Diseases of the Horse's Foot

by H. Caulton Reeks

By this means the hind-limb is pulled forward until the foot projects beyond the cannon of the front-limb. When that position is reached, the operator grasps the hock firmly with one hand, and, directing the side-line to be slackened, gently slides downward the coils of rope round the arm and thigh until they encircle the cannons of both limbs. The cannon of the hind-limb is firmly lashed to the cannon of the fore, and the foot firmly and securely fixed in the best position for operating (see Fig. 44).

FIG. 44.—PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING THE NEAR HIND-FOOT SECURED UPON THE CANNON OF THE NEAR FORE-LIMB.

Similarly, with the horse still on his off side, the off hind-limb may be fixed to the near fore, and the near fore and the off fore to the near hind.

With the animal on his near side, we may fix the near hind and the off hind to the off fore, and the off fore and near fore to the near hind.

The points to be remembered in fixing the limbs thus are: (1) The side-line should always commence upon the cannon of the limb to be operated on; (2) it should next pass under and over (or over and under, it is immaterial which) first the arm and then the thigh, or the thigh and the arm, as the case may be; (3) in every case, whether rounding the thigh and the arm from above or below, the piece of rope completing the round should always finish below that portion preceding it, so that traction upon it from behind the animal's back should tend to keep all portions of it from slipping below the knee and the hock.

With the uppermost fore-limb secured to the hind-limb in the manner we have described, we have the underneath fore-limb suitably exposed for both the higher and lower operations of neurectomy. The position for this operation will be made better still if the lowermost limb (the one to be operated on) is removed from the hobbles and drawn forward by an assistant by means of a piece of rope fastened to the pastern.

Taking what we have described as a general guide, other modifications of thus securing the foot will suggest themselves to the operator to meet the special requirements of the case with which he is dealing.

Regarding the administration of chloroform, no description of the method is needed here, as it will be found fully detailed in most good works on general surgery. Where great immobility is needed, it is one of the most valuable means of restraint we have. Apart from that, its use in any serious operation is always to be advocated, if only on the score of humane consideration for the dumb animal helpless under our hands.