418 DISEASES OF THE HORSE'S FOOT 



case of acute coronitis, a case of suppurating corn, a case 

 of quittor, a severe case of tread, or may attend a case of 

 laminitis. 



Symptoms. — In our cases we get very little beyond a mag- 

 nification of such symptoms as we have described under 

 acute synovitis. The heat and the pain is perhaps greater, 

 and the lameness more marked. It is rather to the con- 

 stitutional disturbance we must look, however, for a con- 

 firmation of our opinion that arthritis is in existence. This 

 is always severe, and of an acute febrile nature. The pulse 

 is fast, thin, and thready, the respirations enormously in- 

 creased, and the temperature high. The appetite is in 

 abeyance, the animal quickly becomes what is termed 

 ' tucked-up,' or greyhound-like, in the body, and patchy 

 perspirations break out about him. The limb is held with 

 the joints all semiflexed, and severe and intense throbbing 

 pains are indicated by the frequent pawing movements the 

 animal makes in the air. Manipulation of the foot is re- 

 sented, and the agonizing intensity of the pain so caused is 

 shown by the drawn and haggard appearance of the eyes. 



In a favourable case the symptoms from now onwards 

 may gradually subside. The appetite returns, the breathing 

 and other signs of disturbance show a return to the normal, 

 weight is placed on the limb, and resolution slowly but 

 surely takes place. In many of these, our favourable cases, 

 however, resolution is incomplete, and recovery only takes 

 place at the expense of anchylosis of the joint, a condition 

 we shall refer to later. 



In unfavourable cases, and these unfortunately are only 

 too common, the condition terminates in suppuration. 



(c) Purulent or Suppurative Arthritis. 



Definition. — By this term we indicate an arthritis com- 

 plicated by the formation of pus within the joint. 



Causes. — The organisms of pus may infect the joint by 

 extension of a suppurating process from without. For 

 example, in the case of a suppurating corn, in quittor, in 

 tread, or in the case of a suppurating wound caused by 



