Hoof Rehab Podiatry and Lameness Center

06/03/2023

Weigh the risks and benefits of various types of boots and wraps before strapping them to your horse’s legs.

06/01/2023

An equine nutritionist describes factors to consider before choosing an oil to feed your horse.

05/27/2023

One veterinarian explains how to manage horse hoof puncture wounds and ensure they heal properly.

04/27/2023

While still quite experimental, we have been utilizing this class of drugs for several months now and have seen good results as long as vigilant monitoring of bloodwork and clinical assessments are performed regularly.

A new class of drugs borrowed from human medicine could prove useful in horses with refractory metabolic disease.

02/25/2023

Movement assymetry is sign of lameness, likely due to discomfort. How much pain does a lame horse experience while standing in the paddock?

11/11/2022

Thank you for your service Veterans

10/24/2022

A veterinarian explains the causes, diagnostic procedures, and possible management strategies for podotrochlosis.

09/09/2022

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2071354946370703&id=332831870223028

09/07/2022

Discover tips for managing horses with insulin resistance, and get your questions answered during the live recording of our podcast.

08/19/2022

Addressing hoof abscesses early can help horses have the best outcome.

08/07/2022

A new study shows that lack of exercise is an important risk factor for insulin dysregulation, and that even light exercise appears to reduce the risk.

08/06/2022

Learn about two different and unrelated processes that present as firm swellings in the horse's pastern region.

06/15/2022

As a follow up to our previous post: when plain radiographs are utilized to evaluate the onset and diagnosis of laminitis, limited information can be gained. If displacement of the coffin bone has not occurred yet, radiographs provide little insight into the current status of the foot.

A venogram, on the other hand, can provide much more information beyond that of hoof-bone relationship. It gives insight into the distribution of venous blood flow, which closely resembles arterial blood flow.

Numerous areas of this image can show deviations from normal that are apparent on a venogram the first day of inflammation. Performing subsequent venograms will show the changes in these areas as they are affected by continuing deterioration or therapeutic intervention.

Serial venograms can be utilized to evaluate the success or failure of the chosen treatment often weeks before any change can be detected on a plain radiograph. However correct interpretation of the information provided is key to successful use of the venogram.

The “advanced notice” provided by serial venograms affords us the opportunity to intervene before massive damage occurs, often allowing us to preserve the architecture of the foot while we treat the cause of the laminitis, thus affording the horse a chance to have a completely normal foot when it’s all over.

Bottom line: radiographs, while helpful, only document the effect laminitis has already had on the foot. Venograms however let us know what’s happening right now and what’s likely to happen so we can make decisions accordingly.

Note: the foot in this image is the same foot in the previous post, on the same day at the same time. This venogram tells us the horse does have laminitis and there is some level of instability in the laminar bond.

06/15/2022

Traditionally, if a horse is suspected to be experiencing laminitis, plain radiographs are taken at initial evaluation to determine if there is rotation/displacement of the coffin bone or other more subtle signs, as well as to compare future images to.

So if that is all one uses to evaluate laminitis, and I told you this horse is experiencing laminitis, what about this radiograph confirms that diagnosis?

Hint: this is a trick question

05/30/2022

Happy Memorial Day to everyone. Let’s all remember those this day honors.

05/28/2022

Capped of a great week full of good cases and learning. A big thank you to Dr. Sammy Pittman for sharing his time and knowledge.

05/24/2022

Scott and I are enjoying the privilege to spend time this week with Dr. Sammy Pittman here in Collinsville, TX at his beautiful Podiatry and Veterinary practice. Looking to bringing a bit of his knowledge back with us to share with our clients.

04/29/2022

We certainly don’t have pretty feet yet….

But this aged horse is certainly feeling much younger than he did before we started, running about full tilt in the pasture.

These feet have taken a beating over the years. Chronically thin soles allowed repeated trauma and damage to the delicate vasculature that supplies the bone and solar tissue resulting in marked resorption and remodeling of the coffin bone, chronic pain, repeat abscesses, badly distorted hoof capsules and deterioration in the over all health of the foot.

Again we utilize mechanics to influence the physical forces on the capsule, as well as influence the distribution of blood flow. While we haven’t witnessed remarkable growth of the sole underneath the apex of P3, we didn’t fully expect too this early. When the insults happen over years, it takes some time for the vasculature to recover enough to accept the blood flow we are trying to push its way. We have however greatly improved his comfort, largely because not only did a shoe raise the sole off the ground and provide some relief, the mechanical reduction in the tension of the deep flexor tendon in turn reduces the compression of the apex of P3 against the sole.

With some time we expect these feet to make visual improvements. Patience and commitment from the Owner however is vital so these feet can withstand nature’s insults until we reach a point where the foot is better suited to protect itself and what’s inside.

04/20/2022

A tale of two laminitics:

Below are a series of radiographs, taken at subsequent shoeings 8 weeks apart, of both front feet of two different horses suffering from chronic laminitis. I post them to illustrate how the level of bone damage as well as uncontrolled endocrine disease can affect the growth response.

The first four images are from an aged horse with severe bone damage, having been resorbed almost to the level of the terminal arch. The terminal arch is a primary level artery delivering blood to the bone and surrounding tissues. When bone resorption reaches this level, the potential for sole growth is severely compromised and pain can be difficult to control. This horse, while relatively comfortable, suffers continued painful bouts of abscess formation and the growth rate is near zero to 5mm over 8 weeks. This horse has been diagnosed with PPID and IR/EMS which has been somewhat difficult to keep controlled. This also negatively affects growth response.

The last four images are from a similarly aged horse with less severe damage. Compare the bone shape and size relative to the hoof. While resorption has occurred, it’s to a lesser degree than the first horse. In turn, the growth response is better and the comfort level of this horse is basically normal. He has suffered no episodes of abscess formation. This horse also has endocrine disease but has been controlled.

All of this is to say that level of damage is very closely tied to growth prognosis. The whole idea behind aggressive mechanical intervention at the onset of laminitis is to prevent a horse from getting into the stage where all the money and effort cannot change the outcome. Better yet, intervene before the onset of laminitis by regularly testing your horse for abnormalities in insulin regulation and the onset of PPID. The best treatment after all is prevention.

Contact your Veterinarian now to schedule some blood work. It’s super easy and way less expensive than treating laminitis!

04/14/2022

Join us for a discussion on the effects of spring grass on the gastrointestinal tract with Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist Dr. Katie Young.

03/26/2022

Learn how nutritionists took three horses from fat to fabulous.

03/24/2022

Use this handy visual guide to learn the differences between equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and insulin dysregulation (ID).

03/22/2022

Learn how to combat foot issues such as thrush, white line disease, and abscesses that can develop in or be exacerbated by moist, muddy conditions.

03/08/2022

Strategies for avoiding high non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) intake by horses and ponies at risk for pasture laminitis.

03/04/2022

Notice a difference? Same exact shoe and pad in both photos. What do you suppose is the primary issue being addressed in this hind foot?

02/26/2022

Beautiful day in Florida this morning 🌞

02/22/2022

Learn about the differences, and a few key similarities, between these two endocrine diseases.

02/15/2022

Vaccination and quarantine play key roles in controlling infectious respiratory pathogens such as equine influenza virus.

02/10/2022

Deep digital flexor tendon injuries, especially those in the pastern area, rarely act alone.