260 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



of laminitis, it may be almost totally disregarded. That 

 a bad form of foot, either a flat-foot or a foot with heels 

 contracted, and already thus affected with a mild type of 

 inflammation, did not offer a certain predisposition, we 

 should not like to assert. There must, however, be an 

 exciting cause — namely, a poisoned condition of the blood- 

 stream. This latter cannot, of course, be in any way 

 regarded as hereditary. 



In short, the dietetic cause is by far the most common, 

 and, in prosecuting inquiries as to the starting-point of an 

 attack, the veterinarian's attention should be directed in 

 the main to that particular. 



Symptoms. — Laminitis is always ushered in by a set of 

 symptoms indicative of a high state of fever. The pulse 

 is raised from the normal to as many as 80 or 90 a minute, 

 muscular tremors are in evidence, the respirations are short 

 and hurried, and the temperature rises to 105°, 106°, or 

 170° F. The visible mucous membranes are injected, that 

 of the eye, in addition to the hyperemia, often tinged a 

 dirty yellow. The mouth is dry and hot, the urine scanty, 

 and the bowels frequently torpid. As yet, however, the 

 walk is sound. 



Called in during this early stage, the veterinarian is 

 often puzzled as to the exact significance of the symptoms. 

 Enteritis, lymphangitis, or pneumonia he knows to be often 

 heralded in the same manner. In this connection, Zundel 

 says : ' Laminitis, in most instances, is preceded by certain 

 general symptoms, such as are premonitory of the invasions 

 of ordinary inflammatory diseases, but of an uncertain 

 significance.' 



So far we agree with him, but to what we have already 

 said we would add that, even in this early stage, there is an 

 additional symptom, unmentioned by Zundel, which often 

 leads one to an exact diagnosis. The feet are in turn lifted 

 a short distance from the ground, and almost immediately 

 replaced. This movement (' paddling ' we may term it) is 

 constant, the animal appearing to obtain ease in no one 

 position for more than a few moments at a time. 



