by Kathy Coleman, Director of Education
Progressive Hoof Care Practitioners (PHCP)
It truly takes a village to support an equine with hoof issues – the owner will be working with several different skilled professionals who will need to collaborate and share valuable information with one another. Diagnosis, of course, is the veterinarian’s responsibility.
The farrier should be seeing the equine frequently, ideally every 4-5 weeks for regular maintenance. The farrier is one of the first lines of defense for early recognition of hoof problems and, ideally, prevention of severe pathology.
The veterinarian can perform a lameness evaluation and use radiographs and other imaging to provide an inside view of the hoof to help identify pathology and severity, and to guide precision trimming for rehabilitation. Bloodwork is essential for diagnosing metabolic issues and to help determine medication dosages.
The farrier and veterinarian should collaborate on the best course of action for trimming and hoof protection.
The ECIR Group – Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance
The ECIR Group (website and Facebook group – 45K followers) is a valuable source of information for laminitis cases and horses requiring special medications and dosages. Some local veterinarians, for example, do not have experience prescribing SGLT2 inhibitors or high dosages of pergolide. The horse owner can arrange a consultation between their local veterinarian and a veterinarian with the ECIR Group who has a wealth of experience dealing with difficult cases.
Nutritional deficiencies impede the horse’s ability to repair soft tissue and grow healthy hoof. Addressing diet and nutrition will put the equine in the best position to heal. A low sugar and low starch diet is critical for metabolic cases. Many qualified nutritionists can be consulted concerning diet.
Other team members
Bodywork is extremely helpful during the healing process. Pain and compensation create tension that can have a detrimental effect throughout the whole body. Bodywork may also reveal red flags as issues start to manifest.
Barn staff play a critical role in the horse’s daily management. They will need to be educated regarding the equine’s special requirements. The owner may need to enlist extra helpers to ensure that all the necessities are taken care of.
PHCP
PHCP hoof care practitioners have extensive training in handling difficult cases.
PHCP also provides valuable education for horse owners and other equine professionals.
