Posted by Lee Sackett on August 19, 2000 at 12:57:31:
In Reply to: Re: white line disease--PS posted by Ray Miller on July 21, 2000 at 15:18:27:
: : : : It is apparent that wet conditions predispose to WLD. I cannot get from the bulletin board, however, a sense of frequency of the condition in habitually shod vs. habitually unshod horses. I'm sure you all have opinions, and I should be interested to hear. jrooney
: : : Dr. Rooney,
: : : In the rural areas of Wisconsin, East Central Minnasota, I find 80% of the horses with some type of wall/horn seperation. In time if left untreated you will start to see the white cheeze horn and the ordor of the yeast or fungus infection. The more rain, the more the infection advances. It is about the same in shod or unshod horses.
: : : Most of the horse that I do, do live in very sanitary conditions.
: : : Ray Miller
: : Thank you, Ray. I have learned that you are the one person, farrier or vet, that can be counted on for quick and forthright answers. Thanks. jrooney
: I should have posted unsanitary conditions. And thank you.
: Ray Miller
I am not sure that I can agree that wet conditions predispose a hoof to WLD. At least not in my experiance.
I also shoe in Wisconsin. We have heavy dew almost every morning, as well as this year has been a wet year, with record amounts on rain in May and June. My own pasture is about 1/2 marsh, so my own horses are in the water every day. My horses don't seem to have any WLD problems. I suppose now that I have said that, I will be spending tomorrow cutting off hoof walls.
The WLD that I have seen in the last few years has been on horses that have drier pastures, and are stalled every night. The barns where these horses live are cleaned every day, and the horses are well cared for. But, the fact is that they still live 50 to 60% of their lives in a stall. Not out where they can get their feet washed in water or mud.
Lee Sackett