Page 129 - Adams and Stashak's Lameness in Horses, 7th Edition

Examination for Lameness 95

the hoof tester is applied to the hoof wall across the heels,
and then it can be applied diagonally from the medial heel
VetBooks.ir the dorsolateral hoof. If sensitivity is encountered, it is nec­
to the dorsolateral hoof and then from the lateral heel to
essary to confirm whether the response is from pain and
not just a whimsical reaction by the horse. Repeatability is
the key to being confident with your findings. True sensi­
tivity is identified by repeated intermittent hoof tester
pressure that results in persistent reflexive withdrawal
(flexing the shoulder and trying to take the foot away)
with hoof tester pressure. Obviously varying amounts of
hoof tester pressure are applied to elicit a response, and
this is dependent on sole thickness and the painfulness of
the condition. Hoof tester responses should be compared
with those obtained from the opposite foot.
In general, diffuse sole sensitivity may suggest a sagit­
tal fracture of the distal phalanx, extensive sole bruising,
and in some cases laminitis. More localized hoof tester
sensitivity is usually obtained with sole bruising, puncture
wounds, close or hot nail, and localized subsolar abscesses.
Hoof tester sensitivity over the central third of the frog is
usually consistent with pain in the region of the navicular
Figure 2.49. Concavity of the left front foot in a horse with bone (Figure 2.51). A hoof tester or a hammer can also be
chronic laminitis. This horse was most lame in the left forelimb. used to strike (percuss) the hoof wall. A painful response
may be suggestive of laminitis or a defect along the hoof
wall. A hollow sound over the dorsal hoof wall may sug­
gest separation between the sensitive and insensitive lami­
nae (e.g. white line disease, chronic laminitis, etc.).
The coronary band should be palpated for heat,
swelling, and pain on deep pressure. Effusion of the dis­
tal interphalangeal (DIP) joint is usually palpable just
dorsal and proximal to the coronary band (Figure 2.52).
2,5
Using both hands can facilitate determining if the swell­
ing is fluid or thickened tissue. Firm, often nonpainful
swelling in this region may also be evidence of low ring­
bone. Heat, pain, and swelling with or without drainage
of one of the heel bulbs are often found in horses with
subsolar abscesses (Figure 2.53) as many of these
abscesses tend to break out in the heel bulb region.

Figure 2.50. Examples of several types of hoof testers. Left: GE
Forge and Tool Works, 959 Highland Way, Grover Beach, CA,
93433. Middle, Ryding Hoof Tester, Jorgenson Labs, 2198 W 15th Figure 2.51. A Ryding Hoof Tester being applied over the
St., Loveland, CO, 80537. Right: Kane Enterprises, AG‐TEK central third of the frog of the forefoot to produce direct pressure
Division, P.O. Box 1043, Sioux Falls, SD, 57101. over the navicular region.