THE HORSE’S FOOT. 
541 
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In the anterior zone, the only serious lesion met with is caries 
of the os pedis, characterized by great pain, continual lancination, 
loss of the use of the leg, and high reacting fever. There is 
abundant bloody and foetid suppuration, and the probe gives 
the sensation of the soft resistance of the bone, of its rough con¬ 
dition, and its partial fragility. The caries having most gener¬ 
ally a progressive march, complications of separation of the hoof, 
to a varying extent, are often seen ; the pus arrives at the surface, 
between hairs and hoof : and diffused gangrenes are also often 
seen, which extend as well to the podophyllous as to the velvety 
tissues. 
In the posterior zone, the only serious wounds are the lateral 
ones, which may injure the fibro-cartilage, and become compli¬ 
cated with their caries ; of quittor or fistula down to the lacunae 
of the frog, as we have seen in suppurating corn 
Nails may penetrate the posterior zone through and through, 
coming out behind the coronet without danger. The sub-horny 
suppuration may detach the frog and be the only serious, compli¬ 
cation to be met with. 
As terminations of all these injuries we may see resolution, 
suppuration, gangrene, softening of the tendons and phalangeal 
arthritis, and as sequelae, bony tumors of the coronet, and anchy¬ 
losis. The most serious complications are the dropping of the 
entire hoof, the rupture of the tendons, tendinous and cartilagin¬ 
ous quittors, for the injured foot, and chronic laminitis for the 
opposite one. 
IV. Prognosis .—This varies according to the seat of the wound. 
Less serious in the posterior than in the anterior zone, it is less 
in the last than in the middle, where the region is so complicated 
and the nature of the tissues so different. The depth of the 
wound has also some'influence on the prognosis. Wounds of the 
plantar aponeurosis are more dangerous than those of the plantar 
cushion ; those of the sesamoid sheath are more so than those of 
the aponeurosis; they are still more serious if the bones are 
affected ; the worst of all is that of the joint. The direction of 
the foreign body and its simple or complicated action, will also 
influence the prognosis. 
