Sore Feet (1)
Sore feet constitute a frequent and troublesome complaint. It consists of inflammation of the vascular substance, between the epidermis and the parts beneath. It is the result of numerous slight contusions, produced by long travelling in dry weather, or hunting over a hard and rough country, or one covered with frost and snow. The irritation with which it commences continues to increase and a certain portion of fluid is determined to the feet, and tubercles are formed, hard, hot, and tender, until the whole foot is in a diseased state, considerably enlarged. The animal sadly suffers, and is scarcely able to stand up for a minute. Sometimes the ardour of the chase will make him for a while forget all this; but on his return, and when he endeavours to repose himself, it is with difficulty that he can be got up again. The toes become enlarged, the skin red and tender, and the horny sole becomes detached and drops. Local fever, and that to a considerable extent, becomes established; it reacts on the general economy of the animal, who scarcely moves from his bed, and at length refuses all food. At other times a separation takes place between the dermis and the epidermis, which is a perfect mass of serosity.
Still, however, it is only when all this has much increased, or has been neglected, that any permanently dangerous consequences take place. When violent inflammation has set in, the feet must be carefully attended to, or the dog may be lamed for life. One or two physic-balls may be given; all salted meat should be removed, and the animal supplied with food without being compelled to move from his bed. The feet should be bathed with warm water, and a poultice of linseed meal applied to them twice in the day. If, as is too often the case, he should tear this off, the feet should be often fomented. It is bad practice in any master of dogs to suffer them to be at all neglected when there are any tokens of inflammation of the feet. The neglect of even a few days may render a dog a cripple for life. If there are evident appearances of pus collecting about the claws, or any part of the feet, the abscess should be opened, well bathed with warm water, and friar's balsam applied to the feet.
When the feet have been neglected, the nail is apt to grow very rapidly, and curve round and penetrate into the foot. The forceps should he applied, and the claws reduced to their proper size.
If there are any indications of fever, or if the dog should be continually lying down, or he should hold up his feet, and keep them apart as much as he can, scarifications or poultices, or both, should be resorted to.
When the feet of a dog become sore in travelling, the foolish habit of washing them with brine should never be permitted, although it is very commonly resorted to. Warm fomentations, or warm pot-liquor, or poultices of linseed meal should be applied, or, if matter is apparently forming, the lancet may be resorted to.
are frequently sent to the hospital with considerable redness between the toes, and ichorous discharge, and the toes thickened round the base of the nails, as if they were inclined to drop off. The common alterative medicine should be given, and a lotion composed of
hydrarg. oxym. gr. vi., alcohol
[Symbol: ounce]
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iiij.
, should he applied to the feet three times every day. Leathern gloves should be sewn on them. These cases are often very obstinate.
speaking, the dog has five toes on the fore feet, and four on the hind feet, with a mere rudiment of a fifth metatarsal bone in some feet; but, in others, the fifth bone is long and well proportioned, and advances as far as the origin of the first phalanx of the neighbouring toe.
The editor begs leave to add a more detailed and systematic treatise of the affections generally attacking the feet and limbs of our dogs:
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