All of this white line?

[SarahGreen]

Ok I have another case similar to this one. Check out the pictures and tell me what you think? Here is a summary of the last 2 months.
I have a donkey that has White Line Disease. A vet has not diagnosed this but I myself have spent the last 2 months researching and learning about hooves, WLD, and other hoof problems.

I live in South Alabama.

She has never had any hoof problems. She is 6 years old. Never shod.

I have contacted 3 local farriers and none seem to be concerned. I am told that her hooves are fine and will grow out, but from watching the last 2 months any length that has grown out and trimmed off, new tissue has been damaged and had to be removed higher up in the hoof.

I first noticed some cracks in the hoof wall. This was in August. I proceeded to clean them and see what was going on. There were lots of holes and crevices. Please see pictures. I called farrier (Although I have always done her feet) I wanted to make sure that I had not done anything wrong. Farrier stated that everything looked good, assured me that her hooves were in ok condition, and did a small balanced trim.

I have been treating her with White Lightning soak and spray. At first I soaked every other day for a week, then every 3 days, then once a week. I clean her hooves out 2x day and if needed wash (with ACV) and blow dry them. I have done this everyday for the last 2 months. The reason that I wash them in ACV is that there was an area of clay that she insisted on walking in that would pack in her hooves. The only way to get it out was to wash and scrub. I have since moved her to another pasture with no clay. This is helping tons! I also have her on a pellet 10% feed and Nu-Foot Vet Formula Powder supplement. Before she was eating sweet feed.
This is what I have done and now I need someone to walk me through what I should do next. I have taken many pictures and wrote additional details that may be helpful.

I took pictures 8-22-09. I had cut some hoof wall away and trimmed them a little bit at this point. After that I cleaned them out with a dremel tool to remove damaged tissue.

I don’t think that I was aggressive enough. There were still heavy tracks of fungus damaged tissue. Throughout the next 2 months I trimmed very little but on a weekly or every 2 week basis. I continued treatment.

The latest pictures are as of today, I cleaned them out with dremel tool again and here we are. After I soaked her hooves in White Lighting. I have used the last of White Lighting, I believe that I will purchase Clean Trax next.

I believe her hooves look better but I am very concerned that if I continue treating and let the hooves grow out on there own, the crevices will get deeper and thus resulting in me having to remove more and more. In addition to that, because of removing damaged hoof wall and tissue the toe length is obviously too short. There is one hoof (Right Rear) that needs attention becasue of a large crevice but I cannot remove the damaged tissue without having to rebuild the hoof back. The product that I believe is right for the job is Vettec super fast all in one hoof adhesive, or the Adhere glue on shoe hoof repair. http://www.vettec.com/65/products/superfast.html



I have never done this and do not know the proper instructions besides what I have read on the internet. I am hoping that you can walk me thru this and instruct me on what to do.

Maybe I don't need to do anything else, I don't know.

I am asking for any advice or instructions that you may have. Please see pictures link below. I have them in order of each foot before (8-22-09) and then (11-1-09).

Thank you so much.

CLICK BELOW FOR PICTURES!!!

http://s820.photobucket.com/albums/z...view=slideshow

[Rick Talbert]

i haven't read all the responses to this, but yes it is not uncommon for one horse in a herd to have WLD. And yes it is not uncommon for a horse to have it in all four hooves (or donkey). Did you miss it 12 weeks ago? IMO, you probably did. But we all probably have, so join the club. I don't think one week of treatment will be sufficient regardless of the product. I also don't think that these resections in the photo are aggressive enough. I base that statement on the observation of what appears to be bacteria and what also appears to be a hollow overhang of the hoof wall at the top of some of the resections. The resected area should be dremelled at a bevelled slope to live tissue. The angle of the slope prevents the area from being trappy and allows treatment. I would have the owner use a product called well horse, and scrub it in with a toothbrush, probably twice a week would be good, until the resected area grows out. If you do not reach and expose the heart of the infection with the resection then it will continue to spread and survive.

[Rick Talbert]

There is one hoof (Right Rear) that needs attention becasue of a large crevice but I cannot remove the damaged tissue without having to rebuild the hoof back. The product that I believe is right for the job is Vettec super fast all in one hoof adhesive, or the Adhere glue on shoe hoof repair. http://www.vettec.com/65/products/superfast.html

why can you not remove the damaged tissue without rebuilding the hoof back?

[SarahGreen]

Because if I remove it she won't have anything to walk on. She will be walking on the side of her hoof. I am not a farrier, I just love my donkey and can not find anyone local to come and assist me.

I am treating her more than just once a week. I have been soaking every 4-5 days in White Lighting when it is dry. (no rain) Along with cleaing it out 2x a days. The resections are never packed with dirt or mud.

When it has been raining I keep her stalled. When I let her out I wash and spray 2x a day.

[SarahGreen]

When all this started 2 months ago. I had never heard of WLD. I contacted Vet and Farrier. The Vet did not come out but I sent pics and explained situation.I was told that it looked fine and would grow out!
So now here I am.

[Richard Mercer]

I don't see whiteline disease. In the August photos it looked like you were only suffering from long hooves which distorted the wall, caused the cracks and allowed junk to get in. Balanced trimming ( regularly) and your current regimen of treatment should be fine. Perhaps mild rockering of the toe to reduce forces would be in order to help. The recent pictures the trim looks much better. Just keep doing what you are doing and all should be fine.

[SarahGreen]

OK. I will continue treating and hope that all is well. What about the deep crevice on the Rear Right? Right now I am packing it with cotton soaked in White Lighting everyday.

Thank you so much for helping me.

[Richard Mercer]

It should be fine. Just keep tabs on things and keep up with the trimming, make good use of your hoof pick.

Originally Posted by SarahGreen

OK. I will continue treating and hope that all is well. What about the deep crevice on the Rear Right? Right now I am packing it with cotton soaked in White Lighting everyday.

Thank you so much for helping me.

[mwmyersdvm]

The most common cause of white line separation in my experience is subclinical chronic laminitis. This condition is quite common and often missed in donkeys. This donkey has a number of signs that point to this - toe flares, migrated hoof capsules, white line separations, rings on the hoof wall. Radiographs are in order as well as blood testing for metabolic problems. You need to consider the diet of this animal in order to get this under control.

M. W. Myers, D.V.M.