The Veterinarian | Page 8

little doubt in my mind that ammonia, which is so plentifully found in ill-kept stables, is the chief cause of cracked heels. The action of ammonia on the skin renders it soft and pulpy, and diminishes its strength by separating the layers of which it is composed.
SYMPTOMS: When inflammation is set up in the part, the secretion of natural oil is interfered with and cracks usually occur in the place where the skin becomes wrinkled when the pastern joint is bent. The discharge from cracked heels has an offensive smell. In early stages there is extreme heat and swelling, there is pain and lameness, which usually disappear as the case becomes chronic.
TREATMENT: Keep the affected parts clean as possible, if there is extreme inflammation present. Apply hot poultice made from bran or flaxseed meal. When the inflammation subsides, apply Zinc Ointment twice daily. Before applying each application of ointment, wash with Warm Water and Castile Soap. Feed carrots, green grass, if possible, also hot bran mashes or steam rolled oats each morning. Sometimes it is well to give a physic, and I would recommend Aloin, one and one-half drams; Ginger, two drams. A physic has very good effect in reducing the swelling of the legs.

COFFIN-JOINT LAMENESS
(Navicular Disease)
CAUSE: Driving young animals on hard roads. Always found in the front feet, owing no doubt to the fact the front feet support largely the weight of the body.
SYMPTOMS: The symptoms are very hard to detect. As a rule the animal will point the affected foot when at rest even before there is any lameness present. While at work he apparently goes sound, but when placed in the stable, or when stopped on hard ground, one foot will be set out in front of the other and resting on the toe. It will be noticed that the animal takes a few lame steps and then goes well again. Again he may be lame for a day, or he may leave the stable in the morning apparently well and sound and go lame during the day. In the course of time he will develop a severe case of lameness, which may last for five or six days. These spells are intermittent and finally he becomes permanently lame, and the more he is driven the greater the lameness, and he steps short, wears the toe of the shoe, stumbles, falls on his knees when the road is rough. Sometimes both front feet are affected and the shoulders will be stiff. When put to work he sweats from pain; there will be extreme heat about the foot, and he will flinch from pressure.
Comparatively few recoveries are made from this disease.
TREATMENT: First remove the shoe. If the foot is inflamed, poultice with hot bran or flaxseed meal. After the inflammation disappears, clean the foot well, clip the hair from around the top of the hoof and use the following: Red Iodide of Mercury, two drams; Pulverized Cantharides, four drams; Turpentine, thirty drops; Lard, two ounces. Mix well and apply every forty-eight hours, rubbing in well for twenty minutes each time. After three or four applications have been applied, turn the animal out to pasture. Repeat this treatment again in a month or so. Animals affected with this disease should be put to slow and easy work on soft ground, and carefully shod. This disease is unsatisfactorily treated and only a few cases recover when the best care is taken.

CORNS
CAUSE: Dry feet, increased pressure from ill fitting shoes, or high heeled shoes, which tend to contract the heels and produce corns. Wide flat feet are predisposed to bruises which terminate in corns.
SYMPTOMS: Lameness, or as the old saying goes, "The animal will go tenderfooted." When standing the animal is generally very restless, they paw their bedding behind them at night. Tapping or pressure on the foot will assist in locating a corn.
TREATMENT: Discover the true cause of the corn and remove it if possible. Take away all pressure from over the corn and turn the animal out in some damp pasture. If this cannot be done, put on a flat "bar" shoe, packing the sole of the foot with Pine Tar and Oakum; then place a leather between the foot and shoe. Repeat this application every two weeks, as this will keep the sole soft and flexible, and with proper shoeing your animal will be relieved of corns.
Frequently coffin-joint lameness or navicular disease is mistaken for corns.

[Illustration: Photograph of horse.] CLYDESDALE STALLION SIR EVERARD (5353). Sire of Famous Baron's Pride (9122), who earned $300,000.00 in the Stud, who Sired Baron O'Buchlyvie, who was sold for $45,000.00, the Highest Price ever paid for a Draft Stallion.

CONSTIPATION
CAUSE: Indigestible foods, irregular feeding, lack of, or too much, exercise, insufficient secretion of digestive materials, strictures, ruptures, paralysis, worms, folding and twisting of the