Coronary band dysplasia

[bathsheba8542]

Hi - I just searched for this topic and saw your post Hollander.

We are in a bit of a struggle. My farrier was out yesterday and we are losing ground. I had been using a prescription powder, but cut back to every third day as it costs $200 a tiny container, and the frogs had seemed like they were doing better. Unfortunately, they did not stay firm, and had become mushy again (front feet only this time, fortunately). Also, the hoof growth is seriously compromised … farrier said they were flakey/papery. Not sure if the new growth is going to be better or worse. Bar shoes seems to have made everything worse also. We are evaluating in 3 weeks to see if daily treatment of hoof conditioner, prescription cortisone cream at coronary bands, and prescription powder on frogs can bring things back to a positive trend. Likely will with to regular shoes, plastic wedge pads, ground down to relief pressure at quarter cracks, with sulfur crystals and miconazole mixed with hoof packing to medicate for 4 weeks.

I have done some reading and believe that over time the horn production can be seriously compromised and there is little that can be done. Trying to see if I can keep him pasture sound for as long as possible. He’s been out of work for a year now, and at this point I am unlikely to consider him to be re-started even if he comes sound.

[hollander8282]

We have been struggling with this since August of last year. The steroids did help get rid of the inflammation in his heels and frogs and allow them to harden up. He is still on antibiotics for another few months. I recently found a case on facebook that looks somewhat similar and her horse was found to have high levels of arsenic. She has been treating for the toxicity and has been having some luck. I called and spoke with the Vet (DePaolo Equine Concepts)and he hasn’t had any cases of coronary band dysplasia, but has said that in most of the autoimmune cases he has tested there was high levels of something. I am hoping to get a hair sample tested soon, everything just costs so much. Anyway, just thought I’d share what I have found so far. Pretty much just ruling stuff out.

[bathsheba8542]

Hi Hollander - my OTTB is sound. Bizarre as it seems. He actually looks better in his hind end than he ever has. The powder is a mixture of miconazole, zinc and two other ingredients. If you’re interested, I can send you more information on it. His frogs are hard. Three of four coronary bands have hair that is laying flat.

[hollander8282]

My guy is sound too. He never really went lame, just could tell he was tender footed when his frogs and heels were inflamed. My biggest fear is that as you said the hoof quality will begin to deteriorate if the coronet does not start producing normal hoof.

[bathsheba8542]

Just a quick update…the frogs are worse, despite treatment with the powder. In an effort to get the powder to adhere/absorb into the frog tissue, I was using DMSO. Weirdly, it seems to make the frog tissue grow more out of control so have quit that. They are still soft and mushy and he’s definitely lame (1.5/5). All 4 feet are affected, and the treatment is not having an impact. The hoof wall appears ok, and the coronary bands are looking decent, but the frogs have definitely slid downhill despite regular treatment.

[Losgelassenheit]

I posted our experience with this disease on another recent thread. Please look on page 2 or 3 in the Horse Care section. I believe the title was something like “Weird Coronet Bands?”

I posted a lengthy reply in that thread, but in short, we are having success treating a mare that had this going on undiagnosed for almost a year. There is a university vet that has a very successful cure which in essence, gives the horse a new immune system. It is called Transfer Factor. Look up Dr. Mac Barksdale.

I will say it again… It is startling how many cases of this super rare disorder have popped up over the last several months. Just out of curiosity, what do you feed your horse? It would seem that the majority of the horses that have this coming on are being fed Purina…

ETA: Here is the thread: http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?474268-Weird-coronet-band-thing

[bathsheba8542]

Thanks, L, I will look at the link and at Dr. Barksdale’s work. My horse is in zero grain … alfalfa pellets and a fat supplement. This is all he has had for years and years. Only one of the horses in my barn is on grain. Interestingly, it is Ultium, but no one else gets near it. For the last 4 weeks he has been on a dry lot, and his stall (when he is in) is picked meticulously so he has dry footing as much as possible. His coronary bands have responded pretty well to regular applications of a prescription antibiotic, but the frogs are just a wreck.

ETA: I have seen a few websites now that reference TF but can’t figure out what product you might have used. Can you let me know? Or, provide an email for Dr. B?

[Losgelassenheit]

[QUOTE=bathsheba8542;8300448]
Thanks, L, I will look at the link and at Dr. Barksdale’s work. My horse is in zero grain … alfalfa pellets and a fat supplement. This is all he has had for years and years. Only one of the horses in my barn is on grain. Interestingly, it is Ultium, but no one else gets near it. For the last 4 weeks he has been on a dry lot, and his stall (when he is in) is picked meticulously so he has dry footing as much as possible. His coronary bands have responded pretty well to regular applications of a prescription antibiotic, but the frogs are just a wreck.

ETA: I have seen a few websites now that reference TF but can’t figure out what product you might have used. Can you let me know? Or, provide an email for Dr. B?[/QUOTE]

Wow, that is even more interesting. The whole food nutritionist that we recently consulted with had us change this mare (and the other horses just for precaution) onto a diet of whole oats, alf pellets, and a fat source (Renew Gold in our area). The new diet coupled with the Transfer Factor has her feet looking remarkable, though it is taking a LONG time for the healing. I attribute that solely to how long it took for a proper diagnosis to begin treatment attempts.

Dr. Mac’s e–mail is skyranger32792@yahoo.com

He had us start with the Transfer Factor “Stress Pack”, and after a few rounds of that, we began weaning her onto a less concentrated variation that came in buckets. Still Transfer Factor but that “name” is escaping me at the moment. Unfortunately we noticed that as soon as we lost the punch of the Stress Pack, the swelling of the C bands came back. We went back to the Stress Packs, and at that point were also at the height of the war with our vet and her desire to stop the TF and instead cut the “canker” out of the mare’s feet.

When I told Dr. Mac of the conflict, he sent us a canker and thrush treatment to add to the mix (applied topically to the frog, sulcus crack, and heels) just to silence the critics. This topical did wonders for drying out the sulcus and allowing it and the frogs to heal, however we do feel that the sulcus/thrush/frog issue was separate from the coronet bands.

Send an e-mail to Mac. He will walk you through the process and get you started. Be prepared to take LOTS of photos. He checks in on our mare at least every few days to a week. If I can offer any further answers to your questions, support, or more about our experience, please feel free to PM me anytime. Keep us posted!