SURGICAL OPERATION FOR CONTRACTED FOOT. 355 



C. Operative Interference in Contraction. 



(a) Thinning the wall of the toe was recommended by 

 Dominik, but is of little real value, the improvement noted 

 probably resulting from the animal's being turned out to grass 

 without shoes. 



(&) Collin's method consists in making a groove about 

 I" inch broad and as deep as the sensitive wall, beginning 

 -| inch from the skin of the coronet and running parallel with it. 

 From this he carries two wider grooves as far as the lower margin 

 of the hoof, the posterior groove being about | inch from the 

 heels, the anterior running obliquely backwards ; its highest 

 point being about 1^ inches, its lowest about ^ inch from the 

 posterior furrow. The wall of the quarter behind the anterior 

 furrow is lowered with the rasp until it no longer touches the 

 shoe. Where both quarters are diseased, the same procedure 

 is adopted on either side. A bar shoe is then applied. When 

 the frog is insufficiently developed to afford the shoe proper 

 support, a leather, gutta-percha, or vulcanised pad is applied, 

 and the grooves are filled with ointment, with which the entire 

 hoof is dressed. If movement is painful, the feet can be 

 placed in a foot-bath, and poultices applied, after which lame- 

 ness soon disappears. Collin's method undoubtedly produces 

 good results when the animal can be rested for several months ; 

 otherwise, the next in order should be tried. 



(c) Thinning the Wall of the Contracted Heel — A portion of 

 the coronary margin, about J inch in breadth, should be left 

 intact. A bar shoe is then applied, which should not touch 

 the heels by about -|- inch. The limbs of the frog should, 

 however, take a good bearing on the bar of the shoe. If 

 necessary, the frog may be filled up with artificial horn com- 

 position or a leather sole, and plenty of stopping applied. To 

 prevent drying and hardening, the exposed parts should be 

 dressed with a tampon of tow or wood wool saturated with tar, 

 and lightly bandaged. The results are good ; the horn of the 

 heels grows in a better direction, and lameness soon dis- 

 appears. 



(d) Simple Incision below the Coronet. — Three-quarters of an 

 inch below the meeting of hair and hoof, parallel with it and 



