Why won't my horse's hoof heal? It smells bad and her leg is swollen.

Question

What is wrong with my horses foot? At first we thought it was an abcess but there is nothing in it. The scab never heals and sometimes leaks blood and our. The good grows in clunky. A foul smelling substance comes out every time we trim the hoof. Her leg is swollen. She has had this for a few years. Pet's info: Farm Animal | Horse | Female | unspayed | 12 years and 10 months old

Julie Settlage, DVM, DACVS-LA, CVA · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately it looks like Cayenne has significantly damaged the part of her hoof from which the growth starts - her coronary band. Additionally the part of the foot that attaches the hard part of her foot to the deeper living tissues, the lamina, appears to also be damaged. The most likely cause of this was a bad bout of laminitis and, possibly, ongoing damage over the intervening years. When this happens, the coronary band cannot produce a normal hoof and the laminar damage makes the foot grow abnormally. These problems can also set her up for chronic foot infections along the white line. To maximize her comfort and health, you need to partner with both a veterinarian and a farmer. The veterinarian can do some tests to try and see why this happened and prescribe medications, if needed, to reduce the incidence of flare ups. They will also take x-rays to assist the farrier in providing the best foot trim and, likely shoes. This condition cannot usually be cured, but management can help make her more comfortable. Thank you for using pet coach!

Why won't my horse's hoof heal? It smells bad and her leg is swollen.

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