In nearly every case where lameness exists an examination of the affected parts, by palpation or by digital manipulation, is necessary before an accurate conclusion may be drawn; but in making this kind of an examination one needs to exercise good judgment lest he fail to acquire a correct impression of the actual existent conditions.  There is need for the diagnostician, here, as well as in other conditions where physical examination is made, to approach the subject in a manner that will not excite or disturb to the extent that the animal will, in one way or another, resist or object to the approach of the diagnostician, thereby masking the symptoms sought.  The practitioner would best acquire skill as a horseman—­if he is not possessed of such—­and handle each individual subject in the manner calculated to best suit the temperament of the animal examined.  The unbroken subject is not handled as satisfactorily as is the intelligent family horse; in the former, in some cases, little dependence is placed upon digital examination.

By palpation one is enabled to recognize hyperthermia and this, in lieu of dependable history, is at times sufficient evidence upon which to determine the duration of any given inflammatory affection.

By comparison of different parts of the same member or with an analogous portion of another member any marked increase in the apparently normal temperature of a part at once signalizes inflammation.  In this manner, in examining a case where laminitis or other inflammation of the feet is suspected, one may arrive at a fairly accurate conclusion without the employment of other means.  Throbbing vessels are not always easily recognized if the subject is a victim of chronic lymphangitis.

In some instances, where a moderate degree of lameness exists and cause is apparently obscure, the recognition of hyperthermia may be the deciding factor in establishing a diagnosis.  In cases of sprained ligaments in the phalangeal region, because of the dense character of the structures involved, little if any evidence of the cause of lameness, other than local heat, may be found twenty-four hours after the injury has been inflicted.

In order to determine the amount or extent of hyperthermia with a fair degree of accuracy in any given case, one must make due allowance for external conditions affecting temperature; also the effect of a considerable amount of hair covering an area, as well as any possible dirt contacting the surface of the skin must be taken into account.  All dirt should be removed if practicable, so that the diagnostician’s palms may come as nearly in contact with the inflamed structures as possible.  Then, too, the sense of touch if the operator’s hands are chilled, is not dependable.  In such instances the novice will need to be deliberate as to his findings—­whether or not hyperthermia really exists.  Such an examination is of little value where the subject’s feet are wet and an examination is hurriedly made, as in cases of suspected laminitis.