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Decoding Hoof Cracks

Horse owners can attest that the old adage “No hoof, no horse” is one truest about equine care. Any defect in a hoof wall can be worrisome as the health and integrity of the hoof wall is imperative for overall horse health. Some issues can look concerning, but be non-issues, while others may require intense care to rectify.

Here are some types of cracks and what the level of concern they should elicit:

Though hoof cracks can look scary, small, vertical cracks that start at the ground and extend only an inch or so up the hoof wall are of minor concern. The farrier will most likely take care of these when he or she is out next.
Horizontal cracks less than an inch wide that start at the coronet band and grow down are typically the result of a minor injury to the coronary band that briefly inhibited hoof production. It's rare that intervention is needed for these cracks; they will grow out on their own. \
Vertical cracks at the bottom of the hoof that wrap around to the underside of the hoof and involve the sole could be more than just a superficial defect. If it looks like any other structures than just the hoof wall are involved, this could become a significant issue.
Long, vertical cracks that don't ever seem to grow out are a sign that a hoof is chronically unbalanced. Even if the crack is thin, it is worth having a conversation with the farrier to see if a new manner of trimming or shoeing may be necessary.
Cracks that flex and open each time the horse takes a step, cracks that bleed or cracks that make a horse lame requires an immediate call to the veterinarian and farrier. Both professionals will need to work together to resolve the issue, but time is of the essence and these cracks need to be addressed immediately.

CT Scan Best Modality To ID Foreign Bodies In Equine Feet

Drs. Nadine Ogden, Peter Milner, John Stack and Alison Talbot from the University of Liverpool created a study that compared diagnostic modalities to determine which was the best for identifying foreign bodies in horses' feet. Even when an injury is obvious, it isn't always clear if any foreign material remains within the wound.

The research team buried two foreign bodies into cadaver equine legs: one at the sole and one at the coronary band. The materials included dry wood, soaked wood, glass, slate and plastic. They then asked three equine veterinarians to examine the images produced by computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and digital X-rays.

They determined that there was minimal variation between the vet's findings on all the images. CT was found to be the most useful imaging modality. CT was able to detect all materials; it was able to pick out slate, glass and dry wood better than the other imaging modalities.

The foreign bodies were able to be seen on MRI, but these images were not clear enough for the vets to determine what type of material it was. Plastic and wood were difficult to determine on digital X-rays.

The team notes that though it is not traditionally necessary to determine what material is involved, it is important to use an appropriate imaging technique to make sure the foreign body can be detected.

Read the full investigation here.

Are Hot And Cold Therapies Helpful For Tendon Troubles?

Owners of horses with tendon injuries are often told to cold hose their horse's leg to try to bring down inflammation. Occasionally heat therapy is recommended to improve the flexibility and extensibility of tendon tissue.

While human therapy often combines hot and cold therapy for an injury, it's not often done in equine veterinary medicine. Drs. Kevin Haussler, Shana Wilde, Michael Davis, Ann Hessa and Wayne McIlwraith wanted to determine if cycling between hot and cold therapies was possible, and if it might assist injured horses.

Called “contrast therapy,” the goal is to increase blood circulation using cold and hot therapies to force the injured area to cycle between vasodilation and vasoconstriction. For cold therapy to be of value, tissue temperature must be reduced to 50 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit. However, cold therapy generally doesn't penetrate beyond one inch of tissue, no matter how long it is applied. To be beneficial, heat therapy must get the tissue temperature above 104 degrees F, but stay below 122 degrees F to not cause damage.

For the study, the research team used four horses with no tendon issues. They placed temperature probes on the horse's skin and implanted them deeply in the subcutaneous tissue near the deep digital flexor tendons and near the superficial digital flexor tendons. This allowed the tendon tissue to be cooled to less than 45 degrees F and warmed to more than 118 degrees F. Each cycle lasted 15 minutes; each session applied three hot and three cold cycles for approximately two hours per session.

The scientists reported that the device was able to achieve consistent hot and cold temperatures in the superficial tissues, but could not reach the target temperatures in the subcutaneous tissue near the deep digital flexor tendons consistently. More studies will determine if longer treatment times or different hot and cold application ratios might allow the deep digital flexor tendon tissues to reach therapeutic temperatures.

Read the article here.

Simple Ways To Prevent Tendon And Ligament Injuries In Horses

Horses seem to seek out ways to hurt themselves and injuries to tendons and ligaments in the limbs are common., says Dr. David Ramey, owner of Ramey Equine and an internationally recognized researcher, author and lecturer. Though tendon and ligament injuries tend to heal well, it can take multiple months, as well as a lot effort and money, to get the horse to his performance level pre-injury.

There are multiple ways to help prevent tendon and ligament injuries, though some are often overlooked. These include:

Adequate nutrition. Proper nutrition to maintain horse health is essential. Thus far, there have been no supplements that have proven to prevent tendon and ligament injuries.
Correct body condition. Tendons and ligaments are more likely to be damaged when a horse is overweight as it placed additional strain on supporting structures.
Proper shoeing and trimming. Trimming or shoeing a horse in the most-simple manner is generally associated with more soundness.
Leg wraps and bandages. Boots and bandages, even when applied properly, cannot stop a tendon or ligament injury.
Walk. Warming up a horse at the walk makes it harder for tendons and ligaments to become damaged at faster speeds.
Systemic training. Tendons and ligaments are more-often damaged in horses that are asked to perform athletic endeavors like running, jumping or sliding. Keys to help keep a horse's legs injury-free include: don't do too much too quickly; work him regularly; cross train when possible; and don't overtrain—strong tissues come from stressing them and then allowing them time to rest and repair.
Proper footing. Horses should not be worked for extended amounts of time in deep, soft ground.
Address issues. If a horse is sore, address the issue to prevent compensation complications in tendons and ligaments.