Laminitis

“ Passing from these, the more common, we may consider other and less frequent causes of the disease. Congestion of the laminal blood-vessels and consequent laminitis occurs when animals are made to maintain a standing position for prolonged periods, as, for instance, when making sea voyages. A long and painful disease of one foot, necessitating the whole of the weight being borne by the other, ends often in laminitis of the second member. It may thus occur as a sequel to quittor, complicated sand-crack, suppurating corn, and punctured wounds of the feet. ”

“ The degree of lameness varies. It is more noticeable when the horse is moved over a hard roadway than if moved over soft ground. One attack of laminitis may predispose the animal to a second attack.
The prognosis depends on the character of the inflammation and the promptness and thoroughness of the treatment. Acute laminitis may respond to prompt, careful treatment in from ten to fourteen days. Subacute laminitis responds readily to treatment. The prognosis is least favorable in the chronic form. ”

“ Course.—The course which laminitis takes varies greatly in different cases, being influenced more or less by the exciting cause, the animal's previous condition, the acuteness of the attack, and the subsequent treatment. The first symptoms rarely exhibit themselves while the animal is at his work, although we occasionally see the gait impaired by stumbling, the body covered with a profuse sweat, and the respirations become blowing in character as premonitions of the oncoming disease ”

“ A mild form of laminitis, extending over a period of three or four days, often follows on this enforced travelling on a hard road, more especially in cases where the animal is 'heavy topped,' and the usual food of a highly stimulating nature. ”

“ The prognosis in laminitis should, in our opinion, always be guarded. No advice given in a work of this description can be of any real use, for every case must be judged entirely on its merits. The severity of the symptoms, the cause of the attack, the complications, and the idiosyncrasies of the patient, have all to be taken into account. These the veterinarian must be left to judge for himself. ”

“ Trasbot has noted a case of laminitis occurring within fifteen hours after the improvement, and in other cases there remain chronic debility and catarrh of the intestines. The appetite remains poor, there are occasional colics, the bowels are irregular, loose or costive, and the fæces are dry, glossy and covered with mucus. The back is arched, the belly tucked up, strength and vigor are both lacking, and the patient spends much time in the recumbent position. ”

“ In most of cases of laminitis in the fore feet the animal persists in standing until he is nearly recovered. In other cases he as persistently lies, standing only when necessity seems to compel it, and then for as short a time as possible. ”

“ The symptoms vary somewhat, depending on whether laminitis is general and affects all four feet, or restricted to the two front or the two hind feet.
The internal claws always seem more severely affected and more sensitive than the external. In very rare cases the animal remains standing, but usually it lies down, and will only rise under strong compulsion.
When standing, the symptoms are similar to those noted in the horse; the animal appears as though absolutely incapable of moving. If all four feet are affected the animal assumes a position as though just about to rise ”

“ If the animal is allowed to linger, other symptoms will nearly always present themselves before death occurs. Whether in slings or not, a careful watch should be kept upon the sound limb. For some time the patient stands upon it incessantly, but sooner or later it happens that a farther visit show us the animal standing with full weight on the diseased foot, and making painful pawing movements with what before was the sound. We immediately jump to the conclusion 'laminitis.' And so it is, but it is a laminitis brought about by pyæmia. ”

“ Walking seems painful, and most weight is thrown on the heels. The body swings from side to side as the limbs are advanced, and each limb is moved with a kind of general bodily effort.
The claws are hot, sensitive to the slightest touch, and painful on percussion.
Throughout the development of laminitis the general symptoms are very marked. The appetite falls off early, fever soon appears, and in grave cases the temperature rises to 105° or to 106° Fahr. Thirst is marked, and the animal seems to prefer cold drinks. The muzzle is dry, the face anxious and expressive of pain. Wasting is rapid. ”

“ Turning up of the toe.—In many cases of laminitis which have become chronic it is found that the toe of the foot turns up; that the heels are longer than natural; while the hoof near the coronary band is circled with ridges like the horn of a ram. Even in cases in which recovery has taken place, and in other diseases than laminitis, these ridges may be found in the wall of the foot. In such cases, however, the ridges are equally distant from one another all around the foot, while in turning up of the toe the ridges are wide apart at the heels and close together in front, as seen in the figure. ”

“ This treatment usually gives good results. The acute complications which are so common and so dangerous in the horse seldom occur in the ox.
Most of these operations can be performed without casting, provided the animal is placed in a trevis or is sufficiently secured.
LAMINITIS. Laminitis is characterised by congestion, followed by inflammation of the horn-secreting tissues of the foot. It is now rare in oxen and very seldom assumes an acute form. The slow pace at which animals of the bovine species move may sufficiently explain this rarity ”

“ Exhaustion is nearly as prolific a source of laminitis as is concussion, for when the physical strength is impaired, even though temporarily, some part of the economy is rendered more vulnerable to disease than others. To this cause we must ascribe those cases which follow a hard day's work, in which at no time has there been overexertion or immoderate concussion. ”

“ Movement is slow and hesitating, as though the animals were suffering from laminitis, the anæmia becomes more marked from day to day, and examination of the blood reveals abundant leucocytosis, the existence of which often assists in the diagnosis of internal suppuration. ”

