Seasonal manifestations of rotting hoof arrows in horses

Abstract

Hoof health and regular hoof care are fundamental to all horses and help prevent injury and disease. Lameness is the main clinical sign, when identified, owners are horrified to realize that this can lead to a stop in the training process and, as a result, significant economic losses. Hoof diseases are one of the most common causes of lameness. Therefore, maintaining all components of the hoof in a healthy condition remains an important task facing owners. To conduct the study during 2023, an orthopedic examination and routine hoof trimming of 800 horses were carried out in the conditions of equestrian centers of the St. Petersburg and Leningrad region. This study was aimed at studying the distribution of diseases of the distal limb and determining the most common pathology. A study was conducted to study the seasonal manifestations of hoof rot in horses. Based on the research conducted, an analysis of the data obtained was made. After an orthopedic examination of 800 animals, 230 were diagnosed with diseases of the distal limbs of various etiologies, of which frog rot was detected in 89 animals. This pathology can progress and cause irreversible lameness if it is not diagnosed in a timely manner and appropriate measures are not taken to stop the pathological focus. Rotting of the frog is a very common headache for both owners and hoof care professionals. Therefore, the issue of prevention and early detection of the disease is relevant for research and economically justifiable for owners of expensive animals.