Diseases of the Horse's Foot

by H. Caulton Reeks

With all four feet diseased, the animal stands with the two front-feet extended in front of him, while the hind-limbs are at the same time propped as far beneath him as is possible. The horse is, in fact, standing upon the extreme hindermost portions of the feet.

Why the animal should thus distribute his weight is easily explained. Standing in the normal position, the body-weight is borne by the sensitive laminæ, the sole, of course, sharing in the burden, but the laminæ taking by far the greater part of the pressure thus exerted. With the vessels of the laminæ gorged with blood, and the laminal connective tissue infiltrated with a profuse inflammatory exudate, the most excruciating pain is bound to result by reason of the compression of the diseased tissues within the non-yielding structures. In some little measure the suffering animal may afford himself relief by partly removing pressure from the fore-parts of the hoof. When placing the body-weight behind, the pressure, instead of falling upon the highly sensitive laminæ, is directed to the follicular and fatty tissues of the plantar cushion: from there, with only a small portion of the sensitive sole intervening, to the horny frog, and from thence to the ground.

The same distribution of weight also places the foot in a position of greatest expansion, thus, by giving greater room to the diseased parts, again affording relief of pressure on the inflamed lamina, while it at the same time relieves of weight the foremost portions of the sensitive sole.

With the fore-feet alone attacked, the animal affects exactly the same position of standing as that just described. The fore-feet are again extended, and the hind propped far beneath him. The fore extended, in order to obtain the relief occasioned by standing on the heels; the hind in this case carried forward in order to take a greater share of the body-weight, and thus relieve the congested members in front.

With the hind only attacked, then the fore and the hind feet are more closely approximated than in the normal position. The reason, of course, is that the hind-feet are carried forward in order to be placed upon the heels, while the fore are taken backwards to relieve the hind of the body-weight.

In like manner the movements of the animal will vary with the feet affected. With only the front-feet diseased the animal is, comparatively speaking, comfortable. The hind-feet take the weight, and the animal stands for long periods together, resting alternately first one fore-foot and then the other, moving often in a circle of which his body is the radius, and his hind-limbs the centre. If urged to move forward, then immediately his countenance and movements manifest the pain to which he is put. Only with reluctance does he cause the fore-feet to take weight. They are shuffled forward quickly one after the other, so that weight may not be placed upon them for one instant longer than is necessary, and the hind-limbs immediately brought again with two short, awkward movements beneath the body. Progress thus takes place in a succession of movements 'half hobble,' 'half jump.'

Painful though this may appear, progress is still more difficult when the hind-feet alone are diseased. Afraid that, in placing his fore-members freely forward, he will add to the pain in his hind, the walk takes place in a series of extremely short steps, with the feet more or less closely approximated. The gait is thus rendered extremely awkward, and Zundel, by saying that 'the animal appears as if treading on sharp needles,' most fitly describes it.

Movement with all four feet affected, though less awkward in appearance, is doubtless more painful than in either of the other conditions. Here the animal can hardly be induced to shift his position at all. Only by flogging, and that severe, can he be made to go forward. When so induced to move, the agonizing pain to which the patient is subjected may be gathered by noting his countenance and manner of progression.

With each movement forward, muscular tremors affect the limbs; each step is short, jerky, and convulsive; the respirations and pulse are almost immediately greatly quickened, and the lower lip is hung pendulous, and moved almost unconsciously up and down with a flapping noise against the upper. A patchy perspiration breaks out about the body and quarters, and the tail is outstretched and quivering. At the same time the lines of the face become drawn, the commissures of the lips pulled upwards, the eyes staring and haggard, the eyelids puckered, the nostrils extended, and the whole expression indicative of the intense and agonizing pain of the disease.

One can perhaps better give one's client some vague idea of the patient's suffering by likening the pain to the throbbing sensation of a festered finger-nail. Tell him that each hoof of the horse is similarly, or, if anything, more delicately, constructed, that in each foot the same process of 'festering' is going on, and that upon them the animal has perforce to stand.