196 THB HORSB. 



seen in connection with contracted heels, ringbones, navicular diseases, 

 punctured wounds of the foot, quarter crack, and occasionally as a sequel 

 to founder. 



Symptoms. In the earlier stages of the disease, if inflammation is 

 present, the only evidence of the trouble to be detected is a little fever 

 over the seat of the affected cartilage and a slight lameness. In the 

 lameness of side-bones the toe of the foot first strikes the ground and the 

 step is shorter than natural. The subject comes out of the stable stiff 

 and sore, but the gait is more free after exercise. 



Since the deposit of the bony matter often begins in that part of the 

 cartilage where it is attached to the cofSn bone, the diseased process 

 may exist for some time before the bony growth can be seen or felt. 

 Later on, however, the cartilage can be felt to have lost its soft elastic 

 character, and by standing in front of the animal a prominence of the 

 coronary region at the quarters can be seen. Occasionally these bones 

 become so large as to bulge the hoof outward, and by pressing on the 

 joint they so interfere with locomotion that the animal becomes entirely 

 useless. 



Treatment. As soon as the disease can be determined active treat- 

 ment should be adopted. Cold water bandages are to be used for a few 

 days to relieve the fever and soreness. 



The improvement consequent on the use of these simple measures often 

 leads to the belief that the disease has recovered; but with a return to work 

 the lameness, fever, etc. , reappears. For this reason the use of blisters, 

 or better still the firing iron, should follow on the discontinuance of the 

 cold bandages. 



But in many instances no treatment will arrest the growth of these 

 bony tumours, and as a palliative measure neurotomy must be resorted 

 to. Generally this operation will so relieve the pain of locomotion that 

 the patient may be used for slow work; but in animals used for faster 

 driving or for saddle purposes the operation is practically useless. Years 

 ago a number of cavalry horses at Fort L,eavenworth that were suf- 

 fering from side-bones, were unnerved and the records show that in less 

 than seven months' time all were more lame than ever. Since a predis- 

 position to develop side-bones may be inherited, animals suffering from 

 this disease should not be used for breeding purposes unless the trouble 

 is known to have originated from an accident. 



Ringbone. A ringbone is the growth of a bony tumour on the 

 ankle. This tumour is in fact not the disease, but simply the result 



