STUD BOOK. 



131 



The principal cause of the disease is neglected grooiii- 

 ing and care, want of exercise, high feeding, washing 

 the feet and leaving them to dry. The prevention 

 will be proper ventilation, good stabling, grooming, 

 and proper care. It is more likely to affect horses 

 with white feet than others. Some consider the dis- 

 ease contagious. 



Symptoms. — The first is heat and tenderness— on 

 applying the hand to the heel and fetlock, the parts 

 will be found hot, and under pressure the animal will 

 evince signs of pain. As the disease progresses, the 

 pai'ts become swolen — infiltrated with serum — thus 

 increasing the inflammatory symptoms, and causing 

 the animal much pain, which he usually evinces by 

 occasionally catching up the foot The hairs stand out 

 horizontally. When the disease attacks both hind 

 legs, the pain is sometimes intense, especially if the 

 horse be plethoric, or his system is charged with mor- 

 bid humors. In the latter case, the greasy discharge 

 is very profuse ; lor the pent-up waste matters have 



