PUNCTURED FOOT.] MODEEX VETETtTXART PRACTICE, [puxctcked foot. 



tion of nitrate of silver to tlio edges, with tlie 

 point of ft featliiT: thon procei'd to ilrosa the 

 •woiiiul with tar, till tho fissure full, ami smear 

 the foot all over with it. Have ready a pledget 

 of tow, which place over all, as before. Put on 

 a bar-shoe, and lay it off well at the fissure, so 

 that tiiere may be no bearing. Tiicn take the 

 brush, and apply tar all over tho foot again. 

 Repeat this dressing at least twice a week. 



During the disease, the horse should have 

 eight or tea alterative balls. (See List of 

 Medicines). 



PUNCTURED FOOT. 

 Punctured foot is a very com men thing with 

 horses, and is frequently attended with a great 

 deal of pain ; and in some cases it is followed 

 by death. As the under part of the foot is so 

 continually exposed to sharp bodies of every 

 kind, whilst travelling, it need be no cause of 

 wonder that the foot does occasionally strike 

 upon something by which it receives a punc- 

 ture. Sometimes, even the heel of the shoe 

 may be too long ; and if accidentally the animal 

 should step on it, and partially pull it off, a 

 nail will probably pierce the foot. The acci- 

 dental puncture of a nail during shoeing, is 

 also one of tho most frequent causes of it. 

 Injuries of this kind are proportioned in their 

 effects to the parts injured. A puncture 

 through the fleshy frog, even to the vascular 

 portion, is not so productive of bad conse- 

 quences, as probably may be a more super- 

 ficial opening made through the centre of the 

 sole, which may destroy the animal. AVhen- 



spongy flesh make its appearance through, 

 touch it lightly with diluted butter of anti- 

 mony, and put tho dressing over the part. Theao 

 simple modes of dressing will be fuund to have 

 a much more beiu-ficial eflcct than niont 

 of those violent caustics, so much in com- 

 mon use. 



Sometimes deep posterior punctures may 

 penetrate as far as the tendon itself, and pro- 

 duce great pain and inflammation. In such 

 cases, if the accident be early discovered, in- 

 troduce a little tow, saturated with tincture of 

 mvrrh. If the inflammation be great, bleed 

 from the plate-vein, and give alterative medi- 

 cine (see Medicine) every second day. 

 Should this not reduce the inflammation so 

 quickly as desired, apply a bran poultice, as be- 

 fore directed. 



The most common cases of puncture are 

 those which arise from a wrong direction of a 

 nail, during the operation of shoeing, in which 

 it either presses on, or actually wounds the 

 sensitive laminoB. This is frequently known to 

 the workman; but, through laziness, he will 

 not draw it out again, or a great deal of injury 

 might be prevented. Were the nail immedi- 

 ately taken out, and a little tincture of myrrh 

 poured down the hole, the smith might intro- 

 duce a much smaller nail, and all things would 

 go on well. 



If suppuration, however, should arise, the 

 shoe must be taken ofi", and the horn that may 

 have been covering the confined part must be 

 neatly cut away, to its tarthest extent, de- 

 taching a portion of the fleshy part from the 

 horny sole. Should it proceed upwards, and 



ever a puncture is made of suflicient depth to 



penetrate the bony connections, and synovia j break out at the coronet, it sometimes takes a 



escapes, the parts should be carefully examined long time to heal ; but recourse must be had to 



with a probe ; and if the suppuration has not every means to prevent such an unhappy cir- 



commenced, apply compound tincture of myrrh curastance. However, after having pared out 



on a small bit of lint. This treatment, in a the sole as directed, next take the probe, and 



few days, will heal the wound. Do not forget I ascertain if any other sinuses are formed 



to place a large pledget of tow over all to keep 

 out the wet and dirt. 



If this treatment has been neglected, and 

 Buppuration has taken place, a bran poultice, 

 moistened well with goulard water, should im- 

 mediately be applied to the part affected, morn- 

 ing and night ; and be renewed every day^ 

 until a healthy secretion takes place, when 

 the wound should be dressed with compound 

 tincture of myrrh. Should anything like 



If 



not, proceed at once to poultice with linseed 

 meal, into which a large piece of digestive oint- 

 ment should be well worked. (See Medicines). 

 Repeat this every day until the wound 

 begins to look healthy. When such is the 

 case, apply tincture of myrrh (first having 

 placed on the shoe), and a large pledget of 

 tow over all, fastened in with two pieces of 

 stick, crossed, as instructed iu other applica- 

 tions for the feet. Five or six days may 



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