Foot penetrations and hoof wall

Question 1

what direction do hoof cracks usually run?

Answer 1

proximo-distal direction (with hoof tubules)

Question 2

what are hoof cracks usually caused by?

Answer 2

inciting causes include poor foot balance, poor hoof care, poor horn quality, environment, trauma

Question 3

what are transverse hoof cracks usually associated with?

Answer 3

coronary band injury

Question 4

how are hoof cracks described?

Answer 4

complete/incomplete
depth (superficial/deep)

Question 5

what are the risks of hoof cracks?

Answer 5

instability leading to shear forces which can further separation
infection and pain

Question 6

how are hoof cracks treated?

Answer 6

determine characteristic/depth (if sensitive areas are involved)
farriery - debride, dremmel, filler to stabilse
identify underlying cause
antibiotics (local/systemic)

Question 7

what farrier treatments can be used as part of treatment for hoof cracks?

Answer 7

debride/dremmel necrotic tissue
filler to stabilise
trim foot to unload the crack (shoe)

Question 8

how are incomplete hoof cracks often treated?

Answer 8

with trimming and shoeing

Question 9

what are some possible signs of distal limb injuries/lacerations?

Answer 9

avulsion/disruption to hoof wall
moderate/severe lameness
haemorrhage
involvement of other structures

Question 10

why do distal limb injuries often haemorrhage a lot?

Answer 10

digital cushion is highly vascularised

Question 11

what are some important synovial structures associated with the distal limb?

Answer 11

distal interphalangeal joint
proximal interphalangeal joint
navicular bursa
digital flexor tendon sheath

Question 12

what tendons are associated with distal limb injury?

Answer 12

deep digital flexor tendon
superficial digital flexor tendon
extensor tendons
collateral ligaments

Question 13

why does disruption to the coronary band have major consequences?

Answer 13

alters the growth of the hoof wall

Question 14

how can distal limb injuries be treated?

Answer 14

clean and antibiotics
bandaging/casting
flush synovial structures
shoeing

Question 15

what is the distal interphalangeal joint also known as?

Answer 15

coffin joint

Question 16

what penetrating injuries are associated with shoeing?

Answer 16

nail bind
shoe pricking

Question 17

what is nail bind?

Answer 17

nail placed close to sensitive structures causing a mild lameness and pain around nail

Question 18

what is shoe pricking?

Answer 18

nail into sensitive structures of the hoof causing immediate pain and blood

Question 19

what can develop if a shoe prick is left?

Answer 19

subsolar abscess

Question 20

what type of lameness does subsolar abscesses cause?

Answer 20

severe acute lameness

Question 21

why do subsolar abscesses cause lameness?

Answer 21

put pressure on sensitive hoof lamina

Question 22

what signs will be present when examining a distal limb with a subsolar abscess present?

Answer 22

increased digital pulse
increased temperature
sensitivity to hoof testers

Question 23

what are some causes of subsolar abscesses?

Answer 23

bacteria tracking up shoeing nail
puncture wounds
sole bruising (blood accumulates and acts as a medium for bacterial growth)

Question 24

what is the key to treating subsolar abscesses?

Answer 24

draining it

Question 25

how are subsolar abscesses treated?

Answer 25

drain poultice bandage (protect foot) tetanus prophylaxis NSAIDs

Question 26

should antibiotics be used for subsolar abscesses?

Answer 26

no - only if tracking further up the limb

Question 27

what structures are we concerned about in foot penetration cases?

Answer 27

navicular bone navicular bursa deep digital flexor tendon distal sesamoidean impar ligament distal interphalangeal joint digital flexor tendon sheath

Question 28

what diagnostics can be used for foot penetrations?

Answer 28

radiography (probe and contrast) synoviocentesis MRI

Question 29

what tendon do penetrations have to go to to get to the navicular bursa?

Answer 29

deep digital flexor tendon

Question 30

how are foot penetrations involving synovial structures treated?

Answer 30

debride infected tissue flush effected synovial structure antibiotics

Question 31

what are some possible underlying causes of chronic hoof abscessation?

Answer 31

immunocompromise keratoma laminitis bone sequestrum infective osteitis

Question 32

what is quittor?

Answer 32

infection of collateral cartilages

Question 33

what is the treatment for quittor?

Answer 33

surgical debridement

Question 34

what is the main clinical sign of quittor?

Answer 34

swelling and chronic discharge from the coronary band (even after antibiotics)

Question 35

what is a keratoma?

Answer 35

benign tumour of the hoof or solar horn

Question 36

how do keratomas appear on radiography?

Answer 36

smooth, radiolucent area of P3

Question 37

how are teratomas treated?

Answer 37

surgical resection

Question 38

what is canker?

Answer 38

chronic condition associated with hypertrophy of the germinal layer of the epithelium of the frog

Question 39

what pathogen is canker often associated with?

Answer 39

Fusobacterium

Question 40

what does canker result in?

Answer 40

abnormal hyperkeratotic horn with keratolysis and fronds of unconnected intertubular horn

Question 41

how can mild cases of canker be treated?

Answer 41

improve environment debride abnormal areas metronidazole bandaging dilute formulin

Question 42

what is the treatment for canker?

Answer 42

aggressive surgical debridement

Question 43

how likely is canker to reoccur?

Answer 43

often reoccurs

Question 44

what is white line disease?

Answer 44

progressive crumbling and poor quality hoof wall with separation at the white line

Question 45

what can cause white line disease?

Answer 45

warm, wet weather biotin/zinc/selenium deficiency

Question 46

what is the white line?

Answer 46

junction between hole and hoof wall

Question 47

how is white line disease treated?

Answer 47

remove abnormal horn support horn (bar shoe) prevent progression - nutrition, povidone iodine, environmental modification