423 



fever and impaired function of secretion result in the production of 

 horn deficient in elasticity-, somewhat spongy in character, and inclined 

 to crumble. In others of these cases of " soreness" in horses used to 

 hard work, there is evident weakness of the coats of the A'esscls 

 brought on b}' repeated functional exhaustion. Here slight work acts 

 as an exciting cause of congestion, which results in serious effusion 

 and temix)rary symptoms similar to those of chronic laminitis. 



CompUcatiouh;. — Complications concurrent with or supervening 

 upon laminitis are frequent and varied, and are often dependent upon 

 causes not fully understood. 



Excessive purgation is one of the simplest of these, and not usually 

 attended with dangerous consequences. It rarely occurs unless 

 induced by the exhibition of a ijurgative, and the excessive action of 

 the medicine is probably to be explained upon the theory that the 

 mucous membrane sympathizes with the diseased laminae, is irritable, 

 and readily becomes overexcited. The discharges are thin and watery, 

 sometimes offensively odorous, and occasionally persist in spite of 

 treatment. It may prove disastrous to the welfare of the patient by 

 the rapid exhaustion which it causes, preventing resolution of the 

 laminitis, and may even cause death. 



Sepiiccamia andpyccm /a.— Septicaemia and pyaemia are unusual com- 

 plications and are seen only in the most severe cases, where bed-sores 

 are present or suppuration of the laminae results. They die, as a rule, 

 within three days after showing signs of the complication. 



Pneumonia— ihe so-called metastatic— needs no special considera- 

 tion, for in its lesions and symptoms it does not differ from ordinary 

 pneumonia, although it may be overlooked entirely by the practitioner. 

 Examinations of the chest in .laminitis should be made every day, so 

 as to detect the disease at its onset and render proper aid. 



Sidebones.—A rapid development of sidebones is one of the compli- 

 cations, or perhaps better, a sequel of laminitis not often met ^vith in 

 practice. Here the inflammatory process extends to the lateral carti- 

 lages, with a strong tendency to calcification. The deposition of the 

 lime salts is sometimes most rapid, so that the "bones" are developed 

 in a few weeks' time; in other instances they are deposited slowly and 

 their growth is not noted until long after the subsidence of the lami- 

 nitis, so that the exciting cause is not suspected. This change in the 

 cartilages may commence as early as the first week of the laminitis, 

 and although the trouble in the lamina' is removed in the course of a 

 fortnight the symptoms do not entirely subside, the animal still retain- 

 ing the shuffling gait, wliile the sidebones continue to grow and the 

 patient usually remains quite lame. This alteration of the cartilages 

 generally prevents the patient recovering liis natural gait, because of 

 tlie permanent impairment of function induced, and tlie practitioner 

 receives unjust censure for a condition of affairs he could neither 

 foresee nor prevent. 



