LECTURE XLVI 

 LAMINITIS (FOUNDER) 



Laminitis is a painful and rather frequent disease most com- 

 mon in horses but other classes of stock are subject to it. 

 It is commonly called founder and is essentially an inflamma- 

 tion of the sensitive parts within the hoof, especially the sensi- 

 tive lamina?. Founder is more common in the front feet, but 

 may affect either or both the front and hind feet. 



Symptoms. — The horse shows unmistakable evidence of ex- 

 treme pain and usually persists in lying down. The pain is 

 due to the fact that the horny wall and sole do not permit the 

 inflamed tissues to expand. Respiration, pulse, and tempera- 

 ture may increase as a direct result of the pain ; the fever may 

 be marked, the pulse full and strong, and the attitude and 

 expression indicating anxiety. If the front feet are affected, 

 the horse carries as much of the weight as possible upon the 

 hind feet, the two front limbs extending forward. If the hind 

 feet are involved, he extends them forward and stands with the 

 front feet back, under the body, and carrying as much weight 

 as possible to relieve the sensitive hind feet from pressure. He 

 refuses to back, and the artery (planter) just above the ankle 

 throbs. There is often excessive perspiration and a tendency to 

 constipation unless the case be associated with excessive 

 diarrhea. 



Causes. — Laminitis frequently results from disturbances of 

 the digestive organs, due to unusual over-feeding, for example, 

 or to a large quantity of cold water, drunk when a horse is very 

 hot or tired. It may be caused by unaccustomed concussion on 

 hard roads, in case of a horse not accustomed to this work, or 

 by exhaustion, and exposure to cold wind or cold water. Lami- 

 nitis often occurs in one front foot, or one hind foot, as an indi- 

 rect result of lameness in the opposite limb ; the horse overworks 

 the sound limb in order to relieve pain in the lame one, and 

 thus causes laminitis in the foot which had been sound. Lami- 

 nitis is frequently associated with parturition (delivery) in the 



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