CHAPTER XXIV. 
DISEASES OF THE FEET. 
1. Acute Founder (Laminitis). 
This is an inflammation of the sensitive part of the foot, 
or what is commonly called the quick. 
Causes. — This disease is very easily brought on by driv- 
ing or working a horse hard and then giving him a drink of 
cold water, or allowing him to stand in a draft while he is 
warm. This checks the perspiration suddenly and drives the 
blood to the feet, which sets up inflammation in them. Some- 
times giving an animal a small feed of wheat will first cause 
acute indigestion, turning to a bad case of founder. It may 
affect mares a few days after foaling, especially if they do 
not have their natural flow of milk, or by catching cold after 
foaling and settling in their feet. Hard driving and bad 
shoeing will also cause it. Lung troubles sometimes ter- 
minate in founder. 
Symptoms. — Founder generally affects the front, but may 
affect the hind feet. The symptoms are plain. The pulse 
beats strong and runs up to from 50 to 75 per minute. The 
animal sweats freely and breathes heavy and quick ; he gen- 
erally stands on his feet for a few days at first, standing in a 
peculiar way, his front feet stretched out as far as he can put 
them, standing on the heels trying to relieve the feet, while 
the hind feet are drawn forward and well under him to throw 
as much weight as he can on his hind legs, thus relieving the 
front feet. His feet are very hot and feverish, and he can 
hardly move forward or backward. On account of the 
inflammation being inside the hard resisting hoof where there 
is no room for swelling, it is one of the most painful diseases 
that the horse is liable to, and if he does not get relief in a 
few days the quick of the foot becomes destroyed, and the 
bone gets loose from the inside of the wall and drops down 
on the sole. When this happens it causes the sole to become 
bulged out in an unnatural way. It is then known as a club 
(pumiced) foot. 
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