Equine hoof canker: a clinical trial of topical cisplatin chemotherapy.

The research article investigates the resilience shown by Equine hoof canker, a common hoof disease in horses, against various treatment methods, and explores the implementation of topical cisplatin chemotherapy as a promising new therapy to reduce hospitalization periods and short-term recurrence.

Understanding Equine Hoof Canker

• The paper discusses Equine Hoof Canker (Pododermatitis chronica verrucosa s. migrans), a hypertrophic pododermatitis that affects the foot of horses including the frog, hoof wall, and adjoining structures.
• This sporadic and chronic disorder is recognized by its filamentous or cauliflower-like appearance with a foul odor and white cheesy exudate, and often impairs the well-being and usefulness of horses.
• Despite being a significant condition that can potentially shorten an affected animal’s lifespan, apt therapy is not always available.
• The disease seems to involve an underlying defect in horn production and possible infection, yet identification of the causative agents has so far been unsuccessful.

Traditional Treatments

• Common treatment protocols involve surgical debridement of canker lesions along with a variety of topical formulations.
• In some instances, these topical treatments have been prescribed in combination with prednisolone.
• However, even if the treatment has some degree of success, the disease is observed to return in the medium to short term in many horses that have recovered.

New Therapeutic Approach

• The research paper presents a new potential therapy for canker: topical cisplatin chemotherapy. Cisplatin is a well known and highly efficient chemotherapy agent used in both human and veterinary medicine.
• A recent study found the presence of sarcoid-inducing viral DNA and RNA of bovine papillomaviruses (types 1 and 2) in canker tissue samples from afflicted horses, but not in those without.
• Given the observed clinical and histological similarities to equine sarcoids and the proven effectiveness of intralesional cisplatin chemotherapy on equine sarcoids, the application of cisplatin is considered a promising treatment route for Equine Hoof Canker.

Promises of Topical Cisplatin Chemotherapy

• The goal of this research is not only to develop a new and effective treatment for canker but also to reduce the hospitalisation period and prevent short-term recurrence of the disease.
• This could potentially elevate the wellbeing and lifespans of affected horses and bring a significant shift in the current methods of management and treatment of Equine Hoof Canker.