142 LAMENESS IX THE nOR'E. 



persistently upon the heels of the hoof ; the muscles often 

 quiver, may be warmer than normally, slightly swollen, 

 tense and hard ; tapping them lightly excites severe pain. 

 Constant crackling of the joints almost invariably accom- 

 panies rheumatisui in the beginning, and sometimes the 

 flexor tendons are also involved ; they are then painfully 

 swollen. Such animals, when lying down, hold their legs 

 perfectly quiet, not drawing them up as in founder. When 

 exercised, lameness diminishes. 



Injuries of the sole : Here the local examination will 

 be decisive. Horses, especially flat-footed ones, occasionally 

 wear oflf the hoof to such an extent that the sole becomes 

 bruised, and lameness, similar to that seen in founder, 

 results. 



Pumiced foot : This formation and the hoof of chronic 

 laminitis are often confounded. This is probably due to the 

 convexity of the sole which is present in both ; but the 

 convexity of the former extends over the entire sole surface, 

 while that of the pumiced foot is chiefly confined to the 

 posterior half of the sole. The white line of the foundered 

 hoof is much wider than the one of the pumiced foot. The 

 deformity of the foundered foot is the consequence of 

 laminitis, whereas the pumiced foot is nothing but an exag- 

 gerated flat foot with excessive sole formation during its 

 development. 



2.— "Wounds of the Coronet. 



Inspection. — Depending on the depth of the w^ound, the 

 lameness is either absent, slight or severe. All stages of 

 injury, from a mere abrasion of the skin to a deep infected 

 wound with swelling of the coronet, of the heels, and 

 perhaps of the phalangeal regions, are seen. The animal 



