INFLAMMATORY AFFECTIONS 313 



the disease brings about a deformity of the whole of the 

 foot. Its longitudinal and transverse diameters become 

 enormously increased, and the whole foot apparently 

 flattened from above to below (see Fig. 136). This indi- 

 cates that not only has the horny sole been entirely 

 destroyed, but that the destructive process has also extended 

 to the greater part of the lower half of the wall, with 

 a consequent hypertrophy of exposed soft structures, and a 

 sinking of the bony column, similar to that which occurs 

 in laminitis, but not so pronounced. 



Fig. 136. — Foot with Advanced Canker. 



A further aspect of the badly-cankered foot is to be found 

 in an apparently enormous increase in the length of the 

 wall. This we have seen protruding for quite 5 inches 

 beyond the plane of the sole. It simply indicates that, 

 in order to keep the animal at work, the smith has at every 

 shoeing spared the wall, so that the diseased structures 

 might be kept from contact with the ground. 



As we have said before, pain and other symptoms of 

 distress are quite absent. Animals affected with canker 

 for a long time maintain their condition, feed well, and 

 are quite capable of performing work under ordinary con- 

 ditions. 



