Equine Podiatry & Hoof Care Services in Covington, GA

The warm, wet conditions we’re familiar with in the Southeast create the perfect environment for hoof infections like thrush and canker. While both conditions share similarities, they require different treatments:

Thrush is common and characterized by a foul odor and black, tar-like bacterial buildup in the frog. Mild cases can be managed with diligent hoof cleaning, but advanced infections causing pain or lameness require veterinary care.

Canker is much more serious, causing abnormal tissue overgrowth with a white, cottage cheese-like discharge. It destroys hoof tissue and, if left untreated, spreads rapidly. Treatment involves surgical debridement followed by strict antiseptic management.

A keratoma is a slow-growing, non-cancerous mass that forms inside the hoof wall. Made of keratin, it gradually pushes against the sensitive laminae, potentially causing discomfort and lameness. While keratomas don’t spread to other parts of the body, they can significantly impact a horse’s hoof health.

Signs to watch for include:

• A bulge at the coronet band
• Gradual, worsening lameness
• Recurring abscesses or white line distortion on the sole
• No obvious external signs in some cases

Once diagnosed via radiographs, the keratoma must be surgically removed. Using an electric burr, the outer hoof wall is carefully removed to access and extract the mass. To support healing, the hoof is packed and fitted with a protective shoe. Keeping the area clean and dry is crucial for recovery, but with proper care, most horses return to normal activity.

A puncture wound occurs when an object—such as a nail, screw, or sharp gravel—penetrates the hoof. No matter how minor it appears, any puncture wound is a serious medical emergency. Bacteria enter with the object, creating a high risk of infection, which can threaten the horse’s long-term soundness or even their life.

The hoof contains delicate structures like the navicular bursa and coffin joint, which are essential for movement. These are located just over an inch beneath the sole in an average horse—less in ponies. If punctured, life-threatening infections (synovial sepsis) can occur.

If your horse has stepped on a sharp object, resist the urge to pull the object out and instead try to keep it in place. Taking X-rays with the object in place helps assess the depth and angle of penetration, and determines if it has affected critical structures like the navicular bursa or coffin joint. Instead of removing the object, call us. We’ll guide you on what to do next.

If a puncture reaches deeper structures, immediate surgical intervention is required. Treatment may include:

• Lavage (flushing) of the navicular bursa to remove bacteria
• Regional limb perfusion to deliver high-dose antibiotics directly to the affected area
• Targeted antibiotic therapy based on culture results

Prompt, aggressive treatment can mean the difference between a full recovery and a career-ending injury.

Laminitis is a devastating hoof disease, but in severe, unresponsive cases, a deep digital flexor tenotomy can provide relief and prevent humane euthanasia. This procedure is quick, minimally invasive, and done under local anesthesia with the horse standing. Many horses experience immediate pain relief afterward.

A deep digital flexor tenotomy involves cutting the deep digital flexor tendon, which runs along the back of the leg and attaches to the bottom of the coffin bone. By releasing tension on the coffin bone, this surgery:

• Reduces pain
• Improves blood flow
• Prevents further bone rotation

While considered a salvage procedure, many horses facing euthanasia due to chronic laminitis can go on to live comfortable lives as pleasure horses with proper rehabilitation and corrective shoeing.