veterinary surgery

1. HOOF AFFECTIONS
CRACKS

2. HOOF CRACKS
Definition:
Vertical or horizontal cracks in the hoof
wall that start at the ground surface
dark fissure creeping from the ground up
the hoof wall

3. DEFINING HOOF CRACKS
• Location--Toe, quarter, heel, and bar.
• Depth--Superficial or deep.
1. Superficial cracks rarely result in lameness and often can
be cleared up quickly.
2. Deep cracks that reach all the way to the sensitive inner
structures can cause intense pain and lameness. Deep
cracks, in some instances, might require elaborate and
costly treatment.
• Length--Complete or incomplete. A complete crack would
be one that runs from the coronary band to the ground
surface. An incomplete crack would be shorter.
• Origin--The crack either starts at the coronary band and
travels down or starts at ground level and works up.

4. WHO ARE AFFECTED??
 The incidence in Standardbred racehorses is probably the
highest within breed and sport types.
 This may be a function of the reasonably heavy workload
and the fact that they are shod frequently and work on
reasonably hard track surfaces.
 Because of the abrasive nature of some tracks, the shoes
wear rapidly and thus there is the need for frequent shoeing.
Racehorses in general appear to have a higher incidence,
whether Thoroughbred or Quarter Horse.,
 the incidence in the winter is higher and further indicates
that it may that the addition of chemicals to the surface to
prevent surface freezing play a role."

5. TYPES OF HOOF CRACKS:
1. Grass crack
2. Sand cracks
3. Heel cracks
4. Bar cracks
5. Toe cracks
6. Quarter cracks

6. GRASS CRACK
1) Typically a grass crack is a superficial flaw that
starts from the ground and moves upward.
2) It is usually very thin and does not penetrate deep
within the wall.
3) These cracks can occur for many reasons:
 ground condition changes (specifically, from very
wet to dry environmental conditions)
 poor nutrition (malnourishment inhibits hoof growth)
 lack of exercise (as exercise increases healthy
blood flow to the hoof).

7. GRASS CRACK

8. SAND CRACKS
very similar to grass cracks;
however, they originate from the
coronary band and extend
downward.
Causes:
 Brittle and thin wall
 Excessive rasping of hoof
 Lack of trimming
 Concussion of the hoof during
galloping
 Injury in coronary band

9. HEEL CRACKS:
 can be very painful.
 Most are caused by “short shoeing,”
meaning the heel of the shoe does not cover
the heel of the horse’s foot. Cracking in the
heel region might also result from a shoe that
is too long—
 excessive shoe length creates leverage that
applies excessive force to the heel region.
Heel cracks might also develop due to
uneven heel loading.

10. HEEL CRACKS:

11. BAR CRACKS
 That appear in the bars
(the inward folds of the
hoof wall, located on
either side of the frog)
 also can be painful and
are usually caused by:
 trauma (e.g., stepping
on a hard or sharp
object).
 Folded or crooked bars
tend to be weaker and
more prone to cracking.

12. TOE CRACK
*overload the toe when he moves, causing
these cracks. Also, many horses with heel
pain land toe first, causing extreme toe
concussion-

13. QUARTER CRACK
*can be the most aggravating of all hoof cracks to
manage. They are usually caused by uneven foot
landing, usually due to
1. conformation defects
2. They can also result from many other factors such
as neglect (hooves can grow too long if not
trimmed regularly, causing cracks and splits),
3. imbalance (when one side of the coronary band is
higher than the other), coffin bone defects (e.g.,
inflammation and demineralization of the coffin
bone, fractures, keratomas

14. QUARTER CRACKS
*Quarter cracks usually appear at the coronary band and grow
toward the ground.
1. These types of cracks might bleed or become infected,
causing extreme pain
2. veterinarian might need to take radiographs (X rays) to
determine the exact cause of the crack. Radiographs can
reveal foreign objects in the hoof wall, coffin bone defects,
or coffin bone remodeling that could weaken the wall and
create cracks.

15. HOOF CRACKS
Hoof abscesses
can also cause cracks. If your horse has an
abscess and the infection drains from the
coronary band, a small horizontal crack
called a cleft might appear at the hairline.
Usually, these small clefts will grow down the
hoof wall with no problems as long as they
are kept clean and reasonably dry.

