INFLAMMATOEY AFFECTIONS 289 



Consequent upon the displacement of the bone, the 

 plantar cushion, by reason of the continued pressure thus 

 put upon it, becomes atrophied, while its hinder half is, as 

 it were, squeezed into taking up a position more posterior 

 and higher in the digit than normally it should. The horn- 

 secreting papilla covering its inferior face thus become 

 directed backwards sooner than downwards, in which way 

 we account in some measure for the noticeable increase of 

 horn at the heels. 



Treatment. — Chronic laminitis is incurable. Treatment 

 must therefore be directed towards the palliation of such 

 conditions as are present, with the object of rendering the 

 the animal better able to perform work. When perforation 

 of the sole has occurred, with the attendant formation of 

 pus and necrosis of the os pedis, it is doubtful whether 

 treatment of any kind is advisable. There are on record 

 cases of this description, where careful curetting of the 

 exposed and necrotic portions and the after application of 

 antiseptic dressings, held in position by a plate shoe or 

 a leather sole, has been followed by good results, and the 

 animal restored for a time to labour. In our opinion, how- 

 ever, early slaughter is the most economical course to 

 adopt, and certainly the wisest advice to give to the 

 ordinary client. 



When perforation of the sole is absent, and when serious 

 alteration in the shape of the horny box has not occurred, 

 then the most simple treatment is to put the animal 

 straight away to slow work, with the feet protected by 

 suitable shoes. 



Here, again, the most useful shoe is the Rocker Bar 

 (Fig. 119). The broad web and deep seating gives ample 

 protection to the convex sole, and with the ease in dis- 

 tributing his weight that this shoe affords the animal is 

 able to perform slow work on soft lands with some degree 

 of comfort. 



Should the growth of the horn at the toe and at the 

 heels be unduly excessive, then our attention may be 

 directed towards reducing it to some approach to the 



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