Subj: White Lines Ds
Date: 98-03-23 22:41:31 EST
From: trotters@ctaz.com (PEYTON and DIANE RIGGS)
To: MFTHorses@aol.com ('MFTHorses@aol.com')

Dear Keith, Do you have any information on this disease and the best way to treat it. Also if left untreated, what kind of damage does it do to the hoof and is it fixable?
Thank You
Diane/trotters

IN WHITE LINE DISEASE  BACTERIA AND FUNGI LIVE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE HOOFWALL IN A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP. THAT IS, THEY CAN LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, BUT MUTUALLY BENEFIT BY EACH OTHER'S PRESENCE. EACH ORGANISM BREAKS DOWN THE HOOF IN A DIFFERENT MANNER WHILE PROVIDING METABOLITES FOR THE OTHER. THE FUNGI CAN BE HETEROTROPHS, OBTAINING THEIR FOOD FROM NONLIVING ORGANI MATTER, OR SAPROPHYTES, FEEDING AS PARASITES ON LIVING HOSTS. THEY BECOME DEEPLY IMBEDDED WITH IN THE HOOF WALL AND SEND OUT THREADLIKE FILIMENTS CALLED HYPHAE THAT ABSORB NUTRIENTS MUCH LIKE ROOTS OF A PLANT.

THE BACTERIUM REPRODUCES MORE QUICKLY BY DIVIDING, BUT THE FUNGUS CAN PRODUCE SPORES THAT MAKE IT HARDER TO KILL. TREATING FOR BACTERIA OR FUNGUS ALONE IS USELESS BECAUSE WHEN ONE IS ELIMINATED, THE OTHERWILL CONTINUE TO GROW UNABATED. YOU MUST CONTROL BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY.

(TREATMENT) THE BEST WAY TO TREAT WHITE LINE DISEASE IS FIRST TO RECONIZE IT EARLY AND THEN TREAT IT WITH A PRODUCT THAT IS A BROAD-SPECTRUM BACTERICIDE AS WELL AS A FUNGICIDE. YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT DRY, COOL CONDITIONS ARE YOUR ALLY AND THAT WARM, WET ONES ARE YOUR ENEMY.

BECAUSE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANISMS PRESENT ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SPORES, YOU MUST CHOOSE A PRODUCT THAT IS POWERFUL AND STAYS ACTIVE FOR A LONG TIME. IT TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE TO TREAT THESE INFECTIONS ONCE THEY GAIN A FOOTHOLD. EVEN IF YOU DON'T KILL ALL THE ORGANISMS INITIALLY, YOU MAY KILL ENOUGH OF THEM TO SLOW DOWN THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE DISEASE TO THE POINT THAT IT MAY GROW OUT WITH SUCCESSIVE TRIMMINGS.

Keith