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Articles & Information
FROM THE HOOFCARE & LAMENESS ARCHIVES Update on White Line Disease Note: this article was originally published in Hoofcare & Lameness in 1995. Hoof wall infections, whatever their cause or nature, continue to be a problem for a large number of horses in some parts of the world, while exceedingly rare in other parts. While no hard data has been published recently, H&L consulting editor Grant Moon has a few points picked up from his travels around the world. Are horses prone to relapse? Most say yes. Grant Moon finds the problem often in horses he sees on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. To prevent relapse, Grant says he debrides higher than he probably needs to: "Overkill is better than underkill," he says. Many experts would be interested to know if farriers and veterinarians around the world ever see hoof wall infections in 1) horses that have never been shod; 2) barefoot horses. Some cases in barefeet have been recorded. Drying agents are still recommended to kill the fungus, bacteria, or whatever is causing the infection. Grant was asked how to keep a horse in training after the wall has been debrided. He recommends using Keratex, then shoeing with either an egg-heart bar shoe or a continuous clip shoe to keep the foot stable. Does hot shoeing really prevent white line disease? It may help, but Grant noted that he hot fits every horse he shoes, and still sees the disease in those feet. This article originally appeared in Hoofcare & Lameness: The Journal of Equine Foot Science and is available for your personal use only. Re-publication is prohibited without the express written permission of Hoofcare & Lameness. Detailed information on this and many other hoofcare topics can be found in Hoofcare & Lameness publisher Fran Jurga's award-winning guide to hoofcare, "Understanding the Equine Foot". For more information, or to order, click here Back to the articles table of contents Write to H&L: PO Box 6600, Gloucester, MA 01930. Tel 978 281 3222; fax 978 283 8775. Email webinquiry@hoofcare.com. Internet http://www.hoofcare.com. © 1998
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