Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Racehorse with hoof fungus - what to know about onychomycosis
By Kuwano, A et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·1996·Equine Research Institute, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pathomorphological findings in a case of onychomycosis of a racehorse.
Plain-English summary
A racehorse had problems with its hooves, specifically a condition called white line disease, which affects the area where the hoof wall meets the sole. Tests showed that a lot of fungus had invaded the tissues of the hooves, causing significant damage. The fungus was found both inside the hoof tissues and in the cracks of the outer layer. The characteristics of the fungus indicated that it was likely a key factor in causing the hoof issues. Overall, the findings suggest that the fungal infection was an important cause of the horse's hoof problems.
Abstract
The hooves of a racehorse which were affected with white line disease and hoof wall disorders on both forelimbs were histopathologically investigated using thin ground section and standard paraffin section techniques. On both hooves, large quantities of fungus were found to have invaded the white line tissues, especially in the terminal horn which were markedly damaged. The fungus was also present among the cellular debris in the fissures of horny tissues. The morphological characteristics of the fungus were brown (its natural color), PAS-positive, mold-like shape with septa inside the tissues, and unicellular spores outside the tissues. These findings suggest that onychomycosis was a primary and/or secondary cause of white line disease in this subject.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8959661/