PREVENTION AND FIRST AID TREATMENT OF DISEASE. 339 



coffin bone. It is generally caused by over-exertion, particularly when 

 the animal is in an unfit state to undergo it ; horses which have been at 

 rest for any time, especially if they have been overfed, being very likely to 

 suffer if suddenly put to heavy work. In animals which are unshod it is 

 often a sequel to foot-soreness, and after a sea voyage it is of frequent 

 occurrence unless care is taken to graduate the exercise given immediately 

 on landing. The symptoms are heat and pain in the feet, usually both 

 fore feet, and severe lameness ; the patient stands still and is unwilling to 

 pick up either foot as the pain in the other is thereby greatly increased, 

 and when forced to move, the heels are markedly brought to the ground 

 first. The blood vessels at the fetlock may be felt throtbing, and in 

 severe cases the appetite fails and there is fever. 



Treatment. — Give a physic ball and sloppy bran and green food Treat- 

 only. Take off the shoes and replace them by a pair of thick wide- ment. 

 seated, bar shoes ; make the animal take a little exercise several times a 

 day, a few minutes at a time, and keep cold swabs over the hoofs. If the 

 animal will lie down and rest make it comfortable, and poultice the feet, 

 or wrap them in hot-water cloths. In all cases keep the bowels freely 

 open. After recovery, continue to use broad-seated shoes for a con- 

 siderable time. 



Condition is the sole preventive for laminitis on service. It is a 

 common but preventable condition. 



In bad cases of fever in the feet, the coffin bone is often forced 

 downwards and bulges the sole of the foot (dropped sole) just in front of 

 the point of the frog, and as such cases are not sufficiently useful to be 

 kept in the service, they are cast or destroyed. 



Sand crack is a splitting of the horn of the wall of the hoof which Sand 

 occurs at the inside quarter of the fore feet and occasionally at the toe of crack, 

 the hind feet. It commences at the coronet and extends downwards, the 

 depth of the crack being right through the thickness of the wall into the 

 fleshy leaves beneath. It occasions lameness from the pain caused by 

 the spHt closing on the sensitive parts beneath, and may sometimes be 

 found to be bleeding. 



Clean out the crack and pare the edges thin, dress it antiseptically, 

 put a small pad of cotton wool in the crack and bind the top of the hoof 

 with narrow tape which has been soaked in a mixture of equal parts of 

 resin and pitch (melted together with a very small portion of wax). This 

 will form a solid binding when cold and keep the crack a fixture. If 

 possible, rest the animal till the split grows down half an inch from the 

 coronet, and then cut a horizontal groove deeply above it to separate it 

 from the new growing horn, and prevent further splitting upwards. 

 (b 10948) Y 2 



