Diseases of the Horse's Foot

by H. Caulton Reeks

FIG. 131.—EXTERNAL SEEDY-TOE COMMENCING ON THE ANTERIOR FACE OF THE WALL.

Disease of the horn and loss of its substance may, however, also commence from without. A report on this condition, under the title of 'External Seedy-Toe,' is to be found in vol. xxix. of the Veterinary Journal, from which we borrow Figs. 130 and 131.

In Fig. 130 it will be seen that the disease commences at the plantar surface of the toe, and extends upwards and inwards. The same condition may also appear anywhere between the coronet and the ground, gradually extending into the substance of the wall, as shown in Fig. 131. According to the writer, Colonel Nunn, the progress of the disease in this latter case appears to be faster in a downward than in an upward direction. This, however, is more apparent than real, as the rate of growth of the horn downwards detracts from the progress of the disease upwards, although it spreads over the horn at the same rate.

Before concluding the symptoms, we may again allude to the fact that, although usually occurring at the toe, the same condition may be met with in other positions—namely, at either of the quarters. In appearance and in other respects it is identical with that occurring at the toe.

When the animal is lame and the existence of seedy-toe is surmised, or when the cause of the lameness is altogether obscure, a little information may perhaps be gathered from noting the wear of the shoe. If the animal has been going lame for any length of time as a result of disease in the sensitive laminæ, then the shoe will be greatly thinned at the heels, and the toe but little worn.

Treatment.—As with diseased structures elsewhere, the most rational treatment, when possible, is that of excision. The entire portion of the wall forming the anterior boundary of the cavity is thinned down with the rasp and afterwards removed with the knife, wholly exposing the hypertrophied, but usually soft layer of horn covering the sensitive structures. These hypertrophied portions are also removed, and every particle of the dust-like detritus cleaned away. After-treatment consists in dressing the parts with a good hoof ointment, protecting them, if necessary, with a pad of tow and a stout bandage. It may be that the removal of a large portion of the wall may for some time throw the animal out of work. Acting on Colonel Fred Smith's suggestion, this may be avoided by having made a thin plate of sheet-iron, slightly larger in circumference than the portion of horn removed, and shaped to follow the contour of the foot. This made, it is sunk flush with the wall by hot-fitting it, and kept in position by several small steel screws fixed into the sound horn, just as in the treatment for sand-crack (see p. 174). This will serve the useful purpose of maintaining in position any dressing that may be thought necessary, of acting as a support to the horn left on each side of the portion removed, and of keeping the exposed structures free from dirt and grit.

Practical points to be remembered in fitting plates of this description to the feet are: The plate must never quite reach the shoe, or it will participate in the concussion of progression, and so loosen the screws that hold it in place. For the same reason, that portion of the sole adjoining the piece of horn removed must have its bearing on the shoe relieved. The screws holding the plate should be oiled to prevent rusting, and should take an oblique direction in order to obtain as great a hold as possible on the wall.

When excision is deemed unwise or unnecessary, treatment should be directed towards maintaining the cavity in a state of asepsis. To this end it should be thoroughly cleaned of its contents, and afterwards dressed with medicated tow. The ordinary tar and grease stopping is as suitable as any. This, together with the tow, is tightly plugged into the opening and kept in position by a wide-webbed shoe. Instead of the tar stopping and the tow, there may be used with advantage the artificial hoof-horn of Defay (see p. 152). Before using this the cavity should again be thoroughly cleaned out, and should in addition be mopped out with ether. The latter injunction is important, as unless the grease is thus first removed, the composition will fail to adhere to the horn. With the cavity thus cleaned and prepared, the artificial horn, melted ready to hand, is poured into it and allowed to set.

In every case, no matter what else the treatment, the bearing of the horn adjacent to the lesion should be removed from the shoe. Whether practising the method of plugging the cavity or that of excision of the wall external to it, attempts to quickly obtain a new growth of horn from the coronet should be made. To further that, frequent stimulant applications should be used. Ointment of Biniodide of Mercury 1 in 8, of Cantharides 1 in 8, or the ordinary Oil of Cantharides, either will serve.