[Surgical treatment of canker involving all hoofs in a warmblood gelding].

This research describes the successful surgical treatment of a hoof disease called ‘canker‘ in a 14-year-old horse. The paper provides insights into the procedure of the operation, post-operative care, and the eventual recovery of the horse.

Overview of the Research

In this research, the scientists detailed the process and outcome of a surgical treatment for canker, a severe hoof condition, in a 14-year-old horse. The aim was to treat the canker that had affected all the horse’s hoofs, and assess the recovery process.

• The affected horse displayed a caseous surface, a cheese-like matter, and early detachment of the superficial horn layers.
• The horse was put under general anesthesia, and all the abnormal tissue in the region of the frog and the subdermal tissue underneath were surgically removed.
• A histological examination revealed significant degradation in the germinal layer of the epidermis of the frog, which indicated a severe case of canker.

Surgical Treatment

The surgical treatment involved removing all the compromised tissue from the hoof region.

• A tourniquet was applied to all limbs to control the blood flow during the surgical operation.
• All abnormal tissue, including the subdermal tissue underneath, was surgically removed to ensure a thorough treatment of the canker.

Postoperative Treatment and Recovery

Postoperatively, the horse was treated with hoof bandages for two weeks. Following that, treatment plates were applied on all hoofs.

• Each hoof was topically treated with Giessner Mischung 2, a disinfectant powder containing jodophorm, zincoxyde (zinc oxide), tanninic acid and metronidazole. This was done over several weeks.
• The use of the disinfectant powder, an astringent, helped to constrict the body tissues, which helped to control bleeding and assisted with healing.
• After 5 months post-surgery, the horse’s frog was completely covered with strong horn material, and there were no signs of the condition recurring.

The successful treatment of the horse, as reported in this case study, provides a potential therapeutic regimen for treating canker in horses. This case showed that with adequate surgical treatment followed by proper postoperative care, full recovery from canker is possible even in severe cases.