220 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



forelegs of these animals. Improper shoeing, such as the use of high 

 calks, a too great shortening of the toe and correspondingly high 

 heels, predispose to this disease by increasing the concussion to the 

 feet. 



Symptoms. The first symptom of an actively developed ring- 

 bone is the appearance of a lameness more or less acute. If the bony 

 tumor forms on the side or upper parts of the large pastern, its growth 

 is generally unattended with acute inflammatory action, and conse- 

 quently produces no lameness or evident fever. These are called 

 false ringbone. But when the tumors form on the whole circumfer- 

 ence of the ankle, or simply in front under the extensor tendon, or 

 behind under the flexor tendons, or if they involve the joints between 

 the two pastern bones, or between the small pastern and the coffin 

 bone, the lameness is always severe. These constitute the true ring- 

 bone. Besides lameness, the ankle of the affected limb presents 

 more or less heat, and in many instances a rather firm, though 

 limited, swelling of the deeper tissues over the seat of the inflamma- 

 tory process. The lameness of ringbone is characteristic in that the 

 heel is first placed on the ground when the disease is in a fore leg, 

 and the ankle is kept as rigid as possible. In the hind leg, however, 

 the toe strikes the ground first, when the ringbone is high on the 

 ankle, just as in health, but the ankle is maintained in a rigid posi- 

 tion. If the bony growth is under the front tendon of the hind leg, 

 or if it involves the coffin joint, the heel is brought to the ground 

 first. In the early stages of the disease it is not always easy to diag- 

 nose ringbone, but when the deposits have reached some size they 

 can be felt and seen as well. 



The importance of a ringbone depends on its seat and often on 

 its size. If it interferes with the joints or with the tendons it may 

 cause an incurable lameness, even though small. If it is on the sides 

 of the large pastern, the lameness generally disappears as soon as 

 the tumor has reached its growth and the inflammation subsides. 

 Even where the pastern joint is involved, if complete anchylosis re- 

 sults, the patient may recover from the lameness with simply an im- 

 perfect action of the foot remaining, due to the stiff joint. 



Treatment. Before the bony growth has commenced the in- 

 flammatory process may be cut short by the use of cold baths and 

 wet bandages, followed by one or more blisters. If the bony deposits 

 have begun the firing iron should always be used. Even where the 

 tumors are large and the pastern joint involved firing often hastens 

 the process of anchylosis and should always be tried. 



Where the lower joint is involved or where the tumor interferes 

 with the action of the tendons recovery is not to be expected. In 

 many of these latter cases, however, the animal may be made service- 

 able by proper shoeing. If the patient walks with the toe on the 

 ground the foot should be shod with a high-heeled shoe and short 

 toe. On the other hand, if he walks on the heel, a thick-toed and 

 thin-heeled shoe must be worn. Since ringbone is considered to be 

 one of the hereditary diseases, no animal suffering from this trouble 

 should ever be used for breeding purposes. 



