198 DISEASES OF THE FEET. 



although, previously, no symptoms of that disease had been 

 apparent. For further inforniation on this subject, see "Horses 

 on Board Ship.'' 



When the hind feet are affected, the horse is often prevented 

 from staling, by the pain the act of stretching himself out would 

 cause him. In these cases, the urine should be drawn ofE by the 

 catheter (p. 666) three or four tim.e8 a day. 



After an attack has passed away, employ Broad's rocker shoes, 

 which have been just described, and blister the coronet. 



Great success was obtained in severe cases of laminitis by the 

 hypodermic injection of a solution of 1^ grain of hydrobromate 

 of arecoline in 1^ drachm of water, daily, for four or five days. 

 In recent cases, bleed freely. 



PREVENTION OF PARTURIENT LAMINITIS.— If the mare 

 does not cleanse in 6 or 8 hours, the membranes should be removed 

 by an expert, and the womb washed out twice da^ly with a suit- 

 able antiseptic fluid (p. 67). If the mare is a shiverer (p. 563), 

 recovery is doubtful, even if the attack is only moderately severe ; 

 because her nervous ailment will not allow her to adjust her weight 

 properly. On the slightest sign of parturient laminitis, the mare 

 should be bled freely. 



Chronic Laminitis. 



Chronic laminitis is that condition of the foot in which the 

 inflaftimation of laminitis has produced deformity of the hoof 

 (Figs. 58 and 59). When such deformity exists, the foot has 

 invariably lost a certain amount of its strength and usefulness, 

 and is abnormally liable to suffer from an acute attack of this 

 disease. On the other hand, I have owned at least two horses 

 which moved, under conditions of hard work, in a manner 

 characteristic of animals aifected with chronic laminitis in front, 

 although their fore feet presented no trace of that disease. 



The horse owner's attention may well be directed to this not 

 uncommon disease ; as it is both serious in its nature and insidious 

 in its approach. 



In cases of chronic laminitis, the horse throws the weight on the 

 heels and consequently walks with a more or less straight knee, 

 in a sort of a " fair heel and toe " manner ; the action being very 

 different from that due to^ navicular disease, which causes the horse 

 to " dig his toes into the ground," and thus to wear away his shoes 

 in front. A horse suffering from laminitis of the fore limbs, will, 

 when in movement, undidy advance them, so as to throw the weight 

 on the heels, which an animal with navicular disease will avoid 