“ The symptoms appear after animals return from a long journey by road. They are characterised by unwillingness to bear weight on the feet and difficulty in movement. Standing is painful, and the animals resist being moved; as soon as released they lie down.
Diagnosis presents no difficulty, though the condition is sometimes mistaken for slight laminitis.
Prognosis is favourable.
Absolute and prolonged rest is always followed by recovery, no internal medication being necessary, though this result is promoted by enveloping the claws in wet compresses or by using cold foot baths, etc. ”

“ Large draughts of cold water, when drunk by animals that are overheated is often followed by laminitis. Concussion, such as attends hard driving, especially in unshod horses or on rough and hard roads, is often succeeded by this affection. Likewise, as has been stated, injury such as is occasioned by long continued standing on the same foot is followed by laminitis. Some horses that are frequently shod, suffer from this affection a few hours after shoes have been reset. ”

“ It should, however, be added that, in certain exceptional conditions (suppurating echinococosis, producing chronic intoxication, tumours of the liver, and tumours of the pericardium and mediastinum) , symptoms may be shown that suggest the existence of laminitis, although it is not really present. In these cases pain may possibly be felt in the bones of the extremities.
The prognosis is usually favourable, but necessarily depends on the intensity of the disease. Fat stock always suffer severely. ”

“ With the changes in the form of the hoof as yet wanting, we have nothing to guide us, and other causes for the lameness suggest themselves, probably corns. Evidence of these is not forthcoming, and we in all probability withhold our opinion until a later visit. On the second or a subsequent call we are perhaps lucky enough to find our patient down. Diagnosis is then rendered easier. Made to rise, the animal stands in the attitude we have described as indicative of laminitis. We have him walked and trotted out. The symptoms of tenderness disappear, and the animal soon goes fairly sound. ”

“ Concussion in fast road work, injuries occasioned by tight or ill fitting shoes, contusions of any kind resulting in non-infectious inflammation of the sensitive laminae, as well as the causes which produce laminitis where weight is borne by one foot when its fellow is out of function. ”

“ If a plane shoe has been worn, high heels or toes must not be substituted at once; but the change, if necessary, should gradually be made, so that the different tissues may adapt themselves to the altered conditions. If radical changes are imperative, as is sometimes the case, the work must be so reduced in quantity and quality that it can not excite the disease.
Laminitis from the effects of purgatives can scarcely be guarded against. ”

“ 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.
As one might expect, the position of greatest ease is the decumbent. Strange to say, though, in many cases of laminitis the animal persists in maintaining a standing posture. ”

“ Breed is also considered to have some influence, and laminitis is said to occur more frequently in animals raised in flat districts, because in their case the space between the digits is larger than in mountain-bred cattle. ”

“ The very nature of the structure of the foot together with the function of the sensitive lamina is sufficient cause for an affection unlike that seen involving other tissues—laminitis.
An exhaustive consideration of foot affections is a study in itself and one that comes within the realm of pathologic shoeing; nevertheless, a practical knowledge of diseases of the foot is indispensable in the diagnosis of lameness wherein the foot may be at fault. ”

“ Pumiced sole, from simple exudation and separation of tissues, is of little importance for the reason given above in connection with bruises; but when suppuration occurs in restricted portions of the foot in conjunction with laminitis, it always lays bare the tissues beneath and temporarily impairs the animal's value. Recovery takes place after a few weeks by the tissues "horning over," as in injuries attended by the same process. Depression of the coffin bone is not sufficient within itself to cause pumiced sole ”

“ Horses that are accustomed to being fed and watered at irregular periods and after severe or unusual exercise seem to be able to stand this treatment better than animals that are more carefully cared for, but even this class of animals do not always escape injury. Stockmen should realize the danger of producing an inflammation of the feet by feeding grain and giving cold water to horses immediately after severe exercise. Overfeeding should also be avoided. Careful nursing may prevent the occurrence of laminitis as a complication of other diseases. ”

“ Injuries are the most constant cause of foot lameness, yet one must admit that there results complications because of infection in most instances; and that in some cases the injury is slight—just enough to permit the introduction of vulnerant organisms into the tissues. Therefore, one might well classify affections of the feet as infectious and non-infectious. There can be grouped in the class of infectious affections such conditions as nail pricks, calk wounds and canker. In the class of non-infectious affections one may consider conditions such as laminitis, strain and fractures. ”

“ The coverings of the brain and spinal cord partake in the congested and discolored condition of the rest of the tissues. [Pg 520]
Other alterations are dependent entirely upon the complications. If the lungs have been affected, we find effusions identical in their intimate nature with those of simple pneumonia, but they differ somewhat in their general appearance in not being so circumscribed in their area of invasion. The alterations of meningitis and laminitis are identical with those of sporadic cases of founder and inflammation of the brain. ”

“ Laminitis from concussion is common in trotting horses that are raced when not in condition, especially if they carry the obnoxious toe weights, and in green horses put to work on city pavements to which they are unaccustomed. Concussion from long drives on dirt roads is at times productive of the same results, notably when the weather is extremely warm, or at least when the relative change of temperature is great. ”

“ When an animal is excessively lame in one foot the shoe of the opposite member should be removed, and cold water frequently applied to the well foot. At the same time, if the subject remains standing, the slings should be used. Horses should under no circumstances be overworked; to guard against this, previous work, nature of roads, state of weather, and various other influences must be carefully considered. Watering while warm is a pernicious habit, and, unless the animal is accustomed to it, is liable to result in some disorder, ofttimes in laminitis. ”