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Discussion on Possible loss of side of hoof near heel
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Member:
Stacie
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Posted on Monday, Mar 28, 2005 - 6:51 pm:
Problems again with Ben....
He had abcessed awhile ago at the coronary band at the side of heel and out the bottom of the sole where the farrier made an exit path . It had grown out towards the bottom of the hoof. Farrier came last Tuesday and cut the side of the hoof near the old abcess, since it was peeling away and also at the sole where the old abcess was. He said that it looks like he may loss the side of his hoof around to the heel. What in the world am I going to do if this does happen to support this boy. He is 17 hands and 1400-1500 lbs.?? This is the same foot that I have had problem after problem with. He also has a terrible case of navicular, bad ringbone and this is the foot that had the tumor/granular tissue that came up from the frog/sole area that has healed. Although he has a very deep split in the heel from where the frog grew back as much as possible. Would I be able to have a cushion made to go in his boa boots that I had bought him awhile back that never had used yet, because his feet were doing so much better. We have had so much rain here and his feet are always wet right now. He is a pasture horse only, as he has gone blind in one eye due to Uvetitus that turned to Glaucoma. Any words of thought on my potential problem. I am trying to get ideas before it may happen. It may not, but I need to be ready for it. Has this ever happened to anyone else. Where the side of the hoof was lost at the heel. It looks like an area of about 3-4 inches across if this does happen. I would have to have support for his foot so he does not go dead lame if this happens. Right now, I would say he is comfortable. He is never 100%, since all his problems, but he is comfortable.
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Monday, Mar 28, 2005 - 7:30 pm:
Dear Stacie, no advice, but just wanted to let you know my heart goes out to you! With some horses it's always something! Hang in there
suz
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 - 8:57 am:
Stacie, I assume you mean he will slough the undermined horn from the old abscess. This is normal and I have never had much trouble supporting a horse through this. Often enough horn has grown back that it is no problem at all.
Without actually seeing the foot I don't know exactly what will need to be done but I am sure your farrier had some ideas: what did he feel will need to be done?
DrO
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Member:
Stacie
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Posted on Tuesday, Mar 29, 2005 - 10:24 am:
Dr. O,
I will try and take a picture of it when I get home from work today. I am still learning parts of my horse, so bear with me. I have had so many issues with him from the last year, I learn every day from him. I looked at an illustration you posted under The Corium/Leg Anatomy and Conformation. I guess you would say his horn. Right above his heel bulb on his front right, inside portion, it looks like there is a deep crack, seperation going on. His conformation already is terrible with that foot. He walks toe out, heel 1st hitting the ground. I will take a picture and hopefully it will download this go round. It is a Nikon 5 Megapixel camera so I need to reduce the quality of the photo to allow it to download. I have not figured that out completely as of yet either. I will update you tomorrow. Thanks much
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Member:
Stacie
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 - 8:20 am:
Here are some photos, as you can see on the photos with his foot lifted the area that the farrier is talking about him loosing.....Believe me, this foot looks 100 times better now than before - you can see where his frog and sole on the opposite side has grown back from the tumor, but how badly he has the split is in the heel bulbs. Anyone that has advise, please please please, let me know any ideas that can possibly help my boy. As you can see he is my life...The photos are after I washed his foot, as there has been alot of rain here, so I needed the best photos possible.
      
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 - 9:36 am:
Hi Stacie-I'm no expert so don't really have much advice, but his foot doesn't look as bad as I thought it would from your discriptions. It looks like mostly he needs to grow hoof wall. I wonder if some of the new synthetic materials farriers are using now would be useful? Have you talked with your farrier about Using them?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 - 6:13 pm:
The loss of heel has unbalanced the foot and maybe even sheared the heels in back. If the foot cannot be trimmed level I think a shoe with either a composite build up of the wall like suggested above or possibly a shoe that has an elevated wedge on the low side to balance the foot should be used while the foot grows out. There are several ways to create such a wedge: turn under the heel of a oversized shoe on the low side and grind it, grind down ond side of a aluminum wedge shoe then flatten it, or weld a piece on the heel of a shoe. Of course a wedge pad could be sculpted and used but I really do not want to cover over that sole and frog. They will benefit by being kept dry.
DrO
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Member:
Stacie
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Posted on Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 - 7:33 pm:
Sara and Dr. O
Thank you for your comments and recommendations. I will call the farrier back out and ask him to come up with something to balance that foot. I just wish this poor boy were well. It seems like I have had to work on something on him every day for the last year. Dr. O, question for you.
With his heel being as sheered as it is. With getting that foot balanced, will that heal? The sheered area looks like it goes all the way to the bone I feel like. Can it? That is really bothering me right now about thinking that this sheered heel is getting really bad. It has always been there, just seems to be getting worse. Tell me there can be light at the end of the tunnel for this.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Mar 31, 2005 - 7:09 am:
I cannot tell how bad the shear is from the picture Stacie. While I can see the two bulbs don't match up the actually diagnosis and severity is determined by picking the foot up and seeing how much the two bulbs have lost connection by manipulating them. However most cases that are not long standing will respond to balancing and heal.
Note you may be confusing the contracted heels, which is quite remarkable, with the sheared heels. The contraction is what causes the deep cleft in the frog and between the two bulbs. It too will respond to balance and weight bearing if recent. Long standing contracted heels are permanant but can be managed.
DrO
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