This page features cases of acute and chronic laminitis and the treatment of these cases.
Horse:- Pony Gelding
Statis:- Current
This pony was recently taken to the vet hospital with chronic laminitis. The pony only showed slight lameness at the walk however it must be noted that the horse had been on a course of Phenylbutazone (Bute). He had been shod by a farrier using heart bar shoes and had been shod 3 weeks prior to us seeing him. At first sight it was obvious that the hoof capsule needed drastic re-modeling and the shoe had been placed to far forward causing additional strain on the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon and possibly causing further rotation. The frog cannot be seen forward of the frog support plate indicating that it had been possible been placed too far forward which could have caused ulceration of the sole As can be seen by the radiographs the pony had rotation of the pedal bone within the hoof capsule. Our main goal was to re-model the hoof capsule around the pedal bone, provide support to the bony column and to take strain on the deep digital flexor tendon by easing breakover.
Good radiographs are critical to determine position of the pedal bone in order to position the frog support and to be able to re-model the hoof capsule. The lines drawn on the radiographs show how the hoof capsule is to be dressed and the shoe applied.
Heart bar shoes made from concave steel were used in combination with leather pads and Lab-Putty for support. A rolled toe was forged into the shoe to ease break-over.
A radiograph was taken after the pony had been shod and it can be seen that the pedal bone is now in alignment with the bony column and the hoof wall now corresponds with the dorsal aspect of the pedal bone. The break-over point is situated directly beneath the tip of the pedal bone.
The pony trotted out immediately after being shod with no obvious lameness.
n the deep digital flexor tendon by easing breakover.
ed and the shoe applied.
