The owner of a mare who faced being put down as she had severe canker in all four feet said she hopes her recovery will give hope to others in a similar situation.
Lyndsay, who said she felt “completely hopeless” about her nine-year-old mare Rita’s future, had been told by vets there was not much more that could be done to help her.
“Euthanasia was suggested, but I really didn’t feel it was the right option at that stage,” she said. “I felt strongly that Rita deserved a chance and was determined to explore all options.”
Rita contacted Moorcroft Equine Rehabilitation Centre in West Sussex, which took a different approach. Canker, which is painful and notoriously difficult to treat, is caused by bacteria that infect the deeper tissue of the frog and the heel. This causes the intertubular horn to disintegrate; the condition can advance to undermine the sole and loosen the hoof wall.
Many horses will only have one or two hooves affected but Rita had a severe infection in all four.
Moorcroft chief executive Mary Frances told H&H Rita’s feet were thoroughly cleaned with antibacterial spray, dusted with antibiotic powder and bandaged. The bandages were changed every other day, and corrective trimming carried out by qualified podiatrist Trevor Jones every three weeks.
“Each time we removed the bandages we saw an improvement, which kept us going,” Mary said. “The pain began to subside, and Rita felt better about being handled.”
Rita was managed very carefully; she was hand-grazed and not allowed to go out in wet conditions. Long-reining helped stimulate circulation, and at times she wore hoof boots to prevent infection, although she also needed time barefoot to allow the tissues to “breathe”.
“With the above treatments the condition has not returned and we are thrilled to have given this horse a future she was not going to have,” Mary said, adding that Rita is now a “happy, sound horse”, enjoying gentle hacking.
“I was thrilled when I reached out to Moorcroft as the charity and its team of experts were so prepared to help her and take a different approach,” Lyndsay said. “Their methodical and dedicated treatment of her very sore feet began to work, resulting in her being much more comfortable in just a few weeks.
“I hope Rita’s experience gives hope and reassurance to other horse owners who may be going through a similar situation. I couldn’t be more pleased with Rita’s recovery.”
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