Thank you to everyone for posting your questions to our Ask-A-Thon sponsored by Horse 360.  We also extend our gratitude to Brad Gordon, DVM from the Equine Referral Clinic in Runnells, Iowa, who took some time out to answer your Equine Health-related inquiries below.

Please contact Rina (if you see your question below) at rinad@innovacyn.com, if you haven’t done so already, for your free Horse 360 app!

“I have this donkey. She’s 14.2 and nearly 865 lbs. She’s not fat. I loaned her to a friend a few years ago and she foundered her. (Another story). Every year since then she has gotten at least two abcesses each winter. About a year ago I started spraying her feet with your product once a week or more. Her hoof condition has improved immensly. Do you think the Verericyn is the reason?” — Doris K.

Dear Doris,

In our practice we have seen and have heard of many dramatic improvements in
hoof wound, and skin issues with the use of Vetericyn.
The health and well being of hooves is a complex combination of several factors
including: environment, diet, moisture, animal use, cleanliness, individual animal
metabolism and hormone levels, animal stress and distress levels, daily hoof care and
maintenance, and other factors.
It would not be possible to say whether the improvements you have seen are
solely due to the use of Vetericyn. However, I believe if something is working, don’t
change.
You may find more useful information in the excellent book by Pete Ramey;
Care and Rehabilitation of the Equine Foot.

“I have been battling scratches on my horse for years. I have tried every remedy I have come across to no avail. What is the best way to cure/treat him?”– Carolyn A.

Dear Carolyn,

Please call our clinic so we can discuss this matter in more depth. Since you have
been dealing with this frustrating problem for so long, more information is needed.
There may be other factors involved. I need to get a better understanding of your
particular situation, including, environmental condition, the immune status of your horse, the horse’s diet and stress levels, etc. Please contact Vetericyn and they will get us in touch.  Thank You!

“Are there any options for a tooth abcess besides pulling the tooth? No odor, no apparent pain and inconclusive xrays. She has a hard knot on the side of her face. One tooth had soft pulp and was filled. It may be the culprit.”– Diane W.

Dear Diane,

I am wondering why you are considering a tooth abscess? Is the knot on the jaw
in the same area as the tooth that had been filled? Follow up radiographs several weeks
after the first set, may be helpful. Bony changes may have occurred and may now be
visible. Please contact Vetericyn and they can put us in contact so we can explore this
problem further.  Thank You!

“My horse has been limping for over a week now.. Started with no heat or swelling.. Walks completely normal on cement but limps bad in sand , or mud. Now some heat in hoof, not bad but one day only it was hot.. Today some heat, no swelling, no bruising or signs I can see. Still limps only in mud/ sand. Eats drinks normal, how long might this last is it’s an abscess ? I did soak the foot in warm water and Epsom salts every day for 6 days for 15 to 20 min.. Also no digital pulse that I can feel.”– Amy S.

Dear Amy,
Hoof bruising and abscesses can be fast developing or slow and insidious in
nature. Hoof tester application and reaction may help further identify and localize the
problem. Soreness with movement on soft ground is often associated with soft tissue
soreness/injury. A veterinarian may need to localize the soreness with diagnostic nerve
blocks. Radiographs or a diagnostic ultrasound exam may then be necessary, depending upon where the lameness is localized.

“I have a 3 year old AQHA gelding that is very healthy. A few weeks ago, both back legs swelled up from the coronet band to the hock. They were so swollen, there was no bone definition visible at all. He wasn’t limping and nothing else seemed affected. I gave him a dose of butte that evening and the next day, the swelling was down. In 2 days, it was gone completely and he has been fine since. Nothi…ng in his environment has changed (i.e. feed, water, ground, activity, trimming, etc). About 2 months ago, the same thing happened to my 8 month old colt but when I called the local vet, he thought maybe he’d double fired and kicked something, stressing his fetlock joints. I have a hard time believing my 3 year old did the same thing. The other gelding and mare are fine. Any ideas what may have caused this?”–Robin C.

Dear Robin,
Limb edema as you have described can be related to trauma. Other causes for this
swelling can be due to immune shess, fever, diet changes, environment changes,
previous bouts of sickness, and other factors . Your history would seem to rule out most
of these. Without further diagnostic tests and history, I would believe an immune stess
may have caused your horse’s problem, especially in light of the improvement he made.
Keep tract of these two incidences and any others that may occur. Include as
much information as possible so possible correlations may be identified in the future.

For more info, contact: Brad Gordon, DVM Equine Referral Clinic 3350 SE 82nd Street Runnells, Iowa 50237-2010