APPLYING
A HOOF AND LOWER LEG BANDAGE
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Caring for a hoof or lower leg injury can be very labor intensive. Even under
the most ideal management conditions, the horse's lower extremities are regularly
exposed to dirt, debris, moisture and manure. Without a properly applied bandage,
it will be difficult - if not impossible - to heal many types of foot and lower
leg injuries.
HOW BANDAGING HELPS
Hoof bandages may be used to:
- Protect wounds, cracks, abscesses or surgical sites from contamination or
trauma
- Apply medication
- Prevent or reduce swelling and edema
- Immobilize injured tissues and/or reduce motion in the joints
- Aid in the healing of wounds
- Absorb fluids (exudate)
- Provide support for structures such as tendons, ligaments, and even bone
as in cases of laminitis
APPLY WITH CARE
It is especially important to know the proper way
to apply a hoof and/or lower leg bandage. The horse's feet and legs depend on
a steady and abundant supply of blood. Tendons, ligaments, joints and nerves
are also vulnerable to damage from an improperly applied bandage as there is
minimal overlying tissue to protect them.
The bandage must be applied smoothly, evenly and with the right amount of
tension so as not to interfere with circulation or put undue pressure on vital
structures.
If you have never bandaged a horse's foot or lower limb before, ask your
veterinarian or an experienced equine professional to demonstrate the proper
techniques. Practice under his or her supervision before doing it on your own.
Because a bandage covering the lower leg and especially the hoof will require
frequent changing, you will get plenty of practice.
BANDAGING GUIDELINES
The location and type of injury will determine how
high the bandage should extend. A sole abscess might require that just the bottom
and lower half of the hoof be protected. A heel bulb, coronary band, or lower
leg injury might require that the bandage extend to cover the pastern.
- Thoroughly cleanse the injury site as prescribed by your veterinarian.
- Cover the wound or surgical site with sterile, non-stick gauze or dressing.
- Utilize padding as needed. Apply to sole of foot in case of abscess or laminitis,
or surround the hoof wall, heel bulb and ankle for other types of injuries. A
disposable diaper also works well. Padding should lie flat and wrinkle-free where
it contacts the skin.
- Secure the padding by encircling the hoof wall and lower leg with stretch
or adhesive bandaging tape.
- Cover the sole using a figure-8 bandaging pattern, cris-crossing the fabric
over the bottom of the foot and extending it up around the sides of the hoof
and pastern until the padding is completely covered.
- Work top to bottom or bottom to top, conforming the bandage to the hourglass
shape of the hoof and lower leg. Exert just enough pull to stretch the fabric
to half its maximum extended length, being especially careful not to constrict
the area around the coronary band.
- Overlap each preceding layer by 50 percent using smooth, uniform tension
to compress the padding without forming lumps or ridges beneath the bandages.
- Secure the bandaging tape with adhesive to keep it in place.
- Create a strong, durable surface by applying duct tape to the bottom and
sides of the foot. Use strips that extend across the bottom and up the sides
of the hoof walls.
- Overlap the edges of the duct tape, then add a second, cross-hatched layer
to create a watertight seal.
- Secure the edges along the hoof wall by encircling the foot with additional
duct tape.
- Seal the top opening of the bandage with an adhesive tape such as Elastikon
Tape to prevent dirt or debris from getting in.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Because the foot and lower leg are the site of so
many vital structures, any injury to the hoof, heel, coronary band or pastern
should be evaluated by a veterinarian.
Other considerations include:
- A horse with a condition requiring a hoof bandage should be confined to a
stall or small run unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian.
- Hoof and lower leg injuries may bleed excessively because the area is highly
vascular. Pressure may be applied directly to the wound to control bleeding.
However, a pressure bandage should not be left in place for more than hour or
two.
- When bandaging, use enough pressure to keep the bandage securely in place,
but never wrap so tightly that you cannot easily slip a finger between the top
of the bandage and the leg.
- Check the hoof bandage several times a day to make sure it is not cutting
off circulation, constricting the coronary band or leg, creating pressure sores,
or causing discomfort.
- Monitor and evaluate the horse carefully. If swelling develops above the
bandage, lameness increases, or the horse begins to chew at the bandage, check
the bandage and contact your veterinarian.
- If the horse has an elevated temperature, becomes depressed or irritable,
or loses its appetite, consult your veterinarian.
- For hoof injuries that require continuous soaking or medication, a foot bandage
can be lined with a heavy plastic bag, innertubing, or latex rubber folded around
the hoof to contain fluids. Ask your veterinarian for special instructions.
- A properly fitted hoof boot may be used over the bandage to aid in extending
wear and water resistance of the bandage.
- Change the hoof bandage at the intervals specified by your veterinarian or
immediately if it becomes wet or soiled.
CASTING
In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend that
the foot be cast rather than bandaged. A cast, used short term, can speed healing
by immobilizing and protecting delicate tissues, often reducing recovery times
from months to weeks.
If you have any further questions or concerns about hoof or lower leg bandaging
techniques, contact your local veterinarian.
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