[Hevxxx99]

Anyone got experience of this? Just got an elderly barefoot mare back off loan and she's very lame with it on both front feet. She's always had a problem with chronic thrush, but that's cleared, unless it can cause WLD...

I'm intending to keep it cleaned out and treat with antimicrobials. I'm also wondering about zinc sulphate as I have some for footrot treatment in the sheep.  I'd prefer not to have huge chunks cut out of her hoof, especially as I don't have anywhere to keep her in, if I can avoid it so syringing into the gaps seems logical.

Funny thing is, the Farrier saw her 2 days ago before she returned and didn't mention it.

[Hellybee]

Ive heard osmonds bactokil 55 is good.  Check it out.

[verdifish]

Wld itself won't make a horse lame. But the net result of Wld will.ie loss of correct function where the wld has eaten away the Horn and created a hollow area. I'm surprised if she's lame that the farrier didn't mention treatment. Where abouts on the foot is it? 

[Buttermilk]

White line disease needs air to help clear it.  Trimming away the hoof wall can be very beneficial even when turned out 24/7 as long as there is enough left for it to be stable.  If large amounts of wall have to be resectioned then shoes are needed for wall stability.  If you do not take any wall away a good clean out with a farriers nail, a swill down with hydrogen peroxide and a plug of cotton wool to prevent mud from getting into the area all help.

If it is causing lameness then get a good farrier to her as it will be the hoof wall putting pressure onto the laminae above/around the area.  I have seen nearly a whole hoof under run with it due to lack of exposure to oxygen.

[Hevxxx99]

I've cleaned it out initially and will give it a good swilling today with peroxide. I suspect the loaner hadn't noticed it and it's been full of gunk for weeks. I mentioned it to her and she was completely unaware of it.

I suspect the lameness may be caused by infection: there appears to be some of the black pus stuff you find in hoof abcesses in there.  Unless it's the thrush. Presumably, if there is infection, it is effectively laminitis since the lamini will be inflamed. The damage is on both front feet, areas about 1" long and a similar depth at about 10 and 2 o'clock, if the toe is 12.

We had shoes on her about 2 years ago (she's normally barefoot but was going to do a lot of roadwork) and she instantly went dead lame, like laminitis lame in her front feet. The farrier is a very good one and hadn't damaged her feet and when her shoes were removed, about 2 days after having them on, she was instantly far more comfortable and returned to soundness over the course of a week.  The farrier and I never worked out what caused it, but possibly it was related.

I see Red Horse products use Zinc sulphate for thrush treatment.

[verdifish]

It won't cause laminitis, calm down. Get your farrier or vet to resect the whole area till any trace of Wld is gone. It may then need shoeing to support the whole foot. In my 25 years shoeing topical treatments have never helped.

[Hevxxx99]

 

I didn't mean it would cause laminitis, but that technically, if the laminae are inflamed, it is laminitis as "itis" mean inflamation as I understand and the laminae are inflamed, so therefore if she has similar symptoms, it wouldn't be surprising.  She hasn't got to that awful leaning back level of pain, but she's not far off I reckon.

[verdifish]

Inflammation of the sensitive laminae.rhis means all of the sensitive laminae. Not some of the sensitive laminae in a specific area. Ie a nail prick,abcess,kerratoma etc etc but if she's that lame have you called the vet/farrier.? 

[silkwoodzwartbles]

Red Horse products are excellent - if you have crevices in the white line, clean well and pack with Red Horse Hoof Stuff. If you don't have crevices for the Hoof Stuff to stick in to, go with Artimud. Sole Paint as a preventative is excellent once you're on top of it.

[harmony]

If your horse is lame she is in pain and you need the vet because at the moment you don't know why she is lame.  Whilst you can buy topical lotions and potions the fact you think she is bad enough that she might start to stand like a horse with laminitis, suggests the pain is high and therefore she needs more than self help to make her comfortable. 

[Hevxxx99]

Only got her home yesterday evening when she seemed pottery. She was resting alternating front feet as she grazed, so had a close look and found white line gaps full of gunge and gravel. Cleaned them out and watched further. Loaner had ridden her in the morning and said she was sound then. She the vet out very recently who suggested it was arthritis, but it's definitely footy.

Today, she seems far better, but not 100% so perhaps the journey had made her old joints uncomfortable so exaggerated her problem. I shall see how she is tomorrow but our vet and farrier will be called unless she makes a fairly miraculous recovery.

[Hellybee]

 Would suspect that theres summat brewing both front feet, ie gravel has travelled.  Possibly when she was trimmed with farrier it's caused more irritation further up  hoof wall, there may be abcesses?  I'd get her in on deep bed,   N ask the vet to see her, i would treat her like lami bout.     my farrier only answers any questions, he never seems to flag any thing up, I need to get onto that.

[Hevxxx99]

I suspect a touch of gravel as well. 

In a way, I hope it is, as I know how to deal with that - my Cleveland Bay seems prone to it and has always come on just after a trim - and although very painful, heals well once it drains.  She's back to just a bit pottery in trot today in the field so hopefully we're heading in the right direction.

[Hevxxx99]

...my farrier only answers any questions, he never seems to flag any thing up, I need to get onto that.

I have a friend who is in the final stages of his apprenticeship and he told me that his "master" farrier told him not to tell owners of problems like signs of rotated pedal bones as it'd only worry them and there was nothing they could do about it!

[verdifish]

...my farrier only answers any questions, he never seems to flag any thing up, I need to get onto that.

I have a friend who is in the final stages of his apprenticeship and he told me that his "master" farrier told him not to tell owners of problems like signs of rotated pedal bones as it'd only worry them and there was nothing they could do about it!

?!!?!