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When Melissa
arrived at the barn, Sasha was
very lame on her right front
foot. Examination of the foot
revealed a very abnormal looking
frog (see photo left). When Dr. Melissa attempted to clean off the
abnormal frog, the soft white tissue would
bleed very easily. Although the appearance
of the abnormal soft sensitive tissue made
it clear this was more than simple thrush,
Dr. Melissa took some pictures to get more
advice on how to help Sasha.
Dr. Paul and Dr. Melissa consulted with a
leading veterinarian specializing in
podiatry (horse feet). They were advised
that Sasha had CANKER.
WHAT IS CANKER?
Canker is an aggressive infection of the
hoof that leads to hypertrophy (overgrowth)
of abnormal hoof tissue. Canker tends to
occur more frequently in draft horse breeds
and tends to be more of a problem in warm
wet climates. The exact causes are unknown
but the disease can be very problematic if
it is not dealt with quickly and thoroughly.
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