hoof falling off

Question
QUESTION: I realize you are not a vet, but was hoping to get some ideas on what has happened to my mare.  I have a call into my vet now but he has not been available.  (small town... lots of dog vets, 1 horse vet).

My 21 year old quarter mare came into the barn one night with lice, and lots of them.  I have 32 in total and they all run free during the winter months.  I live in Canada and this winter she was not fairing well with the cold and had lost weight.  I cleaned her up with Dry Kill (as I did with all the others to. still 1 more application required) and gave her another dose of Ivermec.  

When she came into the barn, I noticed some blood from her front foot.  When I cleaned it up, it was no more than a small scratch on the front, but a slightly larger cut - hair loss - in the back.  I poured tea tree oil on it and sent her out.  In order to put weight back on her, I started her on a grain schedule (beet pulp and equine senior) and added some electrolytes and vitamins to replace what the lice had taken from her.  I checked her foot again and it looked worse.  I soaked it for 15 minutes in warm water and epsom salt.  The water was dirty, so I rinsed her foot in a second pail, put on a salve for horses I purchased from the coop and bandaged her foot. I also started her on 5 days of penicillin (sp?)  This time I kept her in the barn.  3 days later, I removed the bandage, re-soaked her and thought the cut was getting worse, but still nothing to call a vet over.  Not very deep, but it did seem as though it had gone more "around" the cornet band.  I cleaned her and this time poured Wonder Dust on it, rebandaged.  3 days later (today) I removed the bandage and it now looks like someone has run a knife around the entire foot and it is literally falling off her leg!  I know this did not happen, but it is the only way I can think to describe it.  They hoof nail is actually peeling away from the hairline in the front and the back is no longer attached!  I have had horses for over 30 years and NEVER seen anything like this.  None of my other horses have any cuts to their feet or bodies.  I should also mention she has never stopped eating or drinking since this started, about 2 weeks ago.

Any thoughts or ideas you have would be greatly appreciated.  I am heart broken at the thought of having to put my children's horse down when my husband gets home, but I also can't allow her to be in such pain either.  Looking back, I don't think I would have done anything differently because her foot did not appear to be anything more than the "scruff" they get in the fall when the dampness gets into the fetlock area.  This went from something I see all the time to disasterous in unbelievable time!

Thank you so much for your time.   Lorrie

ANSWER: Hi Lorrie ... no, I'm not a vet and unfortunately I can't even begin to tell you what to do except to call your vet and I would do it pronto! Sounds like there might be something more going on than meets the eye. I'm sorry to not be able to be more helpful to you. Do call your vet, now!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Unfortunately, in our area, we have a small animal vet on every corner, and only one equine vet. I have called, several times in fact and I am still waiting for a return call.  He may not even be in the country....  He leaves sometimes for a month or so to do extra training in Europe, etc.  He is the most amazing man - when I can get him out.  I am so frustrated.  That is why I thought I would try the internet in hopes I could get some sort of idea in the meantime.  Thank you so much for your help.

Lorrie

ANSWER: Hi Lorrie ... Just checking back in with you to see how your girl is doing. Once again, I'm so sorry I was not able to give you any helpful advice. I hope you were able to contact a vet.

Warmly,
Gwen


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Gwen.  We put our mare down the same day.  When I spoke to the vet, he said to stop beating myself up because once I saw the small sore on her cornet band, it was already too late to save due to her age and the fact if he had done anything to save that leg, the process would have most likely made her founder on the other side.  The one thing I have learned from this is not to compare the heat in one foot with ONLY the other foot.  What I should have done was compared it to all 4 feet and I would have known immediately something was not right.  Again, at that point, it would have been too late, but certainly something I have learned from.  I have printed off that amazing poem RAINBOW BRIDGE (search on google if you are not familiar with it) and we kept some of her tail.  I will put her picture and the poem in a frame and make a heart shape around both with her braided tail.  The kids are heart broken, but I don't think it will actually hit them full until we start riding in the spring and their mare is not there.  She was one of those "once in a life time" mares that looked after everyone.  We had a mare go blind in one eye (2 horses actually and 1 aborted 2 months before full term) after giving the west nile vaccine and she went insane, running into the barn walls, trees, other horses, charging at us.... Splash took her and kept her with her at all times.  Mission kept her head on Splashes rear and followed her. Splash took her to the water and hay when no other horses were around... it was the most incredible thing to watch.  We were eventually able to use Mission for trail rides again (my children's other horse).  She started kids who were so afraid of a horse, they were unable to enter the barn with a horse in there.  She was just one of a kind and I keep trying to tell my kids that we were lucky to have her for the 7 years we did and not to look at it that we don't have her anymore.  Easier said than done. :)  

Thanks so much for checking up on us.  Nice to know we aren't alone.

Take care.

Lorrie

Answer
Oh, Lorrie ... I am soooooooo sorry. My heart is breaking for you. I know the pain of losing a loved one ... especially that "one horse in a million". We can only remember the lessons that horse taught us and "do them proud" when we work and play with others. You were blessed to have had your mare with your for the 7 years. Thank you for the care you gave her.

{{{Hugs}}}
Gwen