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Melissa Webster
Member
Username: Mwebster
Post Number: 440
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, Apr 17, 2006 - 12:28 pm: |   |
Dr DrO,
My mare has a couple of very fine cracks on her front hooves that are vertical at the front of her hooves, extending from the coronet band to the shoe. My farrier commented her feet "seem dry" and then he gave her a pinch on the neck and in fact she seemed a little dehydrated, the skin pinch didn't snap right back. He thinks she needs electrolytes.
I have to say I was quite surprised: she drinks 2 full buckets of water a day, always has a bucket right next to her hay (and she is a great dunker). I always have 2 buckets out for her, in case she knocks one over (very rarely happens) and I refresh them both twice a day. She had yesterday off altogether and it's cool here, though it's been windy the past day and a half. She's on hay and grass (the grass is very short still here, but enough to nibble) 7x24. I give her a scoop of Accel every morning in a handful of oats. Otherwise no supplements or grain. She's an easy keeper, 12 yrs old, in active work (dressage), going great, fit, in good flesh. What could the "pinch test" be revealing, and are electrolytes a good idea?
Thanks,
Melissa |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15396
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006 - 6:56 am: | |
The idea that an otherwise healthy horse should be diagnosed as dehydrated from a few fine cracks in the feet and a skin pinch, is just not right. The pinch test is a very subjective test and in this case has no meaning at all.
You should provide a trace mineral block Melissa, but that is just good basic nutrition. For more on this see the Overview on Nutrition article. For the cracks I would get a hoof protector as described in our article Equine Diseases » Lameness » Diseases of the Hoof » Poor Horn Quality: problems with the wall and soles.
DrO |
Melissa Webster
Member
Username: Mwebster
Post Number: 441
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 18, 2006 - 11:39 am: | |
Thank you, DrO! It didn't make sense to me either, so your reply is very reassuring. And yes, my mare always has a trace mineral block. Thanks for the link, I'll paint her hooves and see if that helps.
Melissa |
