hello,   these are xrays for tiko hoof photos taken 1 week after  3rd shoeing with st. croix  shoes,  xrays done 11/2022 includes stifle   in these shoes for 6 weeks farrier came next day,  xrays from 6/2022 by equine vet podiatrist , ready for new shoes, at this time had been in basic rocker shoe since 10/2021. . his heel bulbs have healed sulci are less deep out of rocker shoes.  his sole deth still poor, has been on biotin 20mg for 3+ years and on 40 to 60mg for about a year, back on triamino  for about 6 months. he is in regular work.   how do you feel about his feet; i so would like for him to be barefoot but just cannot see my way to think that is ever possible.  all his surfaces are hard clay dirt with rocks except when on pasture about 5 hours a day..  i can ride in an arena with adequate footing but all other riding footing much less than ideal.  he is boarded so use of boots is limited.  as always thank you for your help, daisy,tiko, whisper
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Daisy, Tiko and Whisper
CO, April 2019
Case History:  https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Daisy%20and%20Tiko 
Photo Album: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=90099&p=Name,,,20,2,0,0

Hi Daisy,

Wish I could say the trim has improved but things are pretty much in a holding pattern. He continues to have a broken-back HPA on all four feet, with toes that are further ahead than they should be. The sole depth hasn't changed and his heels remain underrun and lower than they should be relative to the height in the front half of the feet. LH has developed arthritic changes (ringbone) since the rads from June 2021. The most recent radiographs show the trim with the rocker shoes was a bit worse than the current one, so the new farrier has improved things a tad but not enough.

Biotin isn't going to fix the trim issues and will only help with horn quality if there is a deficiency. Copper, zinc, methionine are also important for hoof health and need to be in the right ratios with the other minerals. Sorry, I can't tell what the current situation is regarding his mineral balancing.

Adding jiaogulan will increase blood flow and can help add sole depth but it will also increase hoof growth overall, which is not a plus when the trim isn't spot-on and the trim interval isn't kept short enough.

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Lavinia, George Too, Calvin (PPID) and Dinky (PPID/IR)
Nappi, George and Dante Over the Bridge
Jan 05, RI
Moderator ECIR

Daisy,

You may have heard this lecture already but bear with me.

There is not much chance of increasing sole depth/reversing distal descent when he is in shoes because the shoes are the problem. Shoes take the soles and  frog out of their weightbearing functions, at least when on level ground, which suspends the bone column from the rim of the foot and the laminae. Horses are not more comfortable in shoes because it protects them from hard ground and certainly not stones (look at the thickness of the shoe). It's because it prevents the hoof from expanding, which is important for good circulation in the hoof. Boots with yielding pads are a much healthier choice, once the trim is corrected. See: https://hoofrehab.com/DistalDescent.htm .

The barn help may assist you with booting issues for a little extra money, or one of the other boarders.
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Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001
The first step to wisdom is "I don't know."

dr kellon, can you review tikos mineral needs and make changes if needed and should i add jioagulon? my farrier of 13 months may be willing to work with  all suggestions, i will talk with him.  my boarding place is a bit unique, i am the only boarder, all workers help only with feeding, mucking and farm work but will work on something.  thank you so much, daisy, tiko,whisper
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Daisy, Tiko and Whisper
CO, April 2019
Case History:  https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Daisy%20and%20Tiko 
Photo Album: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=90099&p=Name,,,20,2,0,0

Send the current hay analysis to my e-mail.
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Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001
The first step to wisdom is "I don't know."