White Line Disease

I was thinking about this foot last night sorry! It seems to me to be very very flat (and I'm rather used to flat feet) so I am not suprised she is struggling a bit, are all her others the same/always been like that? I too would be a little concerned about the possible under pedal bone bruising - Depending on how thick the soles are I'd think she might be quite susceptible to further bruising if left without a shoes. I suppose I'd want to start with diet, and given her age a cushings test too OP.
 
_HP_ said:
Has your vet/farrier ruled out laminitis and rotation?
The dark area between the point of the frog and the toe is about the area where the pedal bone would penetrate the sole in severe rotation and some of the laminae look quite stretched from what I can see.
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Neither of them have said anything about that. I shall ask the question

amandap said:
I am sorry if I have upset you Skint1 and I hope your mare is doing a bit better.
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You haven't upset me at all, I really appreciate you taking the time and sharing your expertise, I am upset with myself.

My mare was improving, seemed "sound" in the field, and only marginally footy on concrete. Farrier came out Monday, seemed ok about everything, said to give it a few days and then he would see about putting a shoe on, but not nailing it on, he's going to do what she had last year when she lost a big chunk of foot, (other front) where they made what I can only describe is a cast made of vet wrap type stuff that acts a shoe.

Anyway, she was stabled for a bit during the heavy rain we had this week, turned her back out and now she is really lame again. I have spoken to farrier just now, I have to bring her in over the weekend on box rest, he and the vet will speak on Monday and one or both will come out. I will ask if they're concerned about the pedal bone, and say that I am concerned about it, and also request Cushings test.


ester said:
I was thinking about this foot last night sorry! It seems to me to be very very flat (and I'm rather used to flat feet) so I am not suprised she is struggling a bit, are all her others the same/always been like that? I too would be a little concerned about the possible under pedal bone bruising - Depending on how thick the soles are I'd think she might be quite susceptible to further bruising if left without a shoes. I suppose I'd want to start with diet, and given her age a cushings test too OP.
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Thanks Ester, both her front feet are flat like that, the back ones are flat but not quite so bad. Previous owners have told me she needs restricted grazing in Spring, I've owned her a couple of years now and do restrict her. Her current diet is Formula4Feet, Hi Fi Lite and a bit of Fast Fibre.

To protect the foot whilst without a shoe I have made her a boot for turn out to protect her foot. Includes (optional) poultice, 2 nappies, vet wrap, Gorilla Tape, a bit of carpet, vet wrap, gorilla tape, it's kept it clean and dry as it can given the weather, but sadly I have just been told to box rest her. Luckily my yard mates are going to bring their horses in in shifts to keep her company and my daughter's horse will stay in overnight with her.

chrisritch said:
Both have been discontinued now and replaced by this:

http://www.stromsholm.co.uk/farriers-finish-by-life-data-labs-473ml-6697-p.asp
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Thanks both!
 
Try adding either ( or both, wont harm) spirulina and linseed, and thunderbrooks base mix to normal chop/feed, worked wonders for my lads feet, separated white line, poor hoof quality, he has improved no end on base mix and linseed ( micronised), tightened up those hooves, even farrier commented on how good they are... and he is PPID ( cushings) positive...
 
skint1 said:
You haven't upset me at all, I really appreciate you taking the time and sharing your expertise, I am upset with myself.
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I am relieved and bless you, many of us have been there. x

The Cushings test is a very good idea and in the mean time I would treat her as an acute laminitic with her response to the grazing. The hoof wraps are also a great idea and can even be used with pads or other sole protection.
 
Micky said:
Try adding either ( or both, wont harm) spirulina and linseed, and thunderbrooks base mix to normal chop/feed, worked wonders for my lads feet, separated white line, poor hoof quality, he has improved no end on base mix and linseed ( micronised), tightened up those hooves, even farrier commented on how good they are... and he is PPID ( cushings) positive...
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Thank you! I have bought some Linseed oil just the other day as it happens, for this mare and my other horse to take their turmeric with. I shall look into the Thunderbrooks feeds


amandap said:
I am relieved and bless you, many of us have been there. x

The Cushings test is a very good idea and in the mean time I would treat her as an acute laminitic with her response to the grazing. The hoof wraps are also a great idea and can even be used with pads or other sole protection.
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I will do. I was so anxious not to box rest her to stop her from being upset and she seemed fine in her pen until the other day when she went back in there after the rain, I am so worried that I have done the wrong thing, should've box rested her from the beginning, they aren't meant to move about if their pedal bone is compromised.

What will happen to her if something is wrong with her pedal bone? Will she recover?

When I got to yard this evening to bring her and my daughter's horse in she looked almost sound in her pen, she walked to meet me, but once I had her walking up to her stable it was clear she was quite lame, not afraid to walk or anything but head bobbing lame. I re-poulticed her foot, it seems like she has soft bits around the edge of her foot.
 
