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White Line
Disease
White Line
Disease
Definition:
Not really a disease, this condition is actually an anaerobic,
fungal infection, which invades at the white line or least resistant
area of the hoof's ground surface. Once established, it spreads
rapidly, effectively destroying the tissue which connects the sole
and wall of the hoof, eventually undermining and weakening the
integrity of the hoof wall. Because the condition is fungal, rather
than bacterial, it is pervasive and persistent and requires
long-term treatment.
Symptoms:
- weak, chipped, or shelly walls
- excessive black tracks in the
water line and wall area
- hollow areas (voids) in the water
line, extending up the wall
- thrush like appearence in the
water line
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Prevention:
- provide clean, dry environment
- apply commercial products to
produce horn
- practice routine maintenance
(picking)
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Treatment:
Treatment varies according to the severity of the condition. Should
it be advanced to the point that the horse is lame and/or hoof wall
integrity is severely compromised and radically undermined, a
veterinarian and a farrier should work in conjunction, performing a
hoof wall resection and applying an appropriate supporting appliance
(often an eggbar or heartbar shoe) to be worn throughout recovery.
Cases of a more intermediate and/or mild nature (i.e., ones which do
not compromise the integrity of the hoof capsule), should be
debrided and treated aggressively with commercially available
medications; my usual recommendation is SBS Gel, applied under a
conventional shoe, followed by SBS Sav-a-Hoof, applied daily to the
coronary band and periople area of the hoof capsule. Other
acceptable medications include Hawthorne's Hoof Freeze and
Hawthorne's Medicated Sole Pack, Farrier Science Clinic's Fungidye,
and Merthiolate.
by Danvers Child , CJF
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