Veterinary Medicine: Hoof Anatomy (King Salman International University)

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Anatomy and Embryology 1 (ANH121) Lecture : The Hoof Dr : Mohamed Mahdy The hoof  The hoof Is the horny covering of the distal part of the digit. The epidermis of the skin here is modified to form the hoof. Skeleton of...

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Anatomy and Embryology 1 (ANH121) Lecture : The Hoof Dr : Mohamed Mahdy The hoof  The hoof Is the horny covering of the distal part of the digit. The epidermis of the skin here is modified to form the hoof. Skeleton of Hoof: 1- Distal part of 2nd phalanx 2- 3rd phalanx (Coffin or Pedal bone) 3- Navicular bone 4- Lateral cartilages  Parts of the hoof Hoof is formed of three parts: A- Wall B- Sole C- Frog  1- Wall The part of the hoof visible in the standing animal. 1- Toe: Dorsal part of wall, which is highest and thickest. 2- Quarter: sides of wall. 3- Heel: palmer or planter aspect of wall 4- Bars: extension of the heel dorsally (best seen on the ground surface on either sides of the frog.)  1- Wall The inner side of the hoof Contains primary epidermal lamellae and secondary epidermal lamellae  2- Sole Crescent in shape, form the greater part of the ground surface of hoof. Its convex border separated from the wall by a horny material of light color called the white line. While the part between the wall & bar called angle of the sole. White line (zona alba): the junction between the wall and sole on the ground surface of foot. It indicates the sensitive internal structures. The nails of the shoe are placed at the white line White line Frog Sole  3- Frog It is wedge shape and occupies the angle between the bars of wall and concave border of the sole. It is called the heart of the horse's foot as it pushes blood from foot toward body. The frog consists of: a) Apex b) 2 crura (ridges) separated by central sulcus (groove) c) Base: form two caudal prominences Internally frog stay and two grooves  Corium of the hoof It is the underlying dermis = Corium = Matrix Highly vascular tissue, which nourishes the hoof capsule. Nerves are located in corium, so it is the sensitive part of the foot. It is divided into: 1) Perioplic (Marginal) which produces thin, shiny external layer of the wall. corium 2) Coronary corium raised band distal to the perioplic corium. 3) Laminar (Lamellar) About 600 dermal laminae (sensitive) which nourishes and interdigitate with corium the horny, non sensitive epidermal laminae of the hoof capsule. 4) Solar corium which nourishes the horny sole. 5) Corium of the frog which nourishes the horny frog.  Corium of the hoof 1) Perioplic (Marginal) corium: Lies in the perioplic groove 2) Coronary corium: Lies in the coronary groove 2 3) Laminar corium 3 4) Corium of Sole 5) Corium of Frog Coronary Corium Corium of sole Laminar Corium Corium of frog  Horse Shoeing Horseshoe: is attached on the ground surface of the hoof to protect a horse hoof from wear. Shoe also used to correct angle of the foot (deformity). Shoe is fixed by nails into insensitive hoof wall. Nails are placed at the white line Balanced Horse  Digital cushion Digital cushion lies above the frog of the hoof, inside the foot. Consists of fibrocartilagenous tissue interspersed with little fat tissue. Functions: - Shock absorbing, 'sling' under the P3. - Supports internal structures (navicular bone) Digital cushion