Keeping abreast of all the necessary information in horse health
care is a constant challenge, especially since new problems and solutions
are always being placed before our eyes and ears. Horse owners want
only the best for their animals, which is sometimes difficult considering
they do not always have all the information needed to make an accurate
diagnosis of a condition or determine the proper course of treatment
that should be taken.
One such problem came to the forefront recently that has had owners,
veterinarians and farriers alike stymied. The signs are hooves that
chronically are fractured and poor - looking, with the hoof wall actually
peeling away. The cause is commonly believed to be onychomycosis (sometimes
known as white line disease), a fungus that exists in the dirt. Horses
that previously had strong healthy hooves are showing signs of infection,
as well as those who have had problems with hoof quality in the past.
This fungus has flourished in the wet and mild conditions that the Midwest
experienced this past spring and summer, as have other regions of the
country, particularly the northeast. Since the fungus is always present
in the soil, all horses are exposed, but inexplicably, not all are susceptible.
In a single horse, the animal may show signs in one, two, three or four
hooves; in a herd any number of horses may exhibit the characteristic
chips and cracks. Shod animals typically develop a worse case, as the
nail holes provide an entrance, while the shoe caps the foot and provides
an excellent environment in which the fungus can thrive.
Although unsightly, this fungus does not usually cause lameness. However,
if the hoof wall chips so that the horse is walking on his sole the
owner will probably notice tenderness. Problems will also arise if the
cracking and chipping extend up to and involves the coronet band. Treatment
is simple. Brush the dirt from the sides and bottom of the hoof and
spray with an iodine solution; a dairy udder wash seems to be very effective.
Be careful to avoid the frog area and the coronet band; iodine may dry
them out. Continue the treatment periodically, depending on the severity
of the infection. Remember that it takes a full year for the hoof to
grow down, as it begins at the coronet band, so it will take time to
evaluate the results of the treatment.
Research has just begun at the University of Minnesota by Dr. Tracy
Turner, D.V.M. So far few facts have been absolutely proven, but it
has been decided that the fungus cannot be induced into horses' that
are not susceptible, and it is not transmitted from one location to
another by horses, people or tools. Solid facts are rare at this point,
but for more information review the tape "White Line Disease" done by
East Texas Farrier Burney Chapman.
