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Ligature of the External Digital Artery in Chronic Laminitis
Lig-ature
0/ a D igital Artery in Laminitis.
23
LIGATURE OF THE EXTERNAL DIGITAL ARTERY IN CHRONIC LAMINITIS. BY LIEUT. E. C. RUSSELL, F.R.C. V .S., A. V.D., SHORNCLIFFE.
IN August, 1903, I attended a bay cart gelding, 5 yea rs old, s uffering from a severe attack of acute laminitis in both forefee t. He was given internally laxatives, a ntiseptics, and febrifuges; the walls of the hoofs lowered and feet poulticed; put into a large roomy box, with carefu l a ttention to feedin g, cha nging of poultices, a nd a little exer cise, &c. In the course of time he was shod with bar shoes, " Broad's pattern," and put out in a small paddock to graze, stimulants being applied to the coronets daily. Recovery, however, did not take place ; he hobbled abo ut on his heels, a nd the hoofs g radually assumed that condition so well known in chronic la minitis (dropped sole, &c.). He remained at grass most of the winter, mild blisters being applied to the coronets, and the feet attended to. The near foot was never so bad as the off, and he recovered considerably on this one. The off, however , g radually became worse, and eventually the owners decided to destroy him. H avi ng read in the V ETER INARY JO URNAL of J a nuary, 1904, of a case of chronic laminitis being trea ted by ligature of the external digital artery, I persuaded the owners of this horse to let me try the operation, deciding to operate on the off fore only. I cast him, and cut down on to the artery at the seat of operation fo r hig h neurectomy, put on a coupl e of liga tures, a nd then divided it between them; dressed the wo und, put on a bandage, a nd allowed the horse to rise. On the second day after the operation there was a decided improvement in action, and the animal was allowed to run out in a pa ddock , the wound being dressed daily, a nd hea led without any trouble about the tenth day. I lost sight of my pa tient, but my friend, Mr. W . G. Loft, informs me that within a few weeks the horse was so much better tha t he was put to light work. Mr. Loft saw him on two or three occasions, the improveme nt being continued, and two months after the operation he was doing his regular work on the road and the condition of the hoof was much im proved. I saw the horse again myself si x months later, and he was the n going well a nd working every day. [ OTE . -The operation was recommended by M . J. Joly, Principal Veterinary Officer of the French Cavalry School at Samur. A paper on the subject was publish ed by him in the B ulletin de la Societe Cen trale de Medicine Veterinaire of March 13, 1902 , a translation of which will be found in in the VETERINARY J OURNAL of A pril 19, 1902, page 6so.-EDITOR.]
0/ a D igital Artery in Laminitis.
23
LIGATURE OF THE EXTERNAL DIGITAL ARTERY IN CHRONIC LAMINITIS. BY LIEUT. E. C. RUSSELL, F.R.C. V .S., A. V.D., SHORNCLIFFE.
IN August, 1903, I attended a bay cart gelding, 5 yea rs old, s uffering from a severe attack of acute laminitis in both forefee t. He was given internally laxatives, a ntiseptics, and febrifuges; the walls of the hoofs lowered and feet poulticed; put into a large roomy box, with carefu l a ttention to feedin g, cha nging of poultices, a nd a little exer cise, &c. In the course of time he was shod with bar shoes, " Broad's pattern," and put out in a small paddock to graze, stimulants being applied to the coronets daily. Recovery, however, did not take place ; he hobbled abo ut on his heels, a nd the hoofs g radually assumed that condition so well known in chronic la minitis (dropped sole, &c.). He remained at grass most of the winter, mild blisters being applied to the coronets, and the feet attended to. The near foot was never so bad as the off, and he recovered considerably on this one. The off, however , g radually became worse, and eventually the owners decided to destroy him. H avi ng read in the V ETER INARY JO URNAL of J a nuary, 1904, of a case of chronic laminitis being trea ted by ligature of the external digital artery, I persuaded the owners of this horse to let me try the operation, deciding to operate on the off fore only. I cast him, and cut down on to the artery at the seat of operation fo r hig h neurectomy, put on a coupl e of liga tures, a nd then divided it between them; dressed the wo und, put on a bandage, a nd allowed the horse to rise. On the second day after the operation there was a decided improvement in action, and the animal was allowed to run out in a pa ddock , the wound being dressed daily, a nd hea led without any trouble about the tenth day. I lost sight of my pa tient, but my friend, Mr. W . G. Loft, informs me that within a few weeks the horse was so much better tha t he was put to light work. Mr. Loft saw him on two or three occasions, the improveme nt being continued, and two months after the operation he was doing his regular work on the road and the condition of the hoof was much im proved. I saw the horse again myself si x months later, and he was the n going well a nd working every day. [ OTE . -The operation was recommended by M . J. Joly, Principal Veterinary Officer of the French Cavalry School at Samur. A paper on the subject was publish ed by him in the B ulletin de la Societe Cen trale de Medicine Veterinaire of March 13, 1902 , a translation of which will be found in in the VETERINARY J OURNAL of A pril 19, 1902, page 6so.-EDITOR.]