184 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



4. The horn at the coronet sometimes separates horizontally for 

 a little distance, and forms a cavity in whidh water and dust may 

 lodge. Every part of the detached horn should be cut away with 

 the drawing knife, and the coronet above the fissure should be 

 stimulated with cantharides as before described. 



Acute Laminitis ( Co7i^estio7t and Inflammation of the Feet). 



Founder is the old name by which this disease was known. 



SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE LAMINITIS.— The characteristic symp- 

 toms in the feet are always, as Peuch and Toussaint point out, pre- 

 ceded by general symptoms of dulness and distress. There is loss 

 of appetite, increased thirst, and diminution in the quantity of 

 urine. The gait is unsteady, although not as yet characteristic of 

 the malady. When the symptoms become developed, which may 

 happen in a period varying from a few hours to several days, the 

 horse will try to relieve the walls of the affected hoofs of pressui'e 

 by, if the malady be in the fore feet, stretching them forward so 

 as to throw weight on the heels, and by bringing the hind feet, as 

 much as possible, under the centre of gravity of the body. But, 

 if the disease be confined to the hind feet, the animal will draw 

 back his fore feet under his body, and will advance the hind ones, 

 so as to relieve their toes of pressure; and the head and neck will 

 be bent down, in order to take weight off the hind legs, by putting 

 it on the forehand. The horse evinces uneasiness in the affected 

 feet. Generally, there is a considerable amount of heat present in 

 the hoofs ; the coronets are full and more or less hot ; the arteries 

 which run down the pasterns throb ; and the affected limb is 

 usually " filled " below the knee or hock, as the case may be. Tap- 

 ping the foot even lightly causes pain. The horse objects strongly 

 to any foot being taken up, if, by doing so, weight be thrown on an 

 affected leg. He suffers great distress, especially when the hind 

 feet are attacked. He is most unwilling to move; and, in a first 

 attack, is generally very averse from lying down ; but in subsequent 

 ones, he usually appears only too glad to get the weight of his body 

 off his feet. During movement, he tries to save the toes of the 

 a.ffected feet from pressure by putting it on their heels. The 

 breathing is hurried, and the lining membrane of the eyelids (the 

 conjunctiva) is more or less red from congestion, and is some- 

 times tinged with yellow. The state of the breathing is apt to 

 give rise to the idea in the minds of inexperienced observers, that 

 the animal is suffering from inflammation or congestion of the 

 lungs. The pulse is full and hard, and differs in this respect from 



