CHAPTEE XXin. 



LAMENESS FOLIiOWING INDIVIDUAL HOOF 

 DISEASE. 



1, — Laminitis. 



Inspection. — Usually the fore-feet are diseased. In the 

 standing posture the body may sway back and forth, an 

 expression of pain and fatigue. The hind-legs are uuduly 

 advanced under the belly and the fore-legs are kept in front 

 of the chest, with the phalanges in abnormal dorsal flexion. 

 The weight of the body is chiefly sustained by the heels of 

 the hoof, and the head and neck are elevated. When forced 

 to move, the fore-feet take short steps as if anxious to get 

 out of the way of the hind-legs. The hind-quarters sway 

 to and fro, the fore-feet touch the ground, heels first, and 

 the sole of the hoof can be seen plainly by standing in front 

 of the animal as it walks. The foundered hoof produces a 

 double hoof beat, the first being due to the striking of the 

 ground with the heels, the second to the coming down of the 

 toe. If the hind-feet are foundered, which is rarely the case, 

 all four feet gather under the belly in a bunch. Foundered 

 horses when lying down require some persuasion to get up. 

 When down they occasionally groan, look to one side, and 

 draw up first one and then the other foundered leg. In slight 

 cases the animal, when walking, is merely stiff, and such 

 animals in resting frequently hold up the foundered feet 

 alternately. Such cases, turned quickly on hard ground, show 



