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White
Line Disease and Thrush Treatment |
WARNING: Copper Sulfate is toxic if ingested in quantity and should be handled and treated as a strong irritant. It can be corrosive to the skin and eyes and mucuous membranes. It is readily absorbed through the skin and can produce a burning pain, along with the same severe symptoms of poisoning from ingestion. Users of this material should acquaint themselves with the applicable MSDS information before handling or using the chemical. When handling powdered copper sulfate it is recommended that you wear gloves and a dust mask to avoid inhalation. |
V = Venice Turpentine is a yellowish,
viscous resin from the European Larch, a pine tree. It is used for lithographic
work, as a sealing wax, and in varnishes. Horsemen have used it for years
as a salve for cuts and as a hoof dressing.
P = Polypropylene
is a plastic material used to make baling twine, water-ski ropes (because it floats),
and sportsmen's underwear (!). Recently, it has been made into a felt-like
material specifically for hoof packing. This hoof felt is extremely
tough and does not readily absorb moisture.
METHOD
Several
unique characteristics of the Gasket's ingredients combine
to make it a superior hoof packing.
Copper
sulfate and Venice Turpentine, when mixed in the proper proportions,
saturate the polypropylene felt and act like an adhesive to glue
it to the bottom of the hoof. This forms a "gasket" between the
pad and the hoof.
The Gasket
protects the hoof wall and sole from the invasion of water, soil and
manure for the entire shoeing cycle. No other packing I've tried will do
this as well. This feature is extremely valuable when treating white
line separations, especially when the horse cannot be assured of an absolutely
dry environment.
The copper sulfate
migrates deep into fissures in the hoof wall and sole and kills fungi and bacteria
that live there. When the hoof is trimmed for a reset, you'll see a green
stain extending far into the crevasses of the hoof. "It goes where
they live and kills 'em dead!"
The
foul odor associated with full pads is not a problem with the Gasket
. In fact, most people are surprised at how it doesn't smell!
This is because the CVP method prevents the growth of thrush and other
odor-causing bacteria.
PREPARING THE GASKET
Shape
the shoe, add clips, and fit the shoe to the hoof. I strongly advise using
two tall quarter, or side, clips anytime you're applying a full pad. The
clips help keep the shoe secure and also assist in positioning the shoe/pad package
on the hoof for nailing.
Cut a full pad to fit
the shoe. I recommend a stiff plastic pad for most applications. Nail
the pad to the shoe with the two heel nails, twisting the nails off close to the
pad. Don't rivet the pad to the heels of the shoe.
This allows the pad to conform to the heel bulbs which will help keep debris out.
Also, resetting the pad and shoe is much easier when they're not riveted together.
Use the pad/shoe as a template and cut a piece
of poly-felt that will exactly cover the bottom of the hoof. By covering
the entire bottom, not just the sole, the Gasket can be used on
flat-footed horses without fear of the packing adding sole pressure.
With an applicator stick spread a 1/16" thick
layer of Venice Turpentine on the frog area of the hoof surface of the
pad. Sprinkle copper sulfate over it. This will adhere
the poly-felt to the pad and prevent debris from getting between the felt
and the pad. It will also hold the felt in place as you apply the
package to the hoof.
Place the piece of
felt on the pad. Spread a thin layer of Venice Turpentine
on the hoof surface of the felt, much as you would spread honey on a piece
of toast. Sprinkle copper sulfate lightly over the Venice Turpentine.
CAUTION: Using too much copper sulfate will cause excessive drying of the hoof wall and flaking of the sole. Apply only as much as will stick when you shake off the felt; or even less.
If
the sole has a generous cup to it, cut appropriately-sized pieces of felt
to fill the central area level with the hoof wall and coat them with a mixture
of CV (copper sulfate and Venice Turpentine. If the
sole is flat the single full-sized piece of felt will be sufficient.
Avoid using too much packing - it will put unnecessary pressure on the sole.
Tear or cut small strips of felt to
fill the sulci and triangular pieces to build the frog up to the level of, or
slightly higher than, the hoof wall. (If the horse has a prominent frog,
you won't need extra frog pieces.) As the horse bears weight, the packing
will conform to the contours of the hoof, sealing the opening between the heels
to keep out debris and water.
Coat one
side of the filler pieces with a CV mix. Stack the pieces on the
felt attached to the pad, coated side up, in the reverse order in which
they'll be applied: frog pieces on the bottom, sulci pieces on top.
Application
If
you follow the above preparation, applying the Gasket will be easy.
Set the shoe/pad package where you can reach it when you're holding up the foot.
Have some extra CV mix and small pieces of felt at handy, such as
in your shoeing box.
If there are any cavities
in the ground surface of the hoof wall, use a pointed tool such as a large nail
to clean them out. Pack the cavities with alternating layers of CV
and very thin layers of dry felt. (See the following section on treating
hoof separations.)
Pack the sulci strips,
coated side down, along either side of the frog. Don't ram them tight.
You want to fill the space and still allow for the normal movement of the frog
and sole.
Apply the frog felt, if
needed, coated sides to the frog. Apply enough layers to bring the packing
at least to the level of the trimmed hoof wall.
Position
the shoe/pad/Gasket on the hoof and nail it. Now you'll appreciate
how tall clips can ensure easy and precise positioning of the shoe.
Using
a hoof sealer along with the Gasket is very beneficial, especially
if the horse cannot be kept in a dry environment. When liberally applied
to the hoof/pad junction after shoeing, the sealer is absorbed along the
perimeter of the poly-felt, increasing the effectiveness of the gasket.
