406 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



CHRONIC FOUNDER. 



Lameness often appears in a chronic form, but is always 

 distinguished, no matter in what state it may exist, by the 

 peculiar manner of ^oing which it induces. The horse with 

 inflamed laminae endeavours to cast all his weight upon the 

 heels, in order to spare, as much as possible, the wall with 

 which the diseased part is connected. The gait is peculiar ; 

 and the toes pointing upwards denote the condition of the 

 animal. 



Chronic laminitis may be the consequence of the acute 

 disorder ; more frequently it comes on gradually, and is at 

 all times difficult to remove. Setons through the frogs, 

 with repeated purgatives, and a course of alterative medi- 

 cine, have answered best, although too often this form of 

 the disease resists ever}^ treatment. 



Laminitis may appear in one or all of the legs. 



Most frequently the two fore feet are attacked, and the 

 animal then brings his hind legs under him, as much as 

 possible, with the intention of taking the weight from the 

 affected members. When only one foot is attacked, the 

 other is always ultimately the seat of poignant lameness, 

 and what once was the healthy limb becomes the most 

 diseased, because the animal, to spare the lame leg, con- 

 tinually casts his whole weight upon the sound one. The 

 horse with laminitis in one leg should be destroyed. With 

 all four limbs attacked he may recover ; but when laminitis 

 appears in one only, he has no chance of being relieved, and 

 it is mercy to shorten his sufferings. 



PUMICED FEET. 



When, from inflammation, the sensible horny little plates, 

 which were separated by the heat and swelling, do not 

 unite again, their elasticity is lost, and the coffin-bone, no 

 longer supported, comes down and renders the foot convex, 

 or rounded outwards. This is a "pumiced foot." The crust 

 of the hoof also falls in at the front, leaving a hollow of a 

 remarkable character in the middle and front of the fore 

 foot. ^^' 



The Treatraent of this disorder can only be palliative, and 

 no skill is competent to effect a reunion between the 

 separated fleshy and horny leaves, or to restore to them the 



