HORSE AILMENTS AND HOW tO DOCTOR THEM. 369 



Tounder in all its forms is inflammation of the leaves which 

 dovetail into each other, and bind the sensible and insensible 

 portions of the foot together. It is called by some fever in the 

 feet. But, regardless of names, this disease is of frequent occur- 

 rence, and, when let alone, destroys many good horses by leav- 

 ing them ever afterwards sore and " tender forward." 



Symptoms. The horse will scarcely move. He stands upon 

 his heels, with fore feet and legs stretched out as far as he can 

 get, to throw the weight off them ; thus, to all appearance, 

 making him hollow in the chest, which appearance has given 

 rise to the idea that the chest is the seat of the disease, hence 

 the term " chest founder." The hind legs are brought as far 

 forward as possible ; the head is held erect and high. The ani- 

 mal is quite feverish, externally excitable, and breathes fast and 

 laboriously, altogether presenting a picture of great distress and 

 suffering. 



Causes. Giving cold water when overheated and tired from 

 overwork ; a tendency in the feet to take on inflammatory ac- 

 tion ; the animal not in proper health or condition to perforin 

 heavy or fast work. 



Treatment. Place the horse in a comfortable box stall with 

 plenty of good, clean, soft bedding to encourage him to lie 

 down, which will relieve him very much. Give twenty drops 

 of the tincture of aconite root in a cup full of cold water to 

 allay the fever, and repeat this every four hours until six doses 

 have been given. Bathe the fore legs in hot water, as hot as 

 can be used without scalding, then bandage with woolen. (See 

 instructions for bandaging in Chapter XXXV, p. 278.) 



Clean out and cleanse the bottom of the fore feet and fill 

 the hoofs with hot lard and hold them up — one at a time — 

 until it cools. After this the feet may be poulticed with lin- 

 seed meal, into which may be added and stirred two ounces 

 tincture aconite root and two ounces extract witch hazel to each 

 poultice. Allow perfect rest for a few days and feed lightly. 

 If the inflammation should remove to the lungs, it should be 

 treated as lung fever. 

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