DISEASES OF THE FETLOOK, ANKLE, AND FOOT. 439 
lameness of sidebones 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 bony matter often begins in that part of the 
cartilage where it is attached to the coffin bone, the diseased process 
may exist for some time before the bony growth can be seen or felt. 
Later, however, the cartilage can be felt to have lost its 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.—So soon as the disease can be diagnosed 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 behief that the disease has recovered; but with a 
return to work the lameness, fever, etc., reappears. Jor 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 tumors, 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 
fast driving or for saddle purposes, the operation is practically use- 
less. Some years ago at Fort Leavenworth I unnerved a number of 
cavalry horses that were suffering from sidebones, and the records 
show that in less than seven months all were more lame than. ever. 
Since a predisposition to develop sidebones may be inherited, ani- 
mals 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 tumor on the ankle. This 
tumor is, in fact, not the disease, but simply the result of an in- 
flammatory action set up in the periosteum and bone tissue proper of 
the pastern bones. (Plate XXXIV, fig. 1.) (See also p. 318.) 
Causes.—Injuries, such as blows, sprains, overwork in young, unde- 
veloped animals, fast work on hard roads, jumping, etc., are among 
the principal exciting causes of ringbone. Horses most dizposed to 
this disease are those with short, upright pasterns, for the reason that 
the shock of locomotion is but imperfectly dissipated in the fore legs 
of these animals. Improper shoeing, such as the use of high calks, 
a too great shortening of the toe and correspondingly high heels, 
predispose to this disease by increasing the concussion to the feet. 
