Veterinary research communications2026; 50(6); 606; doi: 10.1007/s11259-026-11548-y

Etiological and immunological aspects of equine hoof canker.

Styková, E
·
Mudroňová, D
·
Gancarčíková, S
·
Žert, Z
·
Kačírová, J
·
Valocký, I

Abstract: Chronic equine proliferative pododermatitis (canker) is a hypertrophic hoof disease characterized by excessive proliferation of horn-producing tissues resulting from dyskeratosis of keratinocytes. Since its etiology remains unknown, this study investigated potential etiological agents and evaluated biochemical and immunological profiles. Ten horses with hoof canker and ten healthy controls of the Norik of Muran breed were included. Dermatophytes and bovine papillomavirus 1 and 2 (BPV 1/2) were not detected. Candida glabrata was the most frequently identified species in both affected and healthy groups. In horses with canker, Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor spp., and Trichosporon spp. were also detected. Biochemical analysis showed significantly higher creatine kinase myoglobin binding activity in affected horses compared to controls (12.58 ± 5.86 vs. 4.11 ± 1.57; p < 0.01), with a slight increase in aspartate aminotransferase activity. Principal component analysis revealed substantial overlap between healthy and affected groups. Immunologically, monocyte phagocytic activity was significantly reduced in affected horses (83.78% ± 3.40 vs. 90.26% ± 2.88; p < 0.001). Affected horses had increased CD4 (Th) lymphocyte counts and a higher CD4:CD8 ratio (p < 0.01), along with higher IgM B lymphocyte levels (27.20% ± 8.23 vs. 18.51% ± 4.53; p < 0.05). Serum IgG levels were also significantly elevated (11.15 ± 3.42 vs. 5.88 ± 1.91 mg/mL; p < 0.001). These results indicate stimulation of adaptive cellular and humoral immune responses in canker-affected horses. However, the lack of consistent pathogen detection suggests that the precise etiology of hoof canker remains unresolved and requires further investigation.

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Publication Date: 2026-09-29 PubMed ID: 42809149PubMed Central: 3300549DOI: 10.1007/s11259-026-11548-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup

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Summary
Cite This
Publication
Affiliations
MeSH
Grants
Conflict of Interest
References
Citations

Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

Overview

This study investigates the causes and immune system changes in horses affected by chronic hoof canker, a proliferative disease of the hoof.
It compares fungal presence, biochemical markers, and immune parameters between horses with canker and healthy controls to better understand the disease’s etiology and immune response.

Background

Equine hoof canker, or chronic proliferative pododermatitis, is characterized by abnormal thickening of the hoof’s horn-producing layers due to keratinocyte dyskeratosis.
The exact cause of this disease is unknown, which complicates diagnosis and treatment.

Study Design and Sample

The study included 10 horses diagnosed with hoof canker and 10 healthy control horses, all from the Norik of Muran breed.
Researchers aimed to identify potential infectious agents and evaluate biochemical and immunological characteristics associated with the disease.

Etiological Findings

Tests did not detect common dermatophytes (fungi causing skin infections) nor bovine papillomavirus types 1 or 2 (BPV 1/2), which could have been potential causes.
Candida glabrata, a yeast, was the most frequently found organism in both affected and healthy horses, indicating it may commonly colonize hooves without necessarily causing disease.
Additional fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor species, and Trichosporon species were detected only in horses with canker, suggesting a possible association but not definitive causation.

Biochemical Analysis

Creatine kinase myoglobin binding activity (a marker often linked to muscle damage or stress) was significantly higher in horses with canker, indicating tissue stress or damage related to the condition.
Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), an enzyme related to cellular injury, showed a slight but not significant increase in affected horses.
Principal component analysis, a method to visualize differences, showed considerable overlap between healthy and affected groups, indicating no clear biochemical profile differentiating the groups.

Immunological Findings

Monocyte phagocytic activity (the capability of immune cells to engulf pathogens) was significantly reduced in horses with hoof canker, indicating impaired innate immune function.
Affected horses exhibited increased counts of CD4+ T-helper lymphocytes and a higher CD4:CD8 ratio, suggesting stimulation of adaptive cellular immunity.
Levels of IgM-producing B lymphocytes were elevated, along with significantly increased serum IgG antibody concentrations, highlighting an activated humoral (antibody-mediated) immune response.

Conclusions

Although certain fungi were detected more frequently in affected horses, the absence of consistent pathogens indicates no definitive infectious cause identified.
The disease involves a complex immune response, including both cellular and humoral immunity, possibly reacting to tissue damage or a persistent stimulus.
Biochemical changes support ongoing tissue alteration but do not provide a clear diagnostic marker for hoof canker.
Further research is needed to clarify the exact cause and pathogenesis of equine hoof canker to improve diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Cite This Article

APA

Styková E, Mudroňová D, Gancarčíková S, Žert Z, Kačírová J, Valocký I. (2026). Etiological and immunological aspects of equine hoof canker. Vet Res Commun, 50(6), 606. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-026-11548-y

Publication

Veterinary research communications

ISSN: 1573-7446

NlmUniqueID: 8100520

Country: Switzerland

Language: English

Volume: 50

Issue: 6

PII: 606

Researcher Affiliations

Styková, Eva

Clinic of Horses, University Veterinary Hospital, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81, Košice, Slovak Republic.

Mudroňová, Dagmar

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81, Košice, Slovak Republic.

Gancarčíková, Soňa

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81, Košice, Slovak Republic.

Žert, Zdeněk

Clinic of Horses, University Veterinary Hospital, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81, Košice, Slovak Republic.

Kačírová, Jana

Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Akademická 2, 950 07, Nitra, Slovak Republic. jana.kacirova@savba.sk.

Valocký, Igor

Clinic of Horses, University Veterinary Hospital, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 041 81, Košice, Slovak Republic.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Horses
Horse Diseases / immunology
Horse Diseases / microbiology
Horse Diseases / etiology
Foot Diseases / veterinary
Foot Diseases / immunology
Foot Diseases / microbiology
Foot Diseases / etiology
Hoof and Claw / pathology
Hoof and Claw / microbiology
Hoof and Claw / immunology
Male
Female

Grant Funding

1/0108/26 / Vedecká Grantová Agentúra MŠVVaŠ SR a SAV

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Slovak Republic (permit number EKVP/2022-14). The study was conducted in accordance with local legislation and institutional requirements. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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