422 



exudate, wliich is rapidly reabsorbed, leaving the parts precisely in 

 tlie same condition as they were previous to the attack. If the con- 

 gestion has been excessive a rupture of some of the capillaries will bo 

 found, a condition more apt to obtain where the animal is made to 

 continue work after a development of symptoms has begun. 



True, the majority of these last-described cases prove to be the lami- 

 nitis in fact, yet at times the congestion will pass away and the 

 extravasated blood be absorbed without inflammation supervening to 

 an extent sufficient to warrant us calling it laminitis. The seat of 

 o-reatest congestion will always be found in the neighborhood of tlie 

 toe, because of the increased vascularity of that part, and although 

 at times it is limited to the podophyllous tissue alone, any or all parts 

 of the keratogenous membrane may be affected by the congestion and 

 followed finally by inflammation. 



Acute.— In t\ie acute form of laminitis the symptoms may all develop 

 rapidly, or it may commence by the appearance of a little soreness of 

 the feet during progression, which in twenty-four or forty-eight hours' 

 time has passed into a well-marked case. This peculiarity of develop- 

 ment is due to one of two causes. Either the congestion is general, 

 but takes place slowly, or else it begins in one or more points and 

 Gradually spreads throughout the laminse. These acute cases gener- 

 ally run their course in from a few days to two weeks or more time. 

 Usually a culmination of the symptoms is reached if the patient is 

 properly treated in from three to five days ; then evidences of recovery 

 are discernible in favorable cases. The lameness improves, the other 

 symptoms gradually subside, and eventually health is regained. It 

 is in these acute cases that a strong tendency to disorganization of a 

 destructive character exists, and hence it is we see so many recover 

 imperfectly with marked structural changes permanently remaining. 

 Subacute.— ^nhacnte laminitis is most often seen as a termination 

 of the acute form, although at times it exists independent of or prb- 

 cedes an acute attack. It is characterized by the mildness of its symj}- 

 toms, slow course, and moderate tissue changes. It may be present 

 for a long time before any pathological lesions result other than those 

 found in the acute form, and when these changes do take place they 

 should rather be viewed as complications. 



Chronic— Chronic laminitis is a term used by many to designate any 

 of the sequela? of the acute and subacute forms of this disease. Pure 

 chronic inflammation of the lamina; is not very commonly met with, 

 but is most frequent in horses that have long done fast track work. 

 They have " fever in the feet " at all times and are continually sore, 

 both conditions being aggravated by work. Like chronic inflamma- 

 tion of other parts, there is a strong tendency lie.e to tlie development 

 of new connective tissues, which, by its pressure upon the blood ves- 

 sels, interferes with nutrition. Wasting of the coffin bone and mflam- 

 mat'ion of its covering with caries is not unusual. The continued 



