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Dealing With Sand Cracks in Horses
By Deepak | November 5, 2008
Threat to horses - Most of the time a horse will develop what is considered a superficial sand crack. These superficial cracks do not pose the threat of making the horse lame. However, they should still be taken seriously because sand cracks can reach into the sensitive layers of the hoof wall or extend into the coronary band. In more serious cases this can lead to an infection developing, and in turn cause acute lameness.
Causes - A major cause of sand cracks in horses is damage to the top of the hoof from where the horn has been produced. Another cause is incorrect trimming of the feet as well as poor conformation from birth. For example low heels and long toes.An unbalanced or overgrown foot can cause a crack that extends from the ground surface upwards. Unequal forces acting on the foot cause separation of the horn tubules, which extends up the foot until the bond between tubules is stronger than the separating force.
How they form - A defect in the coronary band will cause a fissure to form. This results in a wound to that point, where the quality of the hoof at this site is poor. When fissure grows down the hoof a vertical crack is formed.A permanent sand crack occurs when the coronary band is damaged. Cells that produce the horn cannot produce horn to heal up the crack if they are also damaged.
Treatment - If a crack is infected it must be trimmed out and all evidence of the infection removed. It is very likely that the horse will require both local and systemic antibiotic treatment, as well as daily dressing. A synthetic resin can be used to fill the trimmed-out crack after the horse is sound. It may also require staples or wire lacing. Another option is to build up a fiberglass pad over the filled crack. The pad is secured to the hoof wall on each side of the crack using small screws.
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