CAUTIONS
Copper sulfate is a strong irritant and is considered a skin sensitizer that can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Skin contact may result in itching or eczema.
Too much copper sulfate will cause excessive drying of the hoof tissues. However, when the Gasket is removed it's normal to find a layer of crumbly "dead" sole. This material would normally sluff off if the horse were not wearing a full pad.
Too much Venice Turpentine will cause it to squeeze out the back of the pad, making a mess. This can be a real nuisance if it gets on the horseowner's tack or on the horse's chest when the horse lays down. Use it in moderation. (See "Clean Up" later.)
Too much poly-felt will cause pressure on the sole. This could result in discomfort (the horse being "off"), and/or sole bruising. Don't pack the felt in tightly. The goal is to fill the space between the sole and the pad and still allow the hoof to move in a normal manner when its loaded and unloaded.
TREATING HOOF WALL SEPARATION
Hooves
with a separation in the white line or cavities in the wall will generally improve
with application of the Gasket. In many cases, the hoof wall
can be helped to grow down solid without the need for hoof wall debridement or
resection.
The first step is to clean out
the cavities in the hoof wall thoroughly. A thin pointed tool such as a
#12 horseshoe nail works well for digging out dirt, thrush, and dead hoof tissue.
Then, use the tool to work a small amount of
CV mix into the extreme depth of the cavity. Pack a very thin piece
of poly-felt (the layers of felt separate easily) over the CV, forcing
it as deep as you can. Continue with more CV and layers of felt
until the felt is level with the hoof wall.
The CV mix used to treat white line problems is heavier on the copper sulfate than the mix used with the Gasket pad. Take a pint-size Venice Turpentine can that's 1/4 full and add about 3/4 of a film container of copper sulfate. Stir it every time you use it because the copper sulfate settles to the bottom.
In many cases, especially if the feet can be kept out of wet environments, a shoe without a pad will suffice. If a pad is needed, apply a Gasket with it.
ADVANTAGES
"There are many advantages to being able to treat white line infections and separations without resecting the hoof wall""
The intact hoof wall will contain the medication, eliminating the need for repeated time consuming treatments and expensive bandaging materials.
A standard shoe, either a nail-on or glue-on, can be attached to the hoof without the need for labor-intensive fabrications. A properly applied shoe will protect the already weak hoof wall from further disintegration.
The horse, unless it is lame, can remain in work while the restoration of the hoof takes place.
Conclusion
Treating
minor separations early and routinely will help maintain horn strength, especially
at the heels, and will often prevent the onset of the self-perpetuating condition
of low, underrun heels.
As with other methods
of treatments for restoring white line integrity, the CVP method will show
better results if the horse's hooves are kept dry.
Disadvantages
The
only disadvantage to the CVP method is that it can be messy. The very properties
that make CV valuable in protecting the hoof, make it a bugger to get off hands,
hair and tools. But the improvement CV brings about in the condition of
your horses' hooves will make a little extra clean-up seem like a very small trade-off.
CLEAN UP
CV can be removed from tack with waterless hand cleaner, baby oil, turpentine, paint thinner, or WD-40. It can be remove from a horse's coat by using waterless hand cleaner or baby oil and a comb. A scissors is a last resort and not usually the owner's favorite option. Use Venice Turpentine in moderation and wipe off any excess from the heel bulbs before you leave the barn.
QUICK GUIDE FOR THE GASKET PAD
Shape, clip, and fit shoe.
Fit and attach pad to shoe.
Cut full-sized poly-felt and glue it to pad with CV.
Spread Venice Turpentine on poly-felt and sprinkle with copper sulfate
Cut felt for center of sole and frog build-up if needed.
Prepare small pieces of felt for sulci.
Take Gasket package (shoe/pad/felt) to horse.
Pack hoof wall cavities, if any, with CVP.
Fill old nail holes on ground surface with CV.
Pack sulci.
Apply sole and frog felt, if needed.
Nail package to hoof and finish as usual.
Trim (rasp) any exposed felt around edge of shoe.
Apply hoof sealer.
Fill nail holes with wax.
Wipe any CV that squeezed out back of pad.
GASKET TIPS
Use a small pair of tin snips or scissors for cutting poly-felt.
To soften Venice Turpentine that's become stiff, stir it with a light piece of bar stock to bring it to a consistency of thick honey. Heating the can in hot water or near a heater (NOT over a direct flame) will make the Venice Turpentine liquid. The thicker form is easier to work with.
Keep a small container of CV and small pieces of felt in your shoeing box at all times. That way you can routinely treat small cavities in the hoof wall before they develop into real problems.
When packing white line cavities, pack them very firmly. Gravity and the movement of the hoof will try to work the packing out.
Save felt trimmings from Gasket to use for filling sulci and hoof wall cavities.
Just before nailing on the Gasket package, work some CV into the old nail holes on the ground surface of the hoof.
Fill nail holes in the hoof wall with wax. Use your finger to force it down into the holes, don't just smear it over the top of the holes. It will still be there at reset time! (The best source of wax is a pure wax toilet ring from a hardware store. One ring will fill 6-8 plastic film containers.)
Use waterless hand cleaner to remove CV from your hands. WD-40, gasoline, paint thinner, and motor oil will also work, but are harsher on your hands. Use the solvents for taking CV off your tools. Use WD-40 or similar spray solvent for quick clean up.
SUPPLIERS OF GASKET PAD INGREDIENTS
Copper sulfate: Search on Amazon.com
Polypropylene felt, Venice Turpentine; Northeast Farrier Supply, Inc.,210 Holabird Avenue,Winsted, CT 06098
Phone 860-379-8553
Fax 860-738-7954
Toll Free 866-333-6337
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