Cankers in horses are anaerobic infections located in the hoof. Bacteria found in cankers cause an abnormal production of keratin, which is an overgrowth beneath the horn in the horse's hoof.
Canker is a disease of the frog in the horse’s hoof that appears initially as a white or yellow growth at the frog. The tissue that is growing out of the frog commonly looks like rotting cauliflower and generally has a rotten flesh odor. It is easily abraded and bleeds and is painful to the horse.
Canker can spread in living tissue, often without the help of oxygen. If not treated, canker can spread from the frog to other areas of the sole. Although canker is considered by many to be caused when horses are kept in a wet and unhygienic environment, it is possible for canker to develop in horses kept in good environments.
.Cankers in horses can be a serious problem that affects the overall health of the animal. While the effects of cankers can be noticeable, a vigorous diagnosis is needed in order to determine if the animal is suffering from the disease because early symptoms of canker are often mistaken for thrush.
Biopsies are usually necessary to diagnose canker. While cankers can often be difficult to control, there are various treatments to get rid of the infection. The rate of recurrence is minimal once infections are successfully treated.
Veterinarians are not certain what causes cankers. Many believe that it has a number of pathogenesis. Others believe that trauma might be involved. While cankers are not commonly fatal, some horses have been known to die of the disease.
Treatment for canker includes performing a superficial debridement on the animal's hoof that involves removing the horn of the area by trimming the hoof and removing the loose exfoliating sole and all affected areas from the toe or heel.
The removal should only be superficial and shouldn't involve drawing blood. Once blood is drawn, the infection will burrow deeper in the the tissue and make it even more difficult to remove.
The next part of the treatment is to make sure that the infected area is introduced to air, and kept clean and dry.
Antibiotic/microbial medications, such as Metronidazole, can be applied often to the area. This treatment is only effective if the horn is removed first. The superficial debridement is usually performed while the horse is under general or local sedation.
Cankers have been known to return while the horse is still healing, but once the healing process has been completed, then the rate of recurrence is lowered. Horses who have been treated for canker see little recurrence in the disease during their natural lives.
If you think your horse may have canker, consult your vet as this condition requires specialized treatment.