Hoof Wall Separation Treatment

Understanding how White Line Disease affects horse hoof anatomy is crucial to treating it and that knowledge and expertise is put to work restoring your horse's foot.

Hoof wall separation is serious problem that can often lead to White Line Disease, which is a keratolytic process that takes place on the solar surface of the hoof. Oftentimes, opportunistic fungi and bacteria will invade this separation and lead to infection that can progress to the coronet in various configurations and heights. Primary hoof concerns such as hoof imbalance, abnormal hoof conformation, chronic laminitis, or other conditions that may cause hoof wall separation can cause White Line Disease as a secondary occurrance. This separation can be painful to the animal and, if left untreated, can lead to a seriously debilitating condition, so it's best to catch it early and deal with it promptly.

Overall, the goal of treatment is to address the primary cause for the separation if at all possible. This is where understanding horse hoof anatomy is critical, as one must understand how the hoof is meant to function mechanically versus how it is currently functioning and what the cause is (hoof imbalance, excessive toe length, etc). The first step of this treatment process is removing the outer hoof wall in order to expose the diseased area. This is called debridement or resectioning and should take place over 10-day intervals with thorough examinations every four-to-five weeks.

• Precision removal of hoof wall and horn to exposed diseased area, examine and remove tracts, and allow for natural healing to occur.
• Soak hoof in 1 cup of Epsom salts, ½ cup of bleach, and 1 gallon of warm water for half an hour every day for three days.
• After five days, the "Millenium Patch Application Technique" is applied, allowing a smooth contour to the hoof wall.
• 20 weeks after the "Millenium Patch Application Technique" is applied, the hoof will have a new hoof heel, a clean coronary band growth, and the Millenium Patch will still be tightly in place.

I've used this technique to repair damage caused by hoof wall separation many times and almost every treatment has been successful. Working together with the owner, caretaker, trainer, and resident farrier, we'll form a team to assist the healing process for your horse and get them back into top shape. Hoof repair is an art and my experience has taken me all over the world, working with all breeds of horses and all manner of hoof challenges. I put this knowledge and experience to work for you to restore your horse's lame hoof, so if your horse is having a foot problem, call 716-903-9596 or contact me online today and let's work together to get your horse back in top condition!