i8o THB HORSE. 



In cases more severe, irregular patches of skin are destroyed, and after 

 a few day's time slough away, leaving slow-healing ulcers behind. In 

 the cases produced by low temperatures and deep snow the coronary 

 band is the part most often affected. 



In many instances there is no destruction of the skin, but simply a 

 temporary suspension of the horn-producing function of the coronary 

 band. The fore-feet are more often affected than the hind ones, and for 

 some reason the heels and quarters are less often involved than the front 

 part of the foot. The coronary band becomes hot, swollen and painful, 

 and after two or three days' time the horn separates from the band and 

 slight suppuration follows. For a few days the animal is lame, but as 

 the suppuration disappears, the lameness subsides; new horn, often of an 

 inferior quality, is produced by the coronary band, and in time the cleft 

 is grown off and complete recovery is effected. The frog is occasionally 

 frost bitten and may slough off, exposing the soft tissues beneath and 

 causing severe lameness for a time. 



Treatment. Simple frost bites are best treated by cold fomentations 

 followed by applications of a five per cent, solution of carbolized oil. 

 When portions of the skin are destroyed their early separation should 

 be hastened by warm fomentations and poultices. Ulcers are to be 

 treated by the application of stimulating dressings such as carbolized oil, 

 a one per cent, solution of nitrate of silver or of chloride of zinc, with 

 pads of oakum and flannel bandages. In many of these cases recovery 

 is exceedingly slow. The new tissue by which the destroyed skin is re- 

 placed always shrinks in healing, and as a consequence unsightly scars 

 are unavoidable. Where the coronary band is involved it is generally 

 advisable to blister the coronet over the seat of injury as soon as the 

 suppuration ceases, for the purpose of stimulating the growth of new 

 horn. Where a crevasse is formed between the old and new horn, no 

 serious trouble is likely to be met with until the cleft is nearly grown 

 out, when the soft tissues maybe exposed by a breaking off of the partly 

 detached horn. 



But even where this accident happens final recovery is secured by 

 poulticing the foot until a sufiicient growth of horn protects the part 

 from injury. 



Sprain of the Fetlock. Sprain of the fetlock joint is most com- 

 mon in the fore-legs, and as a rule affects but one at a time. Horses 

 doing fast work, as trotters, runners, steeple-chasers, hunters, cow- 

 ponies, and those that interfere, are particularly liable to the injury. 



