Evaluation of platelet-rich plasma applied in the coronary band of healthy equine hooves.
Authors: S. Seidel, A. F. de Souza, J. Fülber, P. M. Bogossian, N. N. P. Rodrigues, R. Baccarin
Journal: The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
Summary
# Editorial Summary Platelet-rich plasma has generated considerable interest in equine practice as a potential regenerative therapy, particularly for chronic laminitis where it may reduce pain and stimulate hoof regrowth. Seidel and colleagues investigated whether topical PRP application to the coronary band could enhance hoof growth in clinically healthy horses, using a randomised controlled design with nine horses receiving PRP, saline, or trimming alone at 33-day intervals, with hoof measurements and radiographs taken at each treatment point. Critically, neither hoof growth rate nor hoof angle changed significantly between any of the three treatment groups throughout the study period. Whilst the findings confirm that coronary band PRP application appears safe and well-tolerated, equine professionals should recognise that the therapeutic benefit reported anecdotally in laminitic cases cannot be assumed to translate into measurable structural improvements in healthy hooves—suggesting that any beneficial effects in disease states likely operate through analgesic or inflammatory pathways rather than simply promoting accelerated keratin production. These results provide a useful baseline for understanding PRP's actual mechanism of action in hoof pathology and should temper expectations around using PRP as a hoof growth enhancement strategy in sound animals.
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Practical Takeaways
- •PRP injections at the coronary band did not stimulate hoof growth in healthy horses, questioning its use as a growth-promoting therapy in this context
- •While safe to apply, PRP coronary band treatment should not be expected to improve hoof conformation or growth rate in sound horses without hoof pathology
- •Further research is needed to determine if PRP efficacy differs in diseased or compromised hooves versus healthy tissue
Key Findings
- •PRP application to the coronary band produced no significant difference in hoof growth compared to saline or trimming alone in clinically healthy horses
- •No differences in hoof angles were observed between treatment groups (PRP, saline, or trimming) at any measurement timepoint
- •PRP application to the coronary band appears to be a safe procedure with no adverse effects reported