How do you know if you have a white line disease?

White line disease may be diagnosed during a routine trimming when a farrier notices a small area of crumbly or powdery black or gray tissue at the white line. Paring away the damaged horn reveals separation of the hoof layers leading upward from the toe toward the coronary band.

What is the difference between laminitis and white line disease?

“The difference is where that cavity—a gas pocket— shows up on the X-ray. White line disease can also cause some rotation of the coffin bone, like laminitis, but it’s a little different type of rotation. Instead of the coffin bone pulling away from the laminae, it pulls away from the hoof capsule itself.

What causes white line separation in horses?

Degeneration of the horn at the white line leads to separation of the hoof wall from the underlying structures and weakening of the hoof wall. A combination of infectious, mechanical, nutritional and environmental factors have been implicated in causing the problem.

What is white line hoof disease?

White line disease is characterized by an invasion of bacteria and fungi that destroy hoof-wall tissue. It’s within the next two layers of hoof wall that white line disease usually occurs, making the name a misnomer. The white line lies just inside the hoof wall and is not affected by its eponymous disease.

How long does it take to cure white line disease?

In general, resolution takes as long as the hoof wall takes to grow down and fill in the void. If you consider a full hoof wall at the toe requires nine to 10 months to grow, then resection halfway up the hoof means it’ll take four to five months to recover.

What is white line disease caused by?

The exact organism that causes white line disease is not known, but it is known to be caused by bacteria in the soil getting into a weakened spot in the hoof wall, such as a quarter crack, which then sets up a fungal infection that leads to the disease.

Can a hoof abscess cause laminitis?

Horses with an abscess should have a single painful spot, while those that are sore all over the hoof may have diffuse disease such as laminitis or a coffin bone fracture.

How do you treat white lightning hoofs?

Insert hoof in Disposable Soak Bag (sold separately) or heavy plastic bag to contain the chlorine dioxide gas and secure top to prevent leakage. For best results, keep hoof contained for 40-45 minutes. Repeat 2-3 times per week for 4-6 weeks, then 1-2 times weekly until hoof has grown out completely.

What are the signs of laminitis?

Signs of acute laminitis include the following:

• Lameness, especially when a horse is turning in circles; shifting lameness when standing.
• Heat in the feet.
• Increased digital pulse in the feet (most easily palpable over either sesamoid bone at the level of the fetlock).

What causes hoof wall separation in horses?

A separation in the hoof wall is considered to be a delaminating process potentially thought to originate from genetic factors, mechanical stress, inappropriate farriery and environmental conditions affecting the inner hoof wall attachment (Moyer 2003).

Is white line disease in horses contagious?

The most common signs of white line disease are hoof wall separation noticed by a farrier during routine trimming/shoeing and slow, poor hoof wall growth. Is it contagious?: White line disease is not contagious.

How do you treat white line disease in donkeys?

Resection. Your farrier or vet will remove all the damaged horn. This procedure should not be painful but it may be necessary to remove a lot of hoof wall if the disease has progressed.

Is white line disease fatal?

The reality is that deeply rooted infections like white line disease and chronic thrush are nearly impossible to kill with one application of a strong topical agent. Bacteria and fungi are very adept at hiding among healthy hoof tissue due to millions of years of evolution.

Does Thrush Buster work on white line disease?

The Thrush Buster killed White Line disease where it was applied and continued to spread and kill more fungus over time. The Formaldehyde/Iodine killed White Line Disease only where it was applied directly.

What is hoof thrush?

Thrush is an infection of the central and lateral sulcus of the frog of the horse’s foot, most often involving bacterial infection, occasionally fungal infection.