Posted by Patty Stiller on January 25, 2003 at 21:42:51:
In Reply to: Re: outside rim of coffin bone fracture posted by M. W. Myers, D.V.M. on January 24, 2003 at 15:43:26:
: : : previously, i posted a message regarding my tenderfooted 3 yr old ex-racehorse. at prepurchase vet check, nothing showed with hooftesters reflex etc. after purchase i had my farrier pull off shoes to let her typical racehorse feet grow. low low heels, all four uneven, long toes. he pulled shoes, trimmed and we let her grow. was instantly tenderfooted for approx 6 weeks, at eight weeks went sound so i had her shod. wanted to start riding. she went well. after eight weeks, had her shod again and she went head bobing lame for about 10 days. seemed to heal. at next shoeing, went lame at the walk. had exray, showed not enough foot on bottom and a small fracture on the rim of the outside toe area of left foot coffin bone. everyone wanted me to fire my farrier! i informed him that my vet felt horse trimmed too short and fracture not brand new, possibly couple months old. we were both shocked, said he did not trim a lot of foot off ever, he poured equipak pads on both front feet and i gave her six weeks off. after rest, went sound at walk trot canter in round pen so i decided to ride her. she even lost pad on left front which had the fracture and still went sound with me on her back. am going to have pads on for another eight weeks, am not firing my farrier, he has seen me through this but because of rumer mill, he has lost some clients. i could not realistically blame him because she had awful feet at purchase and who knows how long fractured and when. so.... how long should it take to heal completely, which vet said she could because it is a small grade 1 fracture, whatever that means. has this happened to anyone else?
: : A thin soled thoroughbred could have easily fractured a piece off the solar margin of the coffin bone by simply stepping on a rock or hard dirt clod in the turn out.It is more comon than folks think. I have seen quite a few over the years, most in "off the track" thoroughbreds. Let the folks who are placing blame of the farrier know this, and bless you sticking by your farrier,it sounds like he has his hands full with this bad-footed horse.
: : Patty
: Many of these apparent fractures are actually mineralization of soft tissue after the coffin bone has pushed down below the small blood vessel ring surrounding the distal coffin bone. This can be differentiated with a venogram.
: M. W. Myers, D.V.M.
Well I can always learn something new from the good doctor....thanks,
Patty