Hoof Flashcards
Hoof cracks
Usually proximal to distal
Occasionally transverse cracks are seen with coronary band injury
Consequences - shearing and worsening, pain, tracking infection
Tx: debride, dremmel and fill in large complete cracks
- float the crack and use quarter clips and bar shoes
Incomplete cracks - trim and shoe
Injuries to the coronary band
Wire lacerations, foot trapped, over reach injuries
CS: avulsion of the hoof wall and disruption of the coronary band
- potentially fatal haemorrhage
Tx: primary closure - coronary band - ensure accurate apposition
Stabilise the hoof wall with wiring / cast / shoes
Most common secondary intention healing - significant contamination
Antibiotics
NSAIDs
Casting - best way to stabilise the wound
When are we particularly concerned with penetrating foot injuries?
When they occur in the middle 1/3 of the frog
- navicular bursa, DDFT, impar ligament and DIPJ
What is nail bind?
When the nail is placed to close to sensitive structures
Mild lameness
Pain localised around the nail
What is shoeing prick?
Nail is placed into very sensitive structures
Immediately painful - reacts
May bleed
Sub solar abscess will develop if left
Subsolar abscess
Due to:
Tracking infection up nail secondary to shoeing prick
Solar bruising
Puncture wound
CS: very painful - non weightbearing lameness
Increased digital pulses
Hot over hoof
Reaction to hoot testers
Tx: remove shoes and nail
Pare out abscess
Poultice foot BID - MgSO4
Bandage
NSAIDs
Antibiotics - TMPS
Tetanus prophylaxis
Re-shoe once dry and hardened
How can you diagnose a penetrating good injury affecting underlying structure?
Moderate to severe lameness Presence of a foreign body Puncture wound DIPJ Effusion Flexor tendon sheath effusion Digital pulses Sensitive to hoof testers
Radiography - leave object in
Contrast study - navicular bursa
Synoviocentesis
How should you treat a penetrating foot injury?
Remove object Remove necrotic horn / tendon Flushing of synovial structures Systemic antibiotics IV regional perfusion Intra-synovial / articular medication PMMA beads in tract Bandage Place a hospital plate Raise the heel NSAIDs
Guard return to athletic function
Quittor
Infection of the collateral cartilages
Caused by trauma or a wound = discharging tract at the coronary band
Tx: surgical debridement
Keratoma
Benign tumour of the solar horn
Usually secondary to chronic inflammation or infection
CS: intermittent lameness, abscessation and discharge
Dx: abnormal area of keratinisation with a discharging tract
Smooth radiolucent defect in the distal phalanx
Tx: surgical resection under GA
Canker
Hypertrophy of the frog - affecting the bars, heels and soles
- Fusobacterium / bacteroides
Seen in horses with heavy feathering kept in poor hygiene
Mild cases Improve environmental hygiene Debride necrotic areas Metronidazole bandages +/- systemic antibiotics Piric acid 5% + benzoyl peroxide Dilute formalin
Severe cases require aggressive surgical debridement
White line disease
Progressive crumbling, poor quality hoof horn and separation of the White line
- seen in poorer countries
Associated with warm and dry weather and zinc or selenium deficiency
CS: lameness, separation of the hoof wall, grey or black crumbly horn
Tx: remove abnormal horn, bar shoe and quarter clips, hoof acrylic, topical iodine
