The invention relates to a therapeutic shoe for cloven hooved lactating animals which protects a diseased or injured hoof (10) from the external environment to promote healing. The shoe (12) is notionally divided into four parts: (i) a sole portion (14) for supporting the undersides of the medial and lateral claws (ii) a vamp portion (16) connected to the sole portion for at least partially enveloping the hoof wall between its toe heel (19) and coronary band (17) (iii) a quarter portion (20) connected to the vamp portion for at least partially enveloping the front and lateral pastern sections and (iv) a heel portion (24) connected to both the vamp and quarter portions for at least partially enveloping the heel and the area (26) beneath the dew claws. The material of the shoe at said heel portion (24) is relatively more deformable than the material of the shoe at any of said sole vamp or quarter portions thus avoiding the application of excess pressure to this sensitive area (26) of the hoof anatomy.
