282 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



cept directly under the fissure, where it is to be pared away until it 

 sets free from the shoe. 



When any of the complications referred to above arise, special 

 measures must be resorted to. For the proper treatment of gangrene 

 of the lateral cartilage and extensor tendon and caries of the coffin 

 bone reference may be had to the article on quitters. If the horny 

 tumor should develop, it is to be removed by the use of the knife. 

 Since this tumor develops on the inside of the horny box and may 

 involve other important organs of the foot in disease, its removal 

 should only be undertaken by a skillful surgeon. 



LAMINITIS, OR FOUNDER. 



Laminitis is a simple inflammation of the sensitive laminae of 

 the feet, characterized by the general phenomena attending inflam- 

 mation of the skin and mucous membranes, producing no consti- 

 tutional disturbances except those dependent upon the local disease, 

 and_ haying a strong tendency, in severe cases, to destructive disor- 

 ganization of the tissues affected. 



Causes. The causes of laminitis are as wide and variable as in 

 any of the local inflammations, and may be divided into two classes 

 the predisposing and the exciting. Like most other tissues, a pre- 

 disposition to inflammation may be induced in the sensitive laminae 

 by any cause which lessens their power of withstanding the work 

 imposed on them. It exists to an extent in those animals unaccus- 

 tomed to work, particularly if they are plethoric, and in all those 

 that have been previous subjects of the disease; for the same rule 

 holds good here that we find in so many diseases i. e., that one 

 attack impairs the functional activity of the affected tissues and 

 renders them more easy of a subsequent inflammation. Unusual ex- 

 citement by determining an excessive blood supply, bad shoeing, 

 careless paring of the feet by removing the sole support, and high 

 calkings without corresponding toe pieces must be included under 

 this head. 



Exciting Causes. The exciting causes of laminitis are many 

 and varied. The most common are concussion, overexertion, exhaus- 

 tion, rapid changes of temperature, ingestion of certain foods, purga- 

 tives, and the oft-mentioned metastasis. 



(1) Concussion produces this disease by local overstimulation. 

 The excessive excitement is followed by an almost complete exhaus- 

 tion of the functional activity of the laminated tissues, the exhaus- 

 tion by congestion, and eventually by inflammation. But conges- 

 tion here, as in all other tissues, is not necessarily followed by in- 

 flammation ; for, although the principal symptoms belonging to true 

 laminitis are present, the congestion may be relieved before the proc- 

 esses of inflammation are fully established. This is the condition 

 in the many so-called cases of laminitis which recover in from twen- 

 ty-four to forty-eight hours. They should be called congestion of 

 the laminae. 



Laminitis from concussion is common in trotting horses that 

 are raced when not in condition, especially if they carry the obnox- 

 ious toe weights, and in green horses put to work on city pavements 



