828 



DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



when the hind ones are drawn well under him, something like the 

 position shown in Fig. 730. On backing him. he backs with evi- 

 dent reluctance ; when forced back, he 

 drags one foot after the other, evincing 

 considerable pain in doing so. When moved 

 forward, he walks on the heels, his move- 

 ments being slow and difficult. He will 

 often be found lying down, as removing 

 weight from the feet gives relief ; and while 

 down he will usually point with his nose 

 toward the feet. Sometimes the inflamma- 

 tion may be in but one of the fore feet, 

 or sometimes in the hind feet, which is not 

 common ; and in some isolated cases may 

 have inflammation in all four feet ; but it 

 is usually limited to the two fore feet. 



Causes. Laminitis is very apt to occur 

 from overtasking the feet by pounding them 



FIG. 732 An ideal illus- 

 tration of the arteries of 

 the foot injected. 



over a hard or rough, frozen 

 road, or leaving the horse 

 standing while heated and 

 exhausted, and especially 

 where a current of cold air 

 strikes him ; indirectly by 

 prick or binding with nails, 

 or continued injury from a 

 badly applied shoe, or any 

 cause of continued strain 

 or injury to the feet ; driv- 

 ing through a river while 

 warm ; washing the feet 

 while warm and neglecting to dry them ; frequently also from 



FIG. 733. An ideal drawing of the 

 veins of the foot injected. 