16. CRACKS IN CATTLE
 wall cracks are divided into two categories –
vertical (sand cracks) and horizontal. If a crack
goes clear through the horn, it causes pain and
lameness.
 Some studies say : dry conditions are probably
the biggest predisposing factor.
 Other studies say : vertical wall cracks are much
more common in beef cattle than dairy cattle,
but horizontal cracks are common in all cattle

17. CRACKS IN CATTLE
Horizontal vertical
Def Cracks that run
parallel to the coronary
band
Fewer than 1% of dairy cows develop vertical
wall cracks (sand cracks)
More than 80% of these cracks occur on the
outside claw of the front foot
The inside claw is slightly larger, and bears
most of the weight, but there is more
movement and strain on the outer claw.
causes 1. physiological
change…….
Difficult calving
2. Seasonal
changes……
longer hours of
daylight.
3. Nutritional…….
green grass
We don’t know why most cracks appear on the
outside claw of the front foot, but this may be
due to:
1. the weight and conformation of those
particular animals that puts additional
stress on that claw.
2. There is a genetic component, but actual
causes are far from clear; there are
probably several contributing factor
3. “Other factors associated with vertical
cracks include vitamin and trace
mineraldeficiencies,

18. CLINICAL SIGNS
1) There is no lameness in simple or superficial
cracks
lameness in deep or complicate cracks
2) They increase in length and depth day by day,
and extend through the crust to the quick.
In this condition the lameness - at first only
slight - becomes severe, owing to the sensitive
structures being torn and pinched between the
edges of the fissure.
3) Blood may ooze from the line of the crack

19. CLINICAL SIGNS
1) if neglected, fungous growth (proud flesh)
sprouts out,
with it an offensive discharge of pus or
"matter“
2) Lameness in this disease is always present
where the rent reaches the sensitive parts. It is
aggravated by fast movement,
when ascending or descending a hill.
3)
In those cases where cracks are superficial,
they may continue and grow out without
causing inconvenience

20. DIAGNOSIS
1/ inspection
2/ physical examination of the hoof
3/ compression by application of a hoof tester (
it give an evidence that the cracks invade
sensitive laminae)
4/ after exercise ,bleeding or exudate indicate
a complicated hoof crack
5/ probing . The probe reveals pain when
touches the sensitive laminae

21. HOOF TREATMENT :

22. EXAMINING THE HORSE’S HOOF
1) Analyze the foot yourself. Perform a visual examination,
use hoof testers and so forth.
2) Examine the entire horse to determine his stance and
the condition of his body.
3) Assess the environment he is living in and working in.
4) Assess how the foot moves.
5) Perform an evaluation of the shoeing and/or trimming
methods that are used.

23. THERE ARE COMPONENTS THAT WILL BE TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION WHEN DETERMINING THE
TREATMENT METHOD, INCLUDING
– The cost of the repair and treatment
– The location of the crack
– The time it will take to treat the crack
– The horse’s daily function

24. 1) ADDRESS ANY FOOT IMBALANCE
One traditional way to
treat sand cracks
Is to remove the
concavity and long toe
and place a plate over
the crack to create
stability. In most
cases the horse is
then shod with a heart
bar shoe.

25. 2- RESTRICT MOVEMENT
The horse should be confined to
restrict excessive movement for
a minimum of 3-4 weeks.
Movement will continue to drive
the cracks open and therefore
an enforced short period of box
rest allows stability through the
crack as new horn grows down
from the coronary band. Once
this happens, provided that foot
is not imbalanced, the horse
can usually be reintroduced to
exercise.

26. 3- REMOVE ANY INFECTION WITHIN
THE CRACK
Any infection should be removed from within
the crack, usually by paring out the under-run
areas if horn.

27. :LOCAL APPLICATION
1- Prophylactic dose of antitetanic sera
2- Antibiotics
Of antibiotics in the fissure Mixture of
1- cod liver oil
2- iodoform
3- sulfonamide
-Enhancing new horny tissue formation by
application of blister on the coronary region
-Then hoof bandage covered with madical
tar

28. Application of shoe with protrusions to prevent
over widning of the crack

29. A RELATIVELY NEW METHOD FOR
STABILISING OF THE CRACKS
Firstly the defect is
cleaned and widened
to check for any
damaged tissue and
to gain access to
remove infection and
any loose horn
material removed to
create a smooth
surface.
Then two sets of holes
are drilled on either
side of the crack.

30. 2-Stainless steel wire is
threaded through the
holes and tightened. Hoof
repair composite is then
mixed and a layer applied
to the prepared area of
the foot, completely filling
the quarter crack.

32. WHAT TO DO HELPING TO PREVENTCRACKS
IN HORSES’ HOOFS
CONTROL:
1-cleaning and inspecting your horse’s feet daily
and ensuring he is on a routine trimming
and/or shoeing cycle for
2-preventive maintenance.
 Employ a well-qualified farrier to keep your
horse’s hooves balanced.
 providing superior nutritional support for his
hooves
 include, amino acids (methionine, glycine and
lysine) combined with essential proteinated
trace minerals (zinc, copper and cobalt) and B
vitamins (including biotin).

33. CONTROL:
3-providing superior nutritional support for his
hooves
include, amino acids (methionine, glycine and
lysine) combined with essential proteinated
trace minerals (zinc, copper and cobalt) and
B vitamins (including biotin).
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34. THANK YOU