Using medicated patches to treat hoof wall infections

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Using Medicated Patches to Treat Hoof Wall Infections Hoof wall infections represent a significant welfare concern for horses whilst imposing considerable financial burden on owners through lost performance and treatment costs, yet field-applicable, evidence-based solutions have remained elusive. Logie's 2025 review examined both the diagnostic classification of hoof wall infections and the efficacy of medicated patch systems as a farrier-administered intervention. The research demonstrates that medicated patches offer a practical alternative to previously cumbersome protocols, with the evidence base supporting their use when infections are correctly identified and classified. For practitioners managing hoof pathology—particularly farriers and veterinary surgeons working in ambulatory settings—this work clarifies the diagnostic criteria necessary to select appropriate patch-based treatments and confirms their reliability in field conditions. Adoption of this evidence-based approach should reduce unnecessary interventions, improve healing outcomes, and provide horse owners with a cost-effective treatment option that minimises disruption to work and training schedules.

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Key Findings

• •Hoof wall infections negatively impact equine welfare, performance, and owner finances
• •Previous treatment options have been either impractical for field use or lack proper efficacy testing
• •Identification and classification of infection type is essential for effective treatment selection
• •Medicated patches represent a proven effective treatment method applicable by farriers

Conditions Studied