RURAL VETERINARY SECRETS 153 



SIDEBONES 



Sidebone is the apt term used to describe tlie turning" into bone 

 of the lateral cartilages, which change may be partial or complete. As 

 will be remembered, these cartilages are of a gristly nature and yield 

 more or less under pressure with the fingers and thumb. Heavy horses 

 seem to be the ones mainly affected and in connection with this fact 

 concussion can hardly be the cause. Injury from stepping on one an- 

 other, and HEREDITY, greatest of all, are the probable causes. The 

 symptoms are lameness with a stilty action and shortness of gait, hard- 

 ening and enlargement of the cartilages. 



The treatment is not satisfactory, blistering and tiring doing good 

 only in the earlier stages. A bar rocker shoe with frog pressure, fo- 

 mentations and rest, later work on soft ground, will be about the best 

 treatment. Some people have the animal nerved if the lameness con- 

 tinues. Above all, do not breed from a stallion with sidehones, and if 

 judging, throw out a stallion so affected always. 



(OFFIN JOINT LAMENESS (Navicular Disease) 



This is a disease of the coffin joint and its cartilages, which comes 

 on slowly, usually the result of concussion, more especially if the foot 

 is not a strong one and of good shape. Shoeing with high heels, thus 

 relieving the frog from pressure, will increase the chances of concus- 

 sion and indirectly increase the tendency to this disease. Long, hard, 

 continual driving is a frequent cause; the endless bang on a hard road 

 will almost invariably cause this disease. The speed has little to do with 

 it. The pastern of an aflfected foot is more upright and concave and 

 the heels often strong. 



SYMPTOMS 



Pointing in the stable, favoring of the limb affected, shortening 

 of the stride, with a stilty, stubby gait, are all symptoms of this 

 disease. If one notices a horse affected with this disease, driven 

 on the street, which is later on stopped and tied, the animal will 

 be noticed to paw slightly with the aiTected fo,ot. In fact, it is really 

 hunting a comfortable spot on which to rest the foot, so as to allow the 

 cof^n joint to be flexed; he may even rest the heel on a stone. If both 

 feet are affected, the gait is very short, he paddles, stubs the toes, and 

 if the pain is severe, will lie down the greater part of the time when in 



