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CALK AVOUNDS. 



Horses wearing shoes with sharp calks are liable to wounds of the 

 coronary region, either from tramping on themselves, or on each 

 other. These injuries are most common in heavy draught horses, 

 especially on rough roads and slippery streets. The fore feet are 

 more liable than the hind ones, and the seat of injury is commonly on 

 the quarters. In the hind feet the wound often results from the ani- 

 mal resting with the heel of one foot set directly over the front of the 

 other. In these cases the injury is generally close to the horn, and 

 often involves the coronary band, the sensitive laminae, the extensor 

 tendon, and even the coffin bone. 



Treatment. — Preventive measures would include the use of boots to 

 I)rotect the coronet of the hind foot and the use of a blunt calk on 

 the outside heel of the fore shoe, since this is generally the offending 

 instrument where the fore feet are injured. If the wound is not deep 

 and the soreness slight, cold-water bandages and a light protective 

 dressing, such as carbolized cosmoline, will be all that is needed. 

 Where the injury is deep, followed by inflammation and suppuration 

 of the coronarj" band, lateral cartilages, sensitive lamina?, etc., active 

 measures must be resorted to. In these cases cold, astringent baths, 

 made by adding two ounces of sulphate of iron to a gallon of water, 

 should be used, followed l)y jDoultices if it is necessary to hasten the 

 cleansing of the wound by stimulating the sloughing process. Where 

 the wound is deep between the horn and skin, especiall}^ over the 

 anterior tendon, the horn should be cut away so that the injured 

 tissues may be exposed. The subsecjuent treatment in these cases 

 should follow the directions laid down in the article on toe-cracks. 



FROST BITES. 



Excepting the ears, the feet and legs are about the only parts of the 

 horse liable to become frost bitten. The cases most commonly seen 

 are found in cities, especially among car horses, where salt is used 

 for the purpose of melting the snow on curves and switches. This 

 mixture of snow and salt is splashed over the feet and legs, rapidly 

 lowering the temperature of the parts to the freezing point. In 

 mountainous districts Avhere the snowfall is heavy and the cold often 

 intense, frost bites are not uncommon even among animals running 

 at large. 



Symptoms. — AVhen the frosting is slight the skin becomes pale 

 and bloodless, followed soon after b}' intense redness, heat, pain, and 

 swelling. lu these cases the hair may fall out and the epidermis peel 

 off, but the inflammation soon subsides, the swelling disappears, and 

 only an increased sensitiveness to cold remains. - 



In cases more severe, irregular patches of skin are destroyed, and 

 after a few days' time slough away, leaving slow-healing ulcers behind. 



