LAMENESS IN THE PHALANGEAL REGION. 75 



the hoof or shoe shows more wear than any other part of 

 the hoof or shoe. Contraction in itself must not be relied 

 upon too much in the diagnosis of navicular disease, even 

 in cases of some standing. For instance, it is well to know 

 that the left foot naturally is often smaller than the right 

 one, although the writer is acquainted with a three-year-cld 

 trotting horse and a five-year-old carriage horse, in both of 

 which the right fore foot is perceptibly smaller than the left 

 one ; neither of these horses have ever been lame. 



Palpation. — Heat in the hollow of the heel and increased 

 pulsation of the collateral arterj^ of the cannon or digital 

 arteries, according to most authorities, is not detected iu 

 true navicular disease. In cases of navicular disease seen 

 by the writer, some of which were confirmed as such by 

 post mortem examinations, increased pulsation of the 

 arteries or increase of temperature about the hollow of the 

 heel were absent. The deep-seated pain may be detected 

 by pushing the thumb firmly into the hollow of the heel in 

 the direction of the navicular bone ; at the same time the 

 toe is forced upwards. "When this does not give satisfactory 

 results, one jaw of the hoof-tester is placed upon the middle 

 of the frog, while the other one rests upon the wall in the 

 region of the toe, and now gradual pressure is exercised. 

 Sometimes the sole and bars are too thick to permit of 

 positive results with the pincers ; in such cases the bars 

 and sole must first be pared before the test with the pincers is^ 

 made. Should there still be a doubt existing after this test, 

 the animal can be shod with a bar shoe, the bar of which 

 presses upon the frog. In true navicular disease, lameness 

 will then increase. My personal experience taught me that 

 a tip with a toe piece, — thus raising the toe and bringing 

 the heels abnormally low, — gives better results and is more 



