, is rheumatic. From the nature of 

 the tissue composing the sensitive foot, 

 so largely fibrous as it is, we might antici- 

 pate that from long-continued hard usage 

 there would arise a degree of irritability 

 in that tissue that would cause lameness. 

 This condition must not be confounded 

 with acute rheumatic fever, to which 

 horses are sometimes subject, and which is 

 a different disease. The disease of which 

 we speak in this connection is an irrita- 

 bility and painful condition of the fibrous 

 tissue, without any of the products or re- 

 . suits of the inflammatory action. 



The animal should be housed in a dry 

 and airy stable, but sheltered from draughts 

 of air, and should be blanketed. The feet 

 : should be treated to a warm bath, and 

 then rubbed dry, and have an application 

 of Fahnestock's liniment, and be band- 

 aged. At the same time there may be 

 given daily in meal an ounce of acetate 

 of potash, with a scruple of powered col- 

 chicum ; or a draught of the following : 

 Iodide of potassium, two ounces ; liquor 

 potassae, one quart ; of which two table- 

 spoonsful may be given, night and morn- 

 ing, in a pint of water or mixed with 

 feed. 



There are several diseased conditions 

 which manifest themselves in the horny 

 foot. Of these the most important are 

 •the flat or convex sole, or the pumice- 

 foot, and the sand-crack. The false 

 •quarter is in no very great degree differ- 

 ent from the sand-crack. All diseases or 

 malformations of the horn must originate 

 in injury or in disease of the soft tissues 

 from which the horn is a secretion. 



HORSE, Pumice Foot.— The pumice- 

 foot, which consists in a falling of the 

 sole to a level with the solar border of 

 the wall, or even so as to constitute a 

 convex surface, is usually preceded and 

 caused either by a destruction of the 

 elastic laminae attaching the coffin-bone 

 to the horn, or to an elongation of the 

 :same, or else to a softening, spreading, 

 .and flattening of the entire hoof. Ani- 

 mals with natural flat feet — those that 

 have been bred on marshy land, where 

 .their feet have been kept soft, are most 



liable to exhibit this form. Probably 

 nothing can restore this kind of foot ; but 

 care in shoeing may enable the animal to 

 be of some service. 



HORSE, Sand-crack. — Sand-crack is a 

 fissure in the hoof, which begins at the 

 coronet, - the thin edge first breaking 

 away. It is a disease of nutrition, the 

 horn of the foot being secreted in di- 

 minished quantity and impaired quality. 

 The break, small at first, is extended un- 

 til it may divide the entire hoof. It 

 usually occurs in the quarter, and per- 

 haps most frequently at the inner quar- 

 ter. It has been asserted that the whole 

 difficulty is produced by bad shoeing. 

 Low condition, impure state of the 

 blood, and lack of care are predisposing 

 causes. In this conjuncture slight injury 

 to the coronet may be followed by such 

 deficient secretion of horn at that place, 

 that the weakened part may give way 

 and sand-crack take place. 



If possible the animal should be given 

 entire freedom from work, and should be 

 turned into a small paddock, or have a 

 loose box, in which he may move some- 

 what. He should have nutritious food 

 and sufficient green food or bran mash 

 to keep his bowels free. During the 

 early stages of the disease, and while 

 efforts are being made to restore the 

 soundness of the foot, the horse is better 

 without shoes, as the natural movements 

 of the parts tend to restore their vitality. 

 The bar-shoes, recommended by some 

 writers, are useful only in those cases of 

 long standing which are essentially in- 

 curable, and where the horses are to be 

 put to slow work. The part should be 

 interfered with as little as possible ; there 

 should be no cutting, paring, or burning; 

 and care should be taken to keep dirt, 

 gravel, etc., from the open sore. The 

 healthy condition of the open and granu- 

 lating surface should be maintained by 

 frequent washing with soap and water, 

 and the application of the solution of 

 chloride of zinc (three grains to the 

 ounce of water). If the animal is in use, 

 before being taken out the crack should 

 be filled with lint saturated with the solu- 

 tion, which should be confined in place 

 by a strip or cloth completely covered 

 with tar. This should be removed as 

 soon as the horse returns, and the wound 

 be cleansed, if it is at all foul, and care- 



