Foot penetrations and hoof wall

Question 1

What is nail bind?

Answer 1

Nail placed close to sensitive structures

Causes mild lameness

Question 2

What is shoe prick? What can it develop into?

Answer 2

Nail placed into sensitive structures
Causes immediate, severe lameness
May develop into sub solar abscess

Question 3

After debriding and flushing affected synovial structures following a foot penetration, what medications and foot care should be given?

Answer 3

NSAIDs
Systemic antibiotics
Bandaging, hospital plate and raised heel

Question 4

Sub-solar abscesses may be following a penetrative injury or another cause. What is the treatment for sub-solar abscessation?

Answer 4

Drainage
Remove shoe nail
Pare foot
Poultice or tub with MgSO4 2x day
Poultice
Tetanus prophylaxis
Hospital plate if severe - re-shoe once dry/hardened

Question 5

What is the classic sign of a horse with a sub solar abscessation?

Answer 5

Pointing foot

Question 6

What can cause chronic hoof abscessation?

Answer 6

Insufficient removal of necrotic tissue
Underlying immunocompromised (PPID)
Keratoma, pedal osteitis or other foot condition

Question 7

What is quittor? What causes it?

Answer 7

Infection of the collateral cartilages

Trauma/wound

Question 8

What is the major clinical sign of quittor?

Answer 8

Swelling or discharge from the coronary band

Question 9

What is the treatment for quittor?

Answer 9

Surgical debridement

Care of DIPJ

Question 10

What is the skyline view?

Answer 10

Palmaroproximal palmarodistal oblique

Used to see navicular bone

Question 11

What is a keratoma? What may it be linked to?

Answer 11

Benign tumour of hoof or solar horn

Linked with chronic inflammation, infection

Question 12

What is the treatment for a keratoma?

Answer 12

Surgical resection under GA

Question 13

What is canker? What pathogens is it associated with?

Answer 13

Chronic hypertrophy of the germinal layer in frog epithelium

Fusobacterium/Bacterioides

Question 14

What is the treatment or early/mild cases of canker?

Answer 14

Improve environment
Debride and apply antibiotics +/- systemic Abs
Dilute formalin
Picric acid and benzoyl peroxide (astringents - cause contraction)

Question 15

What is the treatment for advanced or severe canker cases?

Answer 15

Aggressive surgically debridement

Bandaging, shoeing

Question 16

What is white line disease?

Answer 16

Progressive crumbling and poor quality of hoof wall

With white line separation

Question 17

Which risk factors are associated with white line disease?

Answer 17

Warm wet weather
Vitamin/mineral deficiencies
Bacterial infection

Question 18

What is the treatment and prevention for white line disease?

Answer 18

Remove abnormal horn
Support remaining horn with shoes/acrylic
Prevention: dry environment, diet supplements, topical iodine

Question 19

Hoof cracks can be complete or incomplete. What direction do hoof cracks usually run?

Answer 19

Proximodistal

Question 20

What can cause hoof cracks?

Answer 20

Poor foot balance/care
Poor horn quality
Trauma
Bad environment

Question 21

What is the treatment for incomplete hoof cracks?

Answer 21

Trimming

Shoeing

Question 22

What is the treatment for complete hoof cracks?

Answer 22

Determine if involves sensitive structures - do not nerve block
Debride all necrotic tissue, stabilise hoof with filler, trim foot and use shoes
Identify and treat underlying causes
Antibiotics - local or systemic