76 



therefore be continued for several days. If this treatment is not 

 successful aftar a reasonabla length of time, a surgical operation 

 will have to be resorted to. 



LAMINITIS — FOUNDER. 



Laminitis is an inflammation of the sensitive laminae and may- 

 involve the adjacent structures. 



Thsre are three forms of the disease — acute, subacute, and 

 chronic. 



The exudation is greatest at the toe, the foot being most vas- 

 cular at this point. The piin of laminitis is most p:^rsist3nt and 

 agonizing, because the sensitive foot is invested within an un- 

 yielding horny box, pressing upon the engorged blood vessels, 

 preventing free exudation and swelling, and thus pro\^ng a bar- 

 rier to the method by which congested blood vessels are relieved. 



Causes. — The most common are concussion, overexertion, ex- 

 haustion, rapid changes of temperature, and eating of various 

 improper foods (musty grain, etc.). 



Sym2^toms.— In laminitis of both front feet the animal is excess- 

 ively lame, almost immovable, especially at starting: he seems 

 as if all his body were cramped; stands with his hind legs drawn 

 under the belly and the fore feet advanced, in order to relieve 

 them of as much weight as possible; occasionally he may be seen 

 to sway himself backward, elevating the toes and throwing the 

 weight for a moment upon the heels of the fore feet, and then re- 

 suming his original position. If compelled to move he elevates 

 his feet with great difficulty, not because the muscles of locomo- 

 tion are inflamed, as is sometimes supposed, but because he re- 

 quires all of his feet to be on the ground at the same time to bear 

 the weight of his body. He wall often groan mth pain, while 

 sweat bedews the skin. 



To diagnose a case quickly the best method is to push the horse 

 backward, when it will be seen at once that he will elevate his 

 toes and throw his weight upon the heels. 



The pulse of laminitis is fall, strong, and rapid, and will main- 

 tain the character of strength and fullness even after general de- 

 bility has manifested itself. In some instances the animal will 

 lie down upon its side vdth the legs stretched out for hours to- 

 gether, evidently feeling great relief from the assumption of this 



