As soon as a diagnosis is made the shoes must be removed, the toe shortened with the hoof pincers and rasp and the subject is put in a well bedded box-stall.  If the animal is very lame and the inflammation is acute, ice-cold packs should be applied to the feet.  As soon as acute inflammation has subsided the foot may be so pared that all excess of sole and frog is removed without lowering the heels, and the animal may be blistered about the coronet region.  The subject may be shod later, with heel calks that raise the heel moderately and a protracted period of rest should be enforced.

In cases where no acute inflammatory condition exists, neurectomy is beneficial.  One must discriminate, however, between favorable and unfavorable subjects.  This is not a last resort expedient to be employed in cases where extensive lesions of the navicular structures exists.  With proper shoeing, and by putting the subject at suitable work, where concussion of fast travel on hard roads is not necessary, the best results are obtainable.

Laminitis.

This disease is primarily a non-infective inflammation of the sensitive laminae which very frequently affects the front feet.  Often all four feet are affected, less frequently one foot (when its fellow is unable to sustain weight) and rarely the hind feet alone.

Occurrence.—­Probably a greater number of cases of laminitis occur in localities where horses that are worked on heavy transfer wagons are, when in a state of perspiration, allowed to stand exposed to sudden lowering of temperature and to stand in a cool or cold shower of rain such as occurs near the coast of the Great Lakes or the ocean in some parts of this country.

This disease occurs in connection with digestive disorders of various kinds and, because of the frequent association of the two conditions, the common term “founder” has long been employed to designate laminitis.  In cases of “over-loading,” particularly when a large quantity of wheat has been eaten by animals that are unaccustomed to this diet, laminitis almost constantly results.

Large draughts of cold water, when drunk by animals that are overheated is often followed by laminitis.  Concussion, such as attends hard driving, especially in unshod horses or on rough and hard roads, is often succeeded by this affection.  Likewise, as has been stated, injury such as is occasioned by long continued standing on the same foot is followed by laminitis.  Some horses that are frequently shod, suffer from this affection a few hours after shoes have been reset.  Dr. Chas. R. Treadway of Kansas City reports the rather frequent occurrence of such conditions in horses that are in the fire department service in his city.

Age in no way influences the occurrence of laminitis and the general condition of an animal with regard to its vigor or state of flesh has no apparent influence toward predisposing horses to this ailment.