BBUISB OF THE FBOG. 399 



the patient. It is the wide, flat foot with low heels and thin wall 

 which is most liable to resist all efforts toward effecting a complete 

 cure. 



BRTJISE or THE FROG. 



When the frog is severely bruised, the injury is followed by suppu- 

 ration beneath the horn, and at times by partial gangrene of the 

 plantar cushion. 



Causes. — A bruise of the frog generally happens from stepping on 

 a rough stone or other hard object. It is more apt to take place when 

 trotting, running, or jimiping than when at a slower pace. A stone 

 wedged in the shoe and pressing on the frog or between the sides of 

 the frog and the shoe, if it remains for a time, produces the same 

 results. A cut through the horny frog with some sharp instrument 

 or a punctured wound by a blunt pointed instrument may also cause 

 suppuration and gangrene of the plantar cushion. Broad, flat feet 

 with low heels and a fleshy frog are most liable to these injuries. 



Symptoms. — Lameness, severe in proportion to the extent of the 

 bruise and the consequent suppuration, is always an early symi^tom. 

 When the animal moves, the toe only is placed to the ground or the 

 foot is carried in the air and the patient hobbles along on three legs. 

 When he is at rest, the foot is set forward with the toe on the ground 

 and the leg flexed at the fetlock joint. As soon as the pus finds its 

 way to the surface the lameness improves. If the frog is examined 

 early the injured spot may usually be found; later, if no opening 

 exists, the pus may be discovered working its way toward the heels. 

 The horn is loosened from the deeper tissues, and, if pared through, 

 , a thin, yellow, watery and offensive pus escapes. In other cases a 

 ragged opening is foxmd in the frog, leading down to a mass of dead, 

 sloughing tissues, which are pale green in color if gangrene of the 

 plantar cushion has set in. In rare cases the coffin bone may be in- 

 volved in the injury and a small portion of it become carious. 



Treatment. — If the injury is seen at once, the foot should be placed 

 in a bath of cold water to prevent suppuration. If suppuration has 

 already set in, the horn of the frog, and of the bars and branches of 

 the sole, if necessary, is to be pared thin so that all possible pressure 

 may be removed, and the foot poulticed. When the pus has loosened 

 the horn, all the detached portions are to be cut away. If the pus is 

 discharging from an opening near the hair, the whole frog, or one- 

 half of it, will generally be found separated from the plantar cushion, 

 and is to be removed with the knife. After a few days the gangre- 

 nous portion of the cushion will slough off from the effects of the 

 poultice; under rare circumstances only should the dead parts be 

 removed by surgical interference. When the slough is all detached, 

 the remaining wound is to be treated with simple stimulating dress- 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



