Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 527 



Cataract. — When the lens of the eye becomes so cloudy or opaque 

 as to present a white or grayish color, the eye is said to be affected with 

 cataract, which is a practically incurable form of blindness. A blow 

 over the eye and other causes bring it on. It is rather common, par- 

 ticularly in aged horses. 



Chronic cough.— A permanent cough accompanying broken wind, 

 glanders, and other diseases constitutes an unsoundness. 



Cocked ankles or knuckling is a partial dislocation of the fetlock 

 joint, in which the position of the bones is changed, the pastern becom- 

 ing more nearly perpendicular. While it is not always an unsoundness, 

 it nevertheless predisposes to stumbling and to fracture of the pastern. 

 Young foals are frequently subject to this condition, and in the great 

 majority of such cases the trouble disappears in a few weeks without 

 treatment. Horses with erect pasterns often knuckle as they grow old, 

 especially in the hind legs. All kinds of hard work, particularly in 

 hilly districts, are exciting causes of this trouble. It is also caused by 

 improper shoeing, in which the toe is made too long and the heel too 

 low, thus producing inflammation and retraction of the tendons. 

 Lastly, it is caused by disease of the suspensory ligament or of the 

 flexor tendons, whereby they are shortened, and by disease of the fet- 

 lock joint. It is one of the worst faults a horse can possess, and it 

 greatly affects the value and the price. Treatment varies depending 

 on the cause of the trouble. Relief may be secured by so shoeing as 

 to shorten the toe and elevate the heels, thus relieving the tendons. 

 In extreme cases, the tendons may be operated on to secure relief. 

 Firing and blistering effect a cure in some instances. (See Fig. 212.) 



Contracted feet.— Contraction of the feet is not a diseased condi- 

 tion in itself, but is a symptom of such and leads to trouble. Contrac- 

 tion is due to a removal of the full functions of the foot, such as is the 

 case in lameness, removal of frog pressure, defective shoeing, etc. 

 Contraction occurs more especially at the heels, and more frequently 

 in the fore feet than in the hind ones. Veterinarians look upon this 

 condition as constituting unsoundness. Treatment is not of much 

 avail, but going barefoot or wearing a special shoe to spread the heels 

 will help to alleviate the condition. 



Corns. — A corn is a bruise to the fleshy sole, and is manifested by 

 a reddish discoloration of the horny sole beneath the bruise. It usually 

 occurs upon the inner quarter of the fore foot. A corn very often 

 causes severe lameness, and is a cause of unsoundness. The treatment 

 consists in paring, special shoeing, poulticing, keeping the part thor- 

 oughly clean, and a few weeks' rest. 



Cracked heels. — This condition is denoted by an inflamed state of 

 the skin, which becomes broken, and, if severe, may cause lameness. 



