Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1917-01-26
WOUNDS Of HORSES
Punctured Injuries Involve Feet
Most Frequently.
ORIFICE IS USUALLY SMALL
Produced by Penetration Of Sharp
Pointed Substance, Such as Thorn,
Fork, Nail, Etc.-Symptoms
and Treatment.

and Treatment.
fPrepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agricultural
Punctured wounds Of horses are
much more common than others. They
are produced by the penetration OF
sharp or blunt-pointed substance, such
as a thorn, fork, nail, etc., and the
,orifice of these wounds is always
small in proportion to their depth.
They involve the feet most frequently
next the legs, and often the head and
face from nails protruding through the
stalls and trough. They are also the
most serious, owing to the difficulty OF
obtaining thorough diSinfection and
the lack Of attention that they at first
receive. The external wound is so
small that but little or no Importance
is attached to it, yet in a short time
swelling, pain, and acute Inflammation,
often of u serious character, are mani
tested.
The most common of the punctured
wounds are those of the feet. Horses
worked in cities, about iron works,
around building places, ETC., are most
liable to get nails in the feet. The
animal treads upon nails, pieces OF
iron. or screws, and forces them into
the soles of the feet. If the nail, or
whatever it is that has punctured the
foot, is fast in some large or heavy
body, and is withdrawn as the horse
lifts his foot, lamenesS may last
for only few steps; but unless prop
erly attended to at once he will be
found in q day or two to be very lame
In the injured member. If the foreign
body remains in the foot, he gradually
grows worse from the time of pune
ture until the cause is discovered ana
removed. If, when shoeing, nail IS
driven into the quick" and allowed
to remain, the horse gradually evinces
more pain from day to day; but II the
nail has at once been removed by the
smith, lameness does not, as a rule,
show itself for some days; or, if the
nail is simply driven ''too close" not
actually pricking the horse, he may
not show any lameness for week or
even much longer. Considering how
thin the walls Of some feet are, the I'M
easiness of many horses while shoeing,
the ease with which a nail is diverted
from it's course by striking an old
piece of nail left in the wall, or from
the nail itself splitting, the wonder is
not that so many horses are pricked or
nails driven 'too close" but rather
that many more are not so injured. 1t
Is not by any means always careless
ness or ignorance on the part of the
horseshoer that is to account for this
accident.
Productive of Lameness.
From the construction of the horses
foot (being incased in an imperme-
able, horny box), and from the elias
icity of the horn closing the oritice,
ounctured wounds of the feet are al
most always productive of lameness.
Inflammation results, and as there is
90 relief afforded by swelling and no
escape for the product of inflammation,
this matter must and does burrow be-
tween the sole or wall and the sensitive
parts within it until it generally
opens "between hair and hoof." 1t
may thus be seen why pain is so much
more severe, why tetanus QockJaw)
more frequently follows wounds OF the
feet, and why, from the extensive, or
1t times complete separation and cast
ing" of the hoof, these wounds must
always be regarded with grave appre-
tension.
Symptoms and Treatment.
A practice which, if never deviated
from-that OF picking up each foot,
cleaning the sole, and thoroughly ex-
amining the foot each and every time
the horse comes into the Stable-will
reduce to the minimum the serious
consequences of punctured wounds OF
the feet. If the wound has resulted
from pricking, lameness follows soon
after shoeing; if from the nails being
driven too close, it usually appears
from four to five days or week after.
wards. Always inquire as to the time
of shoeing and examine the shoe care
fully, and see whether it has been par
tally pulled and the. horse stepped
back upon. some of the nails of the
clip. Shooting pain is caused by
these wounds; the horse is seen tC
raise and lower the limb or hold il
from the ground altogether; often he
points the foot, flexes the leg anO
knuckles at the fetlock. Swelling OF
the fetlock and back tendonS also fire.
quently is seen, and is liable to misleac
us. The foot must be examined care
fully, and this cannot be done prop
erly without removing the shoe. The
nails should be drawn separately ant
carefully examined. If there is no es
cape of pus from the nail holes, OF
if the nails themselves are not moist
continue examination Of the foot By
carefully pinching or tapping it at al
parts. With little practice the spo'
where pain is greatest can be detect
ed or the delicate line or scar left al
the point of entrance OF the foreig1
body discovered. The entire sole is
then to be thinned, after which care
fully cut down upon the point where
pain is greatest upon pressureS and.
finally, through the sole at this spot.
When the matter has escaped. the sole,
so far as it was undermined by pus,