Whether you are a farrier or veterinarian, a penetrating injury of the foot won’t be a daily occurrence in your practice. Dane Tatarniuk, a veterinary surgeon at Iowa State University (ISU) College of Veterinary Medicine, reminds farriers and veterinarians to be prepared and knowledgeable about this trauma because, at some point, it will happen and you’ll be called on in your role to aid in the animal’s recovery.

Tatarniuk joined with ISU farrier Doug Russo at the school’s Spring Clinic and Competition to talk about their team approach. The presentation primarily focused on using a street nail procedure to address septic navicular bursitis.

Introduction To Diagnosis And Treatment

Being that veterinary students attended the clinic, a significant portion of the discussion focused on the diagnosis and treatment of street nails prior to the farrier’s inclusion in these cases. Despite the separation of duties, farriers benefited from seeing this, as it could help them in understanding the vet’s role and improve communication. Tatarniuk warns against assumptions in these cases or expecting consistency in which they will be presented. The horse may not necessarily present as a penetrating injury per se, but perhaps as an abscess, fracture or some other severe issue.