Equine Musculoskeletal: Conditions of the Foot

Question 1

what is a foot abscess a common cause of?

Answer 1

acute IV-V/VI lameness

Question 2

what are the clinical signs of a foot abscess?

Answer 2

acute, severe lameness of one leg
increased to bounding digital pulses
typically the affected foot is warmer
+/- edema above coronary band

Question 3

when can you reapply the shoe after a foot abscess?

Answer 3

horse should be sound
drainage should have stopped

Question 4

what is the prognosis of foot abscesses?

Answer 4

good for simple abscesses

Question 5

what agent is known to cause thrush?

Answer 5

Fusobacterium necrophorum

Question 6

what does thrush present ass?

Answer 6

variable lameness
oily black drainage/exudate
atrophy/loss of normal tissue

Question 7

how many limbs can white line disease affect?

Answer 7

1-4 limbs

Question 8

what is the prognosis of white line disease?

Answer 8

generally good
can take 6-12 months to regrow hoof

Question 9

what is a quarter crack?

Answer 9

full thickness fracture of hoof capsule

Question 10

what do quarter cracks result in?

Answer 10

instability and pain

Question 11

how can you treat quarter cracks?

Answer 11

address causative issues
debride crack
stabilize
“float” affeected heeel
patch hoof wall?
“healing” is by new growth

Question 12

what causes a P3 fracture?

Answer 12

high-speed injury: kicking a wall, taking a bad step

Question 13

how can you treat P3 fractures?

Answer 13

rest
NSAIDs
therapeutic shoeing
surgery

Question 14

where does a canker originate?

Answer 14

in the frog

Question 15

what does canker classically appear as?

Answer 15

numerous small finger-like papillae of soft off-white material
cauliflower-like

Question 16

what is the prognosis of canker?

Answer 16

guarded

Question 17

what does a keratoma result from?

Answer 17

proliferation of cornified tissue under hoof wall

Question 18

how is keratoma treated?

Answer 18

hoof wall resection
removal of keratoma
+/- patch hoof wall
+/- hospital plate

Question 19

how can you treat a foot abscess?

Answer 19

NSAIDs
+/- antibiotics
do not immediately reapply shoe

Question 20

if a foot abscess breaks at the coronary band, what is there risk of?

Answer 20

chronic draining tract
repeated abscesses
hoof-wall crack

Question 21

where is thrush commonly seen on the foot?

Answer 21

central and lateral sulci of the frog

Question 22

what is the white line?

Answer 22

normal junction of insensitive lamina hoof wall and sole

Question 23

what are clinical signs of white line disease?

Answer 23

variable lameness
variable hoof testers
cavity at white line
powdery areas at white line
rule out other issues first

Question 24

should you place a cast for white line disease?

Answer 24

no- limits visualization and increases moisture

Question 25

what can quarter cracks be secondary to?

Answer 25

chronic capsule distortion
coronary band injury
white line disease

Question 26

how many hoofs are typically affected by quarter cracks?

Answer 26

one

Question 27

would you need to repeat radiographs to check for a P3 fracture 7-10 days later?

Answer 27

maybe- wait for visibility

Question 28

what is a type III P3 fracture?

Answer 28

crack down center

Question 29

what is the prognosis of type I or II P3 fracture?

Answer 29

fair to good for returning to athletic soundness
worse as fracture moves closer to midline

Question 30

what is a canker?

Answer 30

hypertrophy of the horn-producing tissues

Question 31

how many limbs are affected by cankers?

Answer 31

usually one, can be multiple

Question 32

how is canker diagnosed?

Answer 32

biopsy

Question 33

where is a keratoma located?

Answer 33

between stratum medium and P3

Question 34

what is the prognosis of keratoma?

Answer 34

80+% expected to resolve
7-10 months to return to exercise