172 VETERINARY STUDIES 



claw begins to separate; there appears to be great pain; the 

 sheep travels on its knees. Several months after the beginning 

 of the disease, the claws may drop off in improperly treated or 

 neglected cases. 



Differential diagnosis. — It is necessary to distinguish between 

 foot-rot and a very different disease which we know as "foot- 

 and-mouth disease." Foot-rot begins in the skin between the 

 claws or at the crown of the foot, and slowly involves the wall 

 and sole. It then spreads both as to surface and depth, involv- 

 ing the deeper structures of the foot. Foot-and-mouth disease 

 may also begin with an inflammation of the skin between the 

 claws or just above the hoofs. The skin becomes red, then small 

 vesicles or blisters develop which rupture and later dry. In 

 foot-and-mouth disease the whole hoof may loosen early at the 

 crown, the inflammation involving especially the skin at the 

 crown and sensitive parts under the wall and above the sole. 

 In foot-rot the horn is diseased and separates in pieces. Foot- 

 and-mouth disease affects several feet and perhaps the mouth 

 and udder, also, — simultaneously. Foot rot usually affects one 

 foot at first, and there is little or no fever in common cases, 

 whereas in foot-and-mouth disease the fever is characteristic. 



Foot-rot develops slowly, the animals usually eating fairly 

 Avell for some time. This is not the case with foot-and-mouth 

 disease, which spreads readily from sheep to cattle and swine. 

 Foot-rot does not spread from one species to another. 



Treatment. — Clean thoroughly between the toes; pare away 

 all diseased horn and remove the loosened pieces. The hoof, 

 if grown out of shape, must be trimmed to normal proportion. 

 Excessive granulations must be cut away or removed by actual 

 cautery, and be repressed by astringent measures or pressure 

 bandages. Pledgets of tow may be dipped in tar and applied 

 over the granulations, so as to bring pressure at the right point. 

 Patients so treated should be kept upon clean dry footing, and 

 serious cases should be taken up and kept in the yard or in dry 

 stables. For astringent dressing, use tincture of iron, varying 

 it from full strength to 1 to 4 dissolved in water. Four per 

 cent carbolized tar makes a good application for cleansing and 

 disinfecting and keeps out dirt. Medical treatment particularly 

 the astringent should be very carefully applied, especially in 

 the crevices and deeper recesses. 



It is frequently advisable to treat a whole flock in a general 



