Need hoof help!!
 

This 4 yr old filly is having an I identified problem with all 4 hooves. The farrier has never seen the like in over 30 years of working. Please help!!Attachment 17298


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I've never seen anything like it. Did it come on suddenly or gradually?

I've never seen anything like it either but Googling brings up Pemphigus Foliaceus as a possibility, although PF is usually weepy/open from what I've read. Does the buildup come off if you pick at it?

Is this a new to you horse? I'd have a Vet out asap.

Whoa. :shocked: Nope, that's new to me.

It is a horse I work with. She was born on the farm I work at. The abnormal stuff is dry and does not come off. This started showing up about 7-8 weeks ago. The farrier was out last week, and since being trimmed, she has been moving very slowly. She's hurting, but didn't seem to be until the trimming. The vet is coming out, but I am trying to find some answers too.


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Google coronary band dystrophy it's a quite rare autoimmune disease.

Here's a link: http://www.hoofcare.com/article_pdf/...sKnot7D4CD.pdf

When will the vet be out? I'd really like to know if they have any suggestions.


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I've seen this before - only on donkeys though. I don't know what it is, and have never been able to be rid of it. It never made any of the donkeys lame, and from what I've heard from other farriers over the years, it seems to be somewhat common (on donkeys).

It doesn't match the symptoms of the coronary band dystrophy though.

The vet will hopefully be out in the morning. Until then, she's in deep bedding and has Bute on board, which does seem to be helping her discomfort. The owner of the horse has texted pics to the vet so she can do some research before coming out.

The heels are bleeding some now, and the chestnuts are missing. I feel so bad for her!! This came on between 2 farrier visits, so was very fast onset.


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Well, the missing chestnuts doesn't sound good (check her ergots too) and her being in pain is awful.

Please let us know what happens.

When I've seen something similar on donkeys it's been not around the entire foot but in a line about an inch wide all the way down, have you seen it that way?

Well, the vet has been out. She thinks it is probably Coronary Band Dystrophy, but has drawn blood to check for any mineral toxicity. If the bloodwork is ok, then biopsies will be done. At this point, she is to stay in deep bedded stall rest, have Bute daily and foot soaks with copper sulfate. We found a compound pharmacist who makes a buffered Bue powder that is only $25 for 100 1g doses. This will help the financial aspect of this a bit. The emotional part is the hardest. The research on CBD is not very encouraging.


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I'm sorry, farmmom.

Dang! I'm sorry too. Is the bute helping to make her more comfortable?

Yes. The Bute seems to be helping a good bit. She seems to be feeling much better.


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Update
The vet thought the filly was suffering from zinc or selenium toxicity, so tested for that with normal results. At this point, she doesn't want to biopsy the hoof to check for CBD because she says it will permanently weaken the hoof. She also will not give any treatment other than Bute and alternating soaks in betadine one day and copper sulfate the next. She has said to keep her stalled and to keep her bedding dry and she'll come out again in 2 weeks. Before she came out the first time, I had been treating daily with copper sulfate with no improvement, so I don't really expect improvement on this treatment plan

Kind of reminds me of those rare cases of people with "wooden" hands - keratinous warty growths that cover their hands. It's called Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, and I guess it can happen in other species too. Seems unlikely that it would be something like that though.

Is there a vet school nearby that could be consulted?

The closest vets cool is a couple hours from here. I'll suggest to the owner that she may want to consult with them, or if needed, hail the horse there. They are super expensive (known from referring pets there from the clinic I worked in), though, so I'm not sure if it's doable.

if its such a rare thing, im sure the vet school would jump at the chance even to see her. I know ive never seen anything like it. Maybe the school would work out a deal since it would be a great training opportunity for the students?

Contact Cornell, they may be interested in studying her.

I'm a retired farrier and I have never seen any thing like that that came on so fast. I would lubricate it with a good, thick hoof ointment. It's can't hurt anything.

I know at Michigan State they charge up the wazoo for everything, no matter how 'interesting'.

It's worth a try though, no harm in asking.

Same thing at UT, Tiempo.

Michigan State University has an excellent equine facility. But they are not a charity. If you need a complex surgery, they would be worth checking with. They have a state of the art laboratory and can run blood tests that most other Labs cannot. In cases where there is a rare or unique ailment that would offer a good teaching opportunity, they can offer a reasonable charge.
A neighbor had a dog that got run over by a snowmobile. Local Vet couldn't do much. Took it to MSU. They worked on him for months and saved his life. Lost an eye and a hind leg, but lived. Cost $3000.
Maybe you could contact a few Veterinary Universities with those pictures and get some expert opinions?