THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
135 
that canker begins, and very often the two diseases exist together 
in the same animal, one sometimes following the other, just as 
canker of one foot follows that of another. 
Among the complications of canker, as generally admitted, are 
some injuries of the plantar cushion : inflammation and necrosis 
of cartilages, ligaments or tendons, and even caries of the os pedis 
and anchylosis, which are sometimes observed; however, a close 
examination of the facts allows us to say that these accidents do 
not arise under the simple influence of the disease alone, but that 
they are due to the improper use of sharp instruments, of the 
actual cautery, and especially of potential cauteries. As La 
Gueriniere said, the deep lesions of tendons and of the os pedis, 
which are observed in severe cankers, have no other cause than 
the action of too powerful dessicatives. 
Duration, march , termination .—Canker is an essentially 
chronic disease, and may be of long continuance, even lasting 
for years. Still, under this heading there are many varia¬ 
tions, whose cause it is difficult to find. There are horses 
whose disorganization of the hoof is complete after two or 
three months. There are others where the disease remains 
stationary for more than a year. We have often seen it remain¬ 
ing limited to one lacuna for months, and all at once assume a 
rapid evolution of disorganization. We have noticed this princi¬ 
pally after the use of sharp instruments. 
Generally, animals affected with canker feed well, and for a 
long time retain a good condition; towards the end, however, 
they lose flesh and exhibit symptoms of septicohemina, especially 
if affected with grease. We do not admit that, as advanced by 
some, canker can give rise to such virulent diseases as glanders 
and farcy. 
Diagnosis .—At the beginning, canker may be confounded 
with thrushes, and many veterinarians have considered this as the 
first stage of canker. There is, however, a great difference between 
the two: first, as to the anatomo-pathological point of view, inas¬ 
much as the pultaceous, foetid secretion is less abundant; that the 
loosening of the hoof is less, and that there are no fici; and again, 
especially in the point of view of the treatment,where single cases 
