Farrier builds new hoof for laminitis sufferer

| 27/02/2015 | 0 Comments

hoof-regrowthUS farrier Patrick Reilly, head of farrier services at University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, built a whole new hoof for a zebra suffering from laminitis.

Reilly made a special shoe for the affected hoof to make it more comfortable for Zippy the zebra to support weight on his affected hind leg. When Zippy tried to stand for the first time in weeks, the severity of the problem became apparent when the entire hoof capsule came off, in one piece.

“In Zippy’s case, the abscess undermined the whole foot,” Reilly said, explaining that the infection expanded between the hard hoof on the outside and the soft foot on the inside, destroying the sensitive lamina that connects them.

See the pictures of Zippy’s hoof regrowing, and read his story

Category: News