120 VETERINARY LECTURES 



In severe cases of laminitis the foot becomes elongated at the toe, 

 the point of the coffin bone is dislodged and drops down to the sole 

 of the foot, and numerous irregular (ribbed) rings form round the 

 hoof (Plate XIII., C and D). Rings, however, are also formed round 

 the hoof from irregular nutrition, caused by frequently changing the 

 animal from a grazing pasture to the stable, but these rings are more 

 regular, and are seen on all the four feet. 



INJURIES TO, AND DISEASES OF, THE FEET OF 

 THE COW, SHEEP, DOG, AND PIG. 



COW. 



201. The Foot of the Cow, like that of the horse, is made up of 

 sensitive and non-sensitive tissue ; but, unlike that of the horse, it is 

 ' cloven ' — i.e., divided into two sections, or toes, each containing 

 three bones, thus showing six small bones in the foot, instead of 

 three as in the horse. The non-sensitive or horny part is secreted 

 and attached to the sensitive structures similarly to that of the 

 horse, only the laminae and villi are much finer. The foot of the 

 cow at the heel is deeper, more upright, stronger, and broader at 

 the sole than the foot of the horse, while the claws are pointed and 

 twist slightly towards each other. The wall is convex on the outer 

 part, and at the toe makes a very acute and strong turn inwards, 

 and runs back in wavy lines on the inner aspect of the claw, where 

 it is met by the portion winding round the heel, to which it is united 

 by a section of horn springing up from the sole ; this is well defined 

 in the foot of the sheep. The horny sole is flatter and smoother 

 than in that of the horse, and is partially overlapped at the heels by 

 the wall. Unlike the horse, the cow has no frog. 



202. The cow is not nearly so subject to disease of, or injury to, 

 the foot as the horse. Great lameness is, however, often induced by 

 foreign bodies, such as pieces of iron, slate, stone, wood, etc., getting 

 between the digits, and nails, wire, and sharp bodies are frequently 

 found in the sole of the foot. Therefore, in all cases of lameness the 

 foot should be carefully washed and the sole scraped and examined, 

 and if foreign bodies are met with they must be removed, and the 



