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White Line Disease
Post At
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: Omar MacMillenSubject: White Line Disease
Email:
I recently had an interesting conversation with a farrier who has been practicing at least 40 years. He's seen everything under the sun, shoes everything from saddlebreds to endurance horses and has unbelieveable success with laminitis and founder. He also has an opinion about everything. I could understand his thoughts about why he believed the "old way" of shoeing is still the best way, but one area I'm not sure if I agree.
He said many farriers make the mistake of pointing out white line disease to horse owners at the early stages. His opinion was that you can monitor it and treat it, but pointing out (and he did have horror stories to back it up) will only prompt the horse owner to call a vet and "butcher" the horse's foot up, by taking away a portion of the hoof wall. He doesn't see a need at all for ever cutting away the hoof wall to air out the disease.
Since I've not seen too many cases of white line in my neck of the woods, I was wondering what you all thought about the subject. Is it necessary to pare the hoof wall away? Or is best to leave it as is and treat it with medications?
Email:
I recently had an interesting conversation with a farrier who has been practicing at least 40 years. He's seen everything under the sun, shoes everything from saddlebreds to endurance horses and has unbelieveable success with laminitis and founder. He also has an opinion about everything. I could understand his thoughts about why he believed the "old way" of shoeing is still the best way, but one area I'm not sure if I agree.
He said many farriers make the mistake of pointing out white line disease to horse owners at the early stages. His opinion was that you can monitor it and treat it, but pointing out (and he did have horror stories to back it up) will only prompt the horse owner to call a vet and "butcher" the horse's foot up, by taking away a portion of the hoof wall. He doesn't see a need at all for ever cutting away the hoof wall to air out the disease.
Since I've not seen too many cases of white line in my neck of the woods, I was wondering what you all thought about the subject. Is it necessary to pare the hoof wall away? Or is best to leave it as is and treat it with medications?
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: celia csinos
Email: celiacsinos@hotmail.com
I would like to say first off that today is a very sad day for the farrier and equine industry with the passing of Burney Chapman. My suggestion to you is to read any and all literature Burney Chapman wrote on the subject, also try back issues of the AFJ. Good-luck.
Email: celiacsinos@hotmail.com
I would like to say first off that today is a very sad day for the farrier and equine industry with the passing of Burney Chapman. My suggestion to you is to read any and all literature Burney Chapman wrote on the subject, also try back issues of the AFJ. Good-luck.
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: Kim Hillegas(Feet First Farrier)
Email: Ladyshooz@aol.com
Omar, like anything else dealing with horses it all depends on the individual situation. Personally I opt for notifying the owner whenever I see any aberrations in the hoof health. They all have appreciated it and I make note of it on the horse's chart. This way I can track the progress of treatment and if it gets to a point where a vet is involved we have a starting reference.
I work in Florida and see a fair amount of white line disease. I have developed a simple yet extremely effective method to cure an infection. Of course it is only MOST effective when the horse owner follows through. BUT IT DOES WORK!!! Using a #12 Shoe nail, dig out the white crumbles. Spray the cavity with Hydrogen Peroxide. After alowing it to fizz for a bit. Spray the cavity again with WHITE Vinegar. If it is a small infection, scraping and spraying daily will clear it up by the next trim. A medium cavity can be cleared up by the next trim if it is packed after spraying using a gauze soaked with peroxide. Deep extensive infections, I will do wall resections and use a support shoe while the wall grows out. The peroxide kills the infection without burning live tissue, the vinegar creates an environment NOT conducive to bacteria. I beleive it is a combination of factors that "cure" the infection, probably the most important of which is getting that horse owner to tend to the feet on a daily basis. Or at least 3-4 times a week. I am not convinced that there is a one shot cure out there for white line disease.
Email: Ladyshooz@aol.com
Omar, like anything else dealing with horses it all depends on the individual situation. Personally I opt for notifying the owner whenever I see any aberrations in the hoof health. They all have appreciated it and I make note of it on the horse's chart. This way I can track the progress of treatment and if it gets to a point where a vet is involved we have a starting reference.
I work in Florida and see a fair amount of white line disease. I have developed a simple yet extremely effective method to cure an infection. Of course it is only MOST effective when the horse owner follows through. BUT IT DOES WORK!!! Using a #12 Shoe nail, dig out the white crumbles. Spray the cavity with Hydrogen Peroxide. After alowing it to fizz for a bit. Spray the cavity again with WHITE Vinegar. If it is a small infection, scraping and spraying daily will clear it up by the next trim. A medium cavity can be cleared up by the next trim if it is packed after spraying using a gauze soaked with peroxide. Deep extensive infections, I will do wall resections and use a support shoe while the wall grows out. The peroxide kills the infection without burning live tissue, the vinegar creates an environment NOT conducive to bacteria. I beleive it is a combination of factors that "cure" the infection, probably the most important of which is getting that horse owner to tend to the feet on a daily basis. Or at least 3-4 times a week. I am not convinced that there is a one shot cure out there for white line disease.
Reply at
11/ 5/2003 - 4:23 pm
reply from
dBoard Archive
Name: Jack Millman CJF,DWCF
Email: jmmcjf@javanet.com
The first thing is to determine what you are dealing with. As Burney Chapman noted there are many opportunistic bacteria and fungae involved in the disruption of the hoof wall that one answer may not be enough. I agree with your farrier that you should not jump the gun and start removing hoof wall. Treat the area you believe to be infected with good anti fungal and bacterial soloutions and keep an eye on the situation. The only time to remove hoof wall is if the situation gets away from you and you get a seedy toe situation, which will block access to the opportunistic invader. If this becomes the case only remove as much wall as is unattached and allows access to the infection. There should be no viable bond to the wall and sensitive structures. Use this opening to treat the infection and do not fill it with acrylics. It will grow back rapidly.
Hope this helps.
Email: jmmcjf@javanet.com
The first thing is to determine what you are dealing with. As Burney Chapman noted there are many opportunistic bacteria and fungae involved in the disruption of the hoof wall that one answer may not be enough. I agree with your farrier that you should not jump the gun and start removing hoof wall. Treat the area you believe to be infected with good anti fungal and bacterial soloutions and keep an eye on the situation. The only time to remove hoof wall is if the situation gets away from you and you get a seedy toe situation, which will block access to the opportunistic invader. If this becomes the case only remove as much wall as is unattached and allows access to the infection. There should be no viable bond to the wall and sensitive structures. Use this opening to treat the infection and do not fill it with acrylics. It will grow back rapidly.
Hope this helps.
Reply at
03/ 1/2011 - 1:09 pm
reply from
Michael P Markgraff
Great posts. Thanks for this forum.
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