Sliced Hoof

On May 23, 2003, Hobo, a yearling Quarter Horse colt was standing in mud next to a metal shed. When he pulled his leg out of the mud part of his hoof was sliced off by the metal on the shed.

The owner was told by his veterinarian that the horse should put down. Instead, he called Lucid Med Tec II and described what had happened and ask if there was anything that could be done for Hobo.

Lucid Med Tec II called a veterinarian and a farrier to visit their facilities and assess Hobo's injury. After their evaluations it was determined that with proper treatment, nutrition and care that Hobo's hoof could be healed and that eventually the coronary band would generate new hoof growth.

Dr. Stan Brandon, DVM described Hobo's injury and treatment as follows:

"Hobo sustained an injury to the lateral hoof wall on May 23, 2003. The injury removed approximately 80% of the hoof wall from the sole up to the coronary band. In the initial stages of the injury, it was unsure how much the coronary band was injured.

"Hobo was treated with an injection of procaine penicillin G and a tetanus antitoxin. The wound was bandaged to keep clean and he was given one tablet per every 100lbs of 960 mg of Trimeth/ Sulfa was crushed up and placed in his feed.

"The wound was treated topically with nitrofurazone and TopicAid. The nitrofurazone was discontinued after five treatments over a 10-day period. The prescribed treatment for Hobo's injury was to drench the wound with TopicAid every other day and to keep the wound bandaged.

"Wounds similar to this injury are found on horses with founder (laminitis) due to rotation of the bone. The wall resections I have seen on these animals seem to show a small subclinincal infection due to necrotic odor present. That has never been the case with Hobo as there has been no necrotic odor with Hobo on bandage change.

"After three weeks the farrier fashioned a special shoe for Hobo's hoof that would offer further support for the hoof and provide for proper weight transfer. The shoe is changed about every three weeks.
emu-oil-hoof
"After approximately two months it seems the hoof wall is starting to regenerate down from the coronary band. Granulation tissue and infection seemed to be very minor or absent when the bandages were changed."

Hobo remains at the Lucid Med Tec II facility, his new adopted home, where he is lavishly treated. His diet consists of oats and alfalfa daily with plenty of water, and he exhibits all of the good health of a completely recovered horse. Says President Vicki Hofert, "Honestly, we're not spoiling him - much!!"