3IO Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



torn away. It is accompanied with considerable pain and lameness. 

 Treatment. Slight fractures are capable of recovery if left to 

 Nature, but where there is much displacement of the nail it must 

 be extirpated by grasping it with forceps and jerking it quickly 

 away. When the phalanx is involved in the injury, it must also be 

 removed by disarticulation. After-treatment is usually unnecessary, 

 but the animal should be kept out of dirt as much as possible. 



INFLAMMATION. 



Inflammation of the Fads. This condition is observed prin- 

 cipally in animals which have traveled over hard, rough ground, 

 stubble, or asphalt during hot weather when the sun is strong. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. The plantar surface of the feet is 

 hot, swollen, and extremely sensitive to pressure. The animal seeks 

 the recumbent position, shows great disinclination to rise, and walks 

 with evident pain, but trots with comparative freedom. 



Treatment. The inflammation, when mild, responds quickly to 

 complete rest supplemented with hot fomentations. When intense, 

 the parts should be constantly fomented or covered with compresses 

 soaked in astringent solutions (alum 3:100 — 5:100), to which some 

 laudanum may be added with advantage. 



Inflammation of the Matrix of the Nail. Onychia. This is 

 an ailment affecting the bed of the nail and occurs usually as a com- 

 plication of traumatism or interdigital eczema. It may be acute 

 or chronic and may lead to ulceration and destruction of the nail. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. The animal walks with short, pain- 

 ful step, and prefers the recumbent position or holds up the affected 

 member. The matrix is hot, red, swollen and sensitive to pressure. 

 If suppuration takes place purulent matter oozes from the matrix. 



Treatment. Acute cases are treated with fomentations. If the 

 presence of pus is detected vent must be given to it by lancing. 

 Ulcers are treated by touching them with the solid nitrate of silver 

 stick, or by application of tincture of iodine. Old-standing cases, 

 where the nail has suffered destruction, sometimes require complete 

 extirpation of the affected phalanx. 



In-Growing Nail. This is a common trouble and affects the 

 supplementary digit or dew-claw, the nail of which, not coming to 

 the ground, escapes friction, and curves and grows to an abnormal 



