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Disease
|
Cause
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Syptom
|
Treatment
|
Prevention
|
|
Thrush
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Kept in dirty stall conditions, infection caused by trapped anaerobic bacteria
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Foul smelling black dead material in frog & grove between sole & frog
|
Clean hoof regularly, apply topical medication like Thrush buster, etc.
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Clean out hooves regularly & expose foot to air.
Trim hooves every 6 to 8 weeks. Keep stall clean
|
|
White Line Disease
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Infection in the hoof wall caused by fungi. Common in humid climates
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Wall separation, lameness, & brown specks near white line
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Removal of infected wall & treat with strong fungicide. Shoe hoof to support missing wall
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Keep stall clean, maintain balanced diet & keep away the hoof from excessively washing
|
|
Sole Bruise
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Injury to the sole by rocks, gravel or packed snow
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Red spots on sole of foot, lameness
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Keep sole protected with frog pressure shoe, pad
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Avoid over trimming sole, protect with shoes and pads
|
|
Corns
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Sole bruises in the heel area of the foot
|
Lameness
|
Remove shoe, trim away bruised area & apply bar shoe to protect bruised area
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Trim and shoe horse on a schedule every 6 to 8 weeks
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Abscess
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Infection of the corium. Caused by bruising, laminitis, puncture or wet conditions
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Lameness, heat, drainage of pus
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Drain abscess, soak with Epsom salts, don’t remove excessive tissue, use poultice, protect hoof with shoe & pad. Vaccinate for tetanus
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Keep stall clean, trim and shoe every 4 to 6 weeks
|
|
Sand Crack
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Vertical crack in hoof wall. Caused by uneven weight bearing, irregular hoof growth, hoof too long and dry climate
|
Lameness,
crack in hoof
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Use bar shoe to transfer pressure from crack to frog or sound wall
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Trim and shoe hooves every 4 to 6 weeks
|
|
Navicular
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Neglect of hoof,
long toes, lack of conditioning, type of work
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Lameness, shortened stride, worn toe of hoof or shoe, pointing stance
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Raised hoof angle, egg bar shoe, isoxiprine therapy by your veterinarian
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Check conformation when buying a horse, shoe & trim every 4 to 6 weeks, properly condition
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Founder
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Lamina of the hoof dies caused by stress, which moves blood away from the sensitive lamina, damage of bone/hoof, cannon bone drops destroying the blood supply
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X-ray shows rotation or sinking of cannon bone, very painful, laminitis stance bearing weight on heels
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Need both veterinarian and farrier. Systemic medication, use bar shoes, treat abscess if present, euthanasia may be needed
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Keep stressful situations away from horse: colic, poisons, overeating of carbohydrates, overeating of spring pasture, retained afterbirth when foaling
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