GREASY HEELS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 136, 15 July 1914, Page 11

GREASY HEELS.

VARIOUS CURES. Most farmers have had some experience of grease in horses, which is the bane of the heavy-.horse stable and is not unknown ii-i that of the light horse. One sees many subjects of the disease in an advanced condition. That a strong hereditary tendency exists in many families cannot be doubted. WHAT IT IS.

Pathologists class it as a form of eczema affecting ( the flexor surfaces of the pasterns, which are peculiarly susceptible owing to the folds or displacements of the skin during movement, favouring the insinuation of dirt. There is a " dirt'' grease, too, which causes those wide breaches in the skin at the back of the fetlocks which does ; not run the same coursei as the more familiar greasy heels,, but continues as a chronic ! sore with a more or less weeping surface. COURSE OF GREASE. Beginning about the pastern, it invades the sound skin above and below, until the greater part of the leg between the foot and the knee is involved. Symptoms. —At first grease may be mistaken for leg mange, as the itchingcauses the subject of it to stamp in the stable and rub one leg over the other, to the detriment of feather and often causing abrasions, which bleed and stain the hair. Following on this stage of irritation there is more or less discharge; sometimes a great quantity of '' grease'' which compares in appearance and consistency with melted, lard. It has - a most offensive smell, which is characteristic of the malady at nearly all stages but. ; the first. A ; hand passed over the heel before any discharge takes place will convey the t odour and enable the horseman to diagnose the trouble. Neglected grease runs, on to the formation of elevated sores,' which in shape at least have some resemb|ance to grapes, and have thus acquired the popular name of "grapes." As prevention is better than cure, we will first mention the most important means —cleanliness, avoidance of wet heels, by not watering in ponds, and streams, but from, buckets; allowing the mud to dry on instead 'of * washing the legs on coming in from work; taking care in the matter of diet not to let corn-fed horses stand in the stable when not worked; by giving laxative food, such as sloppy bran mashes, when not getting grass or cut green meat. So far as these recommendations go, most authorities will be in agreement:" It is when we come to the matter of drugs that practice and theory are not in such close accord. Because drugs were employed unnecessarily and unwisely in one generation, the next declares that none at all are needed. As between these extremes we may well look for the truth in the middle,; and ffind it. The feeding of hard-working horses is necessarily artificial: Artificial means (drugs) must be resorted to to 'assist in carrying Off waste which would not accumulate "in the system if the animal was leading a natural life at grass. TREATMENT. The cures to wtjieh many lay claim are for the moist, part justified. Care, however, is necessary; We may use a remedy so weak as to have very little effect, or so strong as to do serious damage. Whatever outward application is selected, it is advisable to give the sulphate of magnesia internally. Lotions are made of- the, sulphates of copper, iron, and zinc, singly or combined, the two firgt for coloured legs, and the zinc alone for white .ones, , The staining calls aloud —calls '' grease." The chloride of zinc is more powerful • than the sulphate. Of the former (sulphates) one may use a saturated solution, which means as much as water will dissolve. Of the bhloride, a 4 per cent, solution is strong enough for cases in the early stage, although as much as 10 per cent, may be employed on grapes. Readers sometimes find trouble in recipes stated in the above manner, and it may be convenient' to be reminded that a common spirit bottle which holds about 240z of fluid will give a 4 per -cent, lotion if one ounce of a remedy or drug is mixed or dissolved in it." One ounce of any. substance dissolved in a pint (20 fluid ounces) will, therefore, make a 5 per cent, lotion. This would seem unnecessary to state, but when giving C.C. lectures I have often been asked to explain, and in future intend to use the above figures instead of percentages. Very bad cases of grapes need very strong remedies, and for these an ounce of the, formalin solution kept by chemists (a 40 pep cent solution)- may be mixed with a: spirit bottle full of water. A lotion of this proportion is also useful for canker or.very bad thrushes. The masses of grapes on an old leg are difficult to destroy , with, .a red-hot blacksmith's sliovej, an easier plan is a plaster ( of arsenic. One ounce of. arsenic, well mixed with three ounces of soft soap, is spread on a sheet of brown paper and bandaged on to the parts for one night. The heel should be protected by lard and a tow covering to prevent injury. For a very , strong destroyer in lotion form we may dissolve two ounces of chloride of zinc in a spirit bottle. — VET, in '' Farmer and Stock Breeder.''