Severe White line disease case.

This is another interesting case that I started about two weeks ago.  History of problems for almost  year without much change.  Horse is not painful and trots throughout the pasture as nothing is wrong.  This is a draft or draft cross with a 6.5 in wide and 7 in long foot.  So consider the soft tissue parameters.  If we only discussed degree of rotation we would have a many veterinary clinic around the world suggest euthanasia.  However, this is Horn disease not lamellar disease (laminitis). Horn/Lamellar zone for this size of horse could easily be 20/20mm and in this case is 20/36mm in the left and 7mm of sole depth which should be closer 20mm as well.  The bacteria/fungi involved is an opportunistic bug, meaning that there must be an unhealthy hoof wall to begin with that allows this infection to proliferate.  So without addressing the mechanical aspects no drug or treatment will ever be successful.  The horn is breaking down and no longer has the ability to antagonize the pull of the deep digital flexor tendon and allows the bone and lamellae and inner portion of horn wall to be pulled away from outer horn wall.  Below is the Deep digital flexor in yellow and arrows depicting the forces applied to the coffin bone.  Similar situation with Laminitis/founder except the unhealthy attachment is at the lamellar and horn attachment versus in between the layers of horn.  This may also account for the lack of lameness commonly associated with white line disease.

So I made a very large four point rail shoe from 15 inches of 1/2 by 1in aluminum barstock.  Trimmed what little foot I had and applied a very small belly to the shoe.  I really I had more rocker in the the shoe but this is  all I could get on this day.  Plan is to monitor the defects in the hoof wall, I want to see the defect growing down with new hoof growth unaffected by fungal invasion.  If I do not get the response then a more aggressive hoof wall resection and higher mechanics (more rocker) to further unload the Deep digital flexor pull will be needed.  I would possibly add a frog support bar as well.  The Owner will be feeding biotin 100 and treating weekly with White lighting.  I will post after the next visit as well!

2 weeks post initial venogram and rocker shoe application.  I will admit that she lost a shoe the next day and I replaced with a rockered four point with super fast added to thicken the branch and increase mechanics.  Measurable sole depth is about 12mm which is more sole than she had on initial rads but insignificant at this point.  This measure will continue to increase rapidly.

Same story as the right but a greater increase in sole depth but still  not easily notable .  Below is a couple of the venogram shots.  I labeled a few important aspects.  We are only doing venogram on the left front at this point.  I definitely notice a change in the terminal papillae, in that they are becoming longer and more robust. This should be more obvious at sole depth increases.  I realize everyone that may read these may not understand all the lingo and importance involved.  If you have specific questions please comment and ask!   We also took radiographs of my wifes mare, Harley, which has never had shoes and has been in a paddock/stall for most of her life and she has amazing feet and maintains great sole depth.  I will add in her radiographs at the bottom as well..  Thanks and please come back for more reading.

Think about these measurements and there relation to the venogram.  For more info on soft tissue  measurements and venograms go to www.nanric.com and go to archives and look for "how to measure soft tissue parameters"  TONS of good info there.

Welcome

This is a first for me and an exciting new way to get information from my daily practice to any who are interested.  Please tell all your friends, horse owners, farriers and veterinarians.  I will discuss my thoughts and hopefully post pictures and radiographs.  Feel Free to ask questions and make comments.  The above Pictures are just me playing to see how the images would be uploaded.  I plan to upload an ongoing case study that I started on our discussion board on Facebook.  I will likely carry that case study here instead of Facebook but continue to send images and reminders to Facebook to keep everyone informed about the new BLOG.  Good evening.