CHAPTER XXIV. 

 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



1. Acute Founder (Laminitis). 



This is an inflammation of the sensitive part of the foot, 

 or what is commonly called the quick. 



Causes. — This disease is very easily brought on by driv- 

 ing or working a horse hard and then giving him a drink of 

 cold water, or allowing him to stand in a draft while he is 

 warm. This checks the perspiration suddenly and drives the 

 blood to the feet, which sets up inflammation in them. Some- 

 times giving an animal a small feed of wheat will first cause 

 acute indigestion, turning to a bad case of founder. It may 

 affect mares a few days after foaling, especially if they do 

 not have their natural flow of milk, or by catching cold after 

 foaling and settling in their feet. Hard driving and bad 

 shoeing will also cause it. Lung troubles sometimes ter- 

 minate in founder. 



Symptoms. — Founder generally affects the front, but may 

 affect the hind feet. The symptoms are plain. The pulse 

 beats strong and runs up to from 50 to 75 per minute. The 

 animal sweats freely and breathes heavy and quick; he gen- 

 erally stands on his feet for a few days at first, standing in a 

 peculiar way, his front feet stretched out as far as he can put 

 them, standing on the heels trying to relieve the feet, while 

 the hind feet are drawn forward and well under him to throw 

 as much weight as he can on his hind legs, thus relieving the 

 front feet. His feet are very hot and feverish, and he can 

 hardly move forward or backward. On account of the 

 inflammation being inside the hard resisting hoof where there 

 is no room for swelling, it is one of the most painful diseases 

 that the horse is liable to, and if he does not get relief in a 

 few days the quick of the foot becomes destroyed, and the 

 bone gets loose from the inside of the wall and drops down 

 on the sole. When this happens it causes the sole to become 

 bulged out in an unnatural way. It is then known as a club 

 (pumiced) foot. 



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