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WHITE
LINE
DISEASE
White Line Disease, also known as seedy toe,
is a condition that can affect horses of any age,
breed, condition or sex.
It is caused when bacteria and/or fungus enters
the hoof through a crack, puncture or hole. It
then causes separation of the hoof wall as the
infection eats away the hoof. This can result in
lameness and the hoof becoming brittle, white
and crumbly.
A farrier is typically the first to diagnosis White
line Disease during a trim. Treatment and
continued management should be undertaken
by a vet working with an experienced farrier.
It is important to treat White line Disease as
soon as possible, as if it spreads up to the
coronet band it can cause the coffin bone
to rotate.
Treatment involves cutting away as much of
the affected hoof as possible and exposing the
area to oxygen which will kill the bacteria or
fungus responsible for the damage. The cutaway
exposed area must be kept clean to avoid more
bacteria or fungus getting into the hoof.
Completely curing White line Disease usually
takes up to a year as you will need to wait for
new healthy hoof growth.