If you have a good farrier, you can sort the pedal bone...dont feel guilty! Take a look at the laminitis site and from there, there is a faceboook link, ask Andrea Jones about pedal bone etc, she will help you .
 
http://www.thelaminitissite.org/

Have a read of this OP...scroll down to find the link to their Facebook page...EMS,Cushings and laminitis UK Facebook group. Chat to the ladies there. They are very knowledgeable and helpful :)
Pedal bone rotation is usually treatable with correct treatment from your vet (X-rays) and farrier (correct trim)....IF it turns out to be that.
I too would be treating her as laminitis until your vet gets to see her.
Good luck
 
Tub foot in milton sterile solution, and keep feet trimmed, its the wet weather thats causing it and foot care
 
Thanks Striker, I've been doing that too since last week, she's got a bit impatient with me about it. She's very unhappy on box rest, even with a friend in for company, my heart is breaking for her :(
 
Is the tubbing for an abscess or wld? I wouldn't use milton daily for abscess or wld in a soak. I would do a soak weekly (milton) or follow cleantrax instructions if for wld.

You need to wait for the X Ray results before a plan what to do. Many horses have recovered from sinking and/or rotation with the right support and diet.

Is there a sand school or grass free area with good footing or even a way of covering the grass in her pen (old carpet or similar) she could be turned out in wearing pads? I would add some gut support to her diet while she is stressed.

I also wanted to say that I am not really an expert (with expertise) but an owner who has learned through experience and research.
 
The farrier and vet are now coming on Wednesday afternoon, this was the soonest we could correlate schedules.
I can't turn her out in the school because people use it all the time.


I could set her up with a pen outside her stable if I got the permission of everyone it will effect but I am frightened that if this is not purely WLD and there's something amiss with her pedal bone or something then stomping about on concrete is not going to help. Similarly, I am scared to turn her out in her pen, I don't have anything to cover the grass, there's not much grass in her pen (it's in the treeline) but maybe enough to set her back if it is severe laminitis.

The little bit of walking I have seen her do, she seems more comfortable, but I think I have lost all objectivity to be honest.
 
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You have to manage her the best you can, ignore my ideas if unworkable.:)

How did things go on Wednesday? I so hope there is a plan and you and your horse are feeling better. x
 
Hi OP, having read through your thread I wish you the best of luck with everything. I have no experience of WLD but I am concerned that my boy might have this. He has a slight gap between sole and hoof wall, however my farrier has never mentioned this or expressed any concern. I noticed because it's only in his 2 hinds that his hooves look like this and he is just having a second abscess in the other hind. My other pony does not have these either.
I've had a vet and farrier look at his hooves and no one has ever expressed any concern, so maybe I'm overreacting and it's just another abscess due to the wet ground and that is it. I am thinking of getting a second opinion from another farrier.
 
Is it just the mud and muck that triggers the lameness? If so this sounds exactly like my boy. He would stay perfectly sound for weeks and weeks at a time but only if the fields were dry.

Proper white line disease, as in infected laminae is unlikely to heal itself while ever the horse is bearing weight on the hoof as the split just continues to track up the hoof. What you think is an abscess is actually infected laminae separating from the pedal bone.

I am, hand on heart, not just saying this off the top of my head. I've had two years of mis-diagnosis, prattling about, ridiculous amounts of poulticing and the horse going through severe pain every time he went lame.

All is now well though with a short stay in vet hospital to cut right back to healthy hoof and he's merrily paddling in all the spring mud again, which is nothing short of a miracle. The downside is, due to all the pratting about we had, he now has some necrosis in the pedal bone due to the repeated infections.

Sorry this is a bit of an essay but I think you really need a specialist referral to a vet who sees this type of thing day in day out.
 
Hi all, sorry to take so long to catch up with this thread. I wanted to thank you all for your advice and support. Last Wednesday whilst farrier and vet were there my daughter's horse went lame too (stone bruise, apparently also has poor, thin soles) I got a bit down about the mouth and couldn't marshall my thoughts properly, and tbh I am still not sure if the right things have been done.

The mare has been treated with Cleantrax, shod and is sound, I will be taking her for a short ride for the first time tonight, my vet has promised me that if there are any further issues they will consider ex-rays and testing for Cushings but they felt at this stage it was not needed. I don't know what I think about that.


Debs- I didn't ask about hospital referrals, but it sounds as though I should have.
 
I'm so glad she is comfortable. :) Have a hug.

All I can suggest is to take your time and research all you can about hooves, healthy and unhealthy etc. Pete Ramey's website is a great place to start and the book Feet first by Nic Barker and Sarah Braithwaite. It is well worth looking at diet as both horses are having problems. If testing grazing and hay is out look at the balancers based on average UK grass/hay deficiencies such as Forage Plus and Pro Earth (ebay). Both are very helpful if you need advice.
 
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