Hooves & Horns Flashcards
What is the integument compromised of?
- hair
- glands
- horns
- hoof
- claws
Why is the skin important?
- is a protective barrier
- reduces water loss
- protects from invasion of microorganisms
- protects from abrasive trauma
- thermoregulation
- hair, coat, claws, horns, hoofs, footpads
What are the 8 external structures of the hoof?
- frog
- sole
- bulbs of heel
- seat of corn
- bars
- coronet (coronary band)
- white line
- periople
Characteristics of the frog?
- triangular wedge which has a role in circulation, absorption concussion and grip
Characteristics of the sole?
- supports and protects internal structures of the hoof
- thickness of the sole varies
- sole can be susceptible to bruising
Characteristics of the bulbs of the heel?
- works with frog and sole to assist circulation and expansion of hoof when it hits the ground
Characteristics of the seat of the corn?
- point on the sole where the bars make an angle with the wall of the hoof
Characteristics of the bars?
- allow for expansion of the foot and provide strength
Characteristics of the coronet?
- point from which the horn grows
Characteristics of the white line?
- boundary between the internal and external structures of the foot, used by farriers as a guide when placing nails
Characteristics of the periople?
- forms and outer layer to protect hoof and maintain moisture
What are the 9 internal structures of the hoof?
- bones (proximal to distal)
- digital cushion
- lateral cartilages
- corium
- perioplic corium
- coronary corium
- laminar corium
- sole corium
- frog corium
Characteristics of the bones?
- short pastern (or 2nd phalanx)
- pedal bone (3rd phalanx)
- navicular bone (distal sesamoid)
Characteristics of the digital cushion?
- wedge shaped structure just above the frog, filling space above the heel of the foot
- assists with absorption of concussion and encourages blood circulation every time it hits the ground
Characteristics of the lateral cartilages?
- 2 curved discs of cartilage attached to the pedal bone
- works with the cushion to promote circulation and absorb shock
- they are flexible in young horses, but become fibrous with age
Characteristics with the corium?
- part of the skin of the lower leg and is modified vascular dermis
- it is divided into sections according to the parts of the hoof which it runs under
Characteristics of the perioplic corium?
- supplies the periople with nutrients
Characteristics of the coronary corium?
- nourishes the hoof wall
Characteristics of the laminar corium?
- supports the pedal bone and thus the weight of the horse
Characteristics of the sole corium?
- attaches the sole of the pedal bone to the horny sole of the foot
Characteristics of the frog corium?
- provides nourishment to the digital cushion and functions with the frog
What are the dewclaws?
- they are accessory digits
- corresponding to digit II (medial) and V (lateral)
Difference in dewclaws in ruminants and pigs?
- ruminants dewclaws do not bear weight and have little significance
- pigs dewclaws are smaller and well developed and sometimes touch the ground
What are chestnuts?
- horn like growths on the medial side of horses limbs
What are ergots?
- small projections of cornified epithelium in the centre of the palmar part of the fetlock of a horses limb, often hidden by hair
What is locomotion?
- the sequence of how an animal lifts its feet from the ground and described as being gait
What is walking?
- the slowest gait when the foot comes down separately and weight is taken equally on all 4 feet which are lifted one at a time
What is trotting?
- the body alternately balances on diagonally opposite feet
What is galloping?
- during this phase there is a floating phase in which none of the feet are on the ground and are gathered under the body, there is never more than 2 legs on the ground at the same time
What is cantering?
- a slower form of gallop in which both hind feet are still on the ground when the first forefoot returns to the ground
How many digits do horses have?
1 digit (3rd one)
How many digits do cattle, sheep, pigs have?
2 main digits (3rd and 4th one)
What digits are the dewclaws?
Digits 2 and 5
Describe structure of dew claw in cow and sheep?
- don’t have well developed phalanges
- have a wall and small bulb
Describe structure of declaw in pigs?
- they have 3 phalanges
- small but well developed hoof
Do lateral or medial digits bear more weight?
Lateral digits bear more weight
Why is the sole and bulb of the hoof important?
- weight is carried on the sole and bulb
- pigs have larger bulb so larger weight bearing surface
How do horns form?
- form over a corneal process
What do horns consist of?
- consist of dense kertine and elongates from the base
- nutritional levels can influence horn growth
What is dehorning?
- destroying the corium when buttons in young animals
- animals that don’t have horns are polled
