Facebook QR Code for Esco Buff's Professional Farrier Service, LLC



sole related issues



- Water does not penetrate through the surface of good quality dorsal wall.


-Water marginally travels from inside out through the hoof wall.


- Only the molecules of humidity have been shown to be able to penetrate the fat lipids of hoof wall.


- The Australian Brumby study from three environments (wet/boggy, partially wet and desert) showed hoof wall moisture levels at 29.6, 29.5 and 29.5%.


- The sole and frog are more permeable to water. Water travels both ways in the sole and frog. Environment and the Equine Hoof Horn, S.A. Kempson, 2004 PowerPoint Presentation, Can-Am, London, Canada, Preclinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Edinburgh.


- The Australian Brumby study showed that soaking the feet for two hours changed sole moisture levels, but hoof wall moisture levels was not affected.



Abscesses
by Esco buff, phd, apf-i, cf



Abscesses in the hoof are typically characterized by sudden-onset and severe lameness.


In some cases, the horse may refuse to put any weight at all on the affected hoof (broken leg syndrome).


The horse will be sensitive in the area of the abscess and may have an increased digital pulse and swelling in the lower leg.


If left untreated, the abscess may erupt on its own through the sole or at the coronary band.


A hoof abscess is a pocket of infection in the lamina that allows bacteria to thrives in the warm, dark environment (anaerobic).


While the bacteria eat away at the hoof tissue, the horse's immune system attacks. The resulting pocket of bacteria, white blood cells, and dead hoof tissue puts pressure on the sensitive structures of the horse's hoof, causing the pain response.




There are two types of abscesses:


1. Laminar abscesses and

2. Sub-solar abscesses.


Both types need to be treated differently. Laminar abscesses can be debrided, and outer hoof wall opened to relieve pressure and re-infection chances.


Sub-solar abscesses need to be planned out carefully so as not to create prolapsed tissues.




Abscesses can extrude several different types of material and color:


- Black/Brown – older infected material.

- Grey – newer infected material.

- Clear – serum.

- Reddish – blood mixed serum.

- White – located in frog and involves merocrine gland release and not an abscess.





Treatment


- Identify insult causing abscess if known.


- Determine how to relieve pressure caused by the abscess.


- Trim hoof to help in identifying laminar abscesses along with pulse and heat identification.


- Solar abscess identification is aided with hoof testers and radiology. Usually requires veterinary assistance. May need to be relieved via hoof wall rather than the sole.


- The key to drawing out abscesses is osmotic pressure. This can be done by warm water and Epsom Salts or Epsom Salt paste (Magnesium Sulfate). The salts create molecular imbalance which creates osmosis which causes the abscess infection to flow towards the side of greatest concentration of salt. Water molecules pass through the cell membrane from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration.


- Protect the abscessed area.



Abscess Pictures





Abscess blow out at heel bulb (left) and hoof wall (right).



Abscess blow out (left) and laminae abscess area (right).



Trimming up the hoof is often helpful in locating abscess.



bruised and thin soles
by esco buff, phd, apf-i, cf



A bruised sole can simply be caused by a horse stepping on a rock or working on a hard surface.


It can occur as the result of excessive hoof trimming or be associated with laminitis.


In thin soled horse’s it can be caused by the sole being caught between the ground and the normal descending distal phalanx upon loading.


Sole bruising can be an uncomplicated condition that responds to simple treatments or be part of an underlying disease process that requires careful veterinary and farrier management.


Sole bruises are a contusion (bruising) of the solar cushion and corium (the soft tissues between the sole of the hoof and distal phalanx). This kind of bruising causes rupturing of the small vessels and results in a formation of a hematoma or blood pocket, leading to an acute inflammatory reaction and pain.


Often sole bruising occurs in thin soled horses.


Bruising can be treated by removed the insult. Once occurred, treatment focus should be on protection and solar growth.


Protection can be from wraps, boots, shoes, shoes/pads. If just bruising in normal soles, recovery is usually fast.


If bruising is in thin soles, recovery can take from 3 to 6 months due to slower sole growth from the vascular contusions.



bruised and thin sole pictures





corns
by esco buff, phd, apf-i, cf



A Corn is solar tissue bruise in the seat of corn or at the angle formed by the hoof and bars.


It is usually seen more commonly in front hooves then hind hooves.




There are three (3) types of Corns:


1 - Dry Corns – red colored and may have no significance.


2 - Moist Corns – serum accumulates beneath epidermis. Horse can be moderately lame.


3 - Suppurative (pus forming) – infected and horse usually more severely lame.




Etiology or Cause of Corns:


Corns can be created form shoe pressure from shoeing modality, shoeing short or if left on too long.


Corns can be created due to substrate getting wedged between shoe/casting and sole.


Corns can be created due to poor fitted hoof boots.


Corns can be created if the seat of corn is below hoof wall.





Treatment for Corns:


Identify insult.


Many corns diminish when the insult is removed.


Reduce any pressure in the area and concussion on more severe lameness cases.



corn pictures





Note Corn in the area of the heel called the Seat of Corn.



Note Corn in the area of the heel known as the Seat of Corn.



A Suppurative (pus forming) Corn.



retracted soles
by esco buff, phd, apf-i, cf



See page labeled "Retracted Soles" for more information.




24/7 Lameness Emergencies: 585-298-6619

Esco buff's professional farrier service, llc