Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Scanning electron microscope observations of hoof horn from horses with brittle feet.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary record
- Year:
- 1987
- Authors:
- Kempson, S A
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Researchers looked at hoof clippings from horses with brittle feet using a special microscope and found two main problems. The first issue was that the outer layer of the hoof was damaged, but this improved after the horses were given biotin, a type of vitamin. The second problem involved the hoof layers not sticking together well, and biotin alone didn't help this issue. However, when powdered limestone was added to the horses' diet, it did lead to some improvement. Overall, the treatment worked well for the first problem and partially worked for the second.
Abstract
Two types of defect were observed when hoof clippings from horses with brittle feet were viewed in the scanning electron microscope. The first defect showed a loss of structure and horn in the stratum externum. This defect was remedied after biotin treatment. The second defect showed poor attachment of the horn squames and failed to respond to biotin treatment alone. An improvement in this case was achieved by the addition of powdered limestone to the diet.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3617412/