^g4 ILLUSTRATED STOCK DOCTOR. 



In makino- examinations preliminary to treatment, the greatest ca** 

 should ahvays 1^ exercised, as the treatment, to be successful, must be 

 specially adapted to the exigencies of the case. It sometimes happens 

 that the trouble is critical, and that only an experienced practitioner ought 

 to be intrusted with it. When the probe indicates that the direction of 

 the sinuses is backward, the chances are in favor of recovery ; but if it 

 shows the direction to be forward, the important and complicated parts 

 of the foot are in danger, and the result of even the best treatment is 

 doubtful. 



In anv event, a complete cure requires much time, and a more than 

 ordinarv exercise of patience and care. 



If the patient, in moving about, strikes the swollen parts above the 

 fore-foot with the toe of the hind-foot, or if he hurts it in lying down, 

 some steps ought to be taken to obviate these additional causes of irrita- 

 tion and pain. 



If the general health of the animal is scrupuously attended to, it will 

 materially assist in the management of the local disorder. 



XTTT. Toe Crack. 



A hoof with crack in the toe should be treated precisely as though the 

 difficulty occurred in another portion of the wall of the hoof. The diffi- 

 culty in all cracks of the hoof, is the difficulty in healing, for the reason 

 that when the animal steps, especially on uneven ground, the walls are 

 strained apart. In sand-cracks, the principal care must be to extirpate 

 the grit and dirt, whatever the amount of paring and cutting it may take. 

 If granulations appear, they must be cut out. Then wash with a solution 

 of chloride of zinc, made as follows : 



No. 199. 1 Grain chloride of zinc, 



1 Ounce of water. 



Whatever the quantity made, let it be in this proportion. Cleanse tho 

 whole interior of the crack fully. In cutting away the hoof, it should 

 present an oval shape when finished, the points at top and bottom. 



Having cleansed the inner portions, if the crack does not extend con> 

 pletely from the coronet to the toe, with a firing iron, just hot enough to 

 cause the horn to smoke, the iron not at a red, but at a black heat, soften 

 the crust and continue the cutting until the diseased portion is all ex- 

 posed. If granulations (proud flesh) show, cut it out and let the parts 

 bleed. Then continue the application of the chloride of zinc lotion three 

 times a day until a healthy reaction is produced. The crack may then 

 be stopped with pitch or tar and tow, or gutta percha ; a bar shoe put 



