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  Discussion on Seedy toe
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 21, 2000 - 3:37 pm:

can anyone tell me what this is and if it would cause a horse to be foot sore after trimming. thanks

Posted on Wednesday, Jun 21, 2000 - 4:42 pm:

Hi Claire - a quote from "A basic guide to horse care and Management"(Mills & Carne):
"When the hoof wall separates from the laminae at the toe, it is called 'seedy toe'. This separation allows dirt to enter the crevice which causes pain and slight lameness. Seedy toe can be seen on the bottom of the hoof as a dark line on the inner edge of the hoof wall. This condition is common among horses that have been foundered. Treatment consists of simply keeping the hoofs (sic) trimmed and shod."
That help?

Posted on Thursday, Jun 22, 2000 - 8:09 am:

Cheryls quote is pretty good but has one glaring error: The wall has not seperated from the laminae: but permanant damage to the laminae has resulted in separation of the wall from the sole. Looking at the solar surface, the insensitive laminae (called the white line of the sole) are stretched and torn resulting in defects that are usually worse at the toe of the white line. These defects allow dirt, moisture, and bacteria to result in small focal areas of thrush that then digest away more horn. The seedy toe itself is not painful but if the thrush breaks through to sensitive tissue an abscess results which is very painful.

Simple trimming will not prevent this. Instead you must pare out the seedy areas and pack them with formaldehyde soaked cotton to allow the horn to grow out without the infection. If the seedy area is extensive it is sometimes eazsier to open them up by dubbing the wall at the toe down to the level of the white line.

I am not sure how this would result in lameness following trimming Claire, I dont have enough information.
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Jun 22, 2000 - 3:29 pm:

Thanks - she is not lame on it and the farrier just said to ignore it and do nothing and that it had probably been caused by her previous laminitis.
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