94 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



Preparation of the Subject. — But little in the way of 

 medicinal preparation is necessary. When the animal is a 

 gross, heavy feeder, and carries a more than ordinary 

 amount of cupboard, all that is needed is to withhold his 

 usual allowance of food for some time prior to the opera- 

 tion, simply to avoid risk of rupture when casting. If 

 considered advisable, a dose of physic may also be admin- 

 istered. 



To the seat of operation, however, careful attention 

 should be given. On the day previous to the operation the 

 hair should be closely removed with the clipping machines, 

 and the skin thoroughly cleansed with warm water and 

 soap. After this, a bandage soaked in a 4 per cent, watery 

 solution of carbolic acid should be wrapped lightly round' 

 the limb, and allowed to remain in position until the animal 

 is cast and ready for the operation the following morning. 

 On removing the bandage prior to operating, the part should 

 again be bathed with a cold 5 per cent, solution of carbolic 

 acid and swabbed dry. Attention to these details will serve 

 to leave the wound in that favourable condition in which it 

 heals nicely, and with the minimum amount of trouble. 



Preliminary Steps. — By some practitioners the operation 

 is performed with the animal standing, local anaesthesia 

 having been first obtained by the use of cocaine, or an ethyl 

 chloride spray. There is no gainsaying the fact, however, 

 that the operation of neurectomy is a painful one, and that, 

 with most operators, success will be more fully guaranteed 

 with the animal cast and the limb held in a suitable position 

 by an assistant. 



The animal is thrown by the hobbles upon the side of 

 the leg which is to be operated on. The cannon of the 

 upper fore-limb is then fixed to the cannon of the upper 

 hind, as described under the section of this chapter devoted 

 to the methods of restraint, and the lower limb freed from 

 the hobbles and drawn forward by an assistant by means 

 of a stout piece of cord round the pastern. 



An alternative method of holding the limb is to bind both 

 fore-legs together above the knee by means of the side-line 



