Cleft or sheared frog - anyone had this? (also in vet)

[DuckToller]

Daughter's supposed schoolmaster has come up with a new way of avoiding work - he has now got a large split in his frog, which goes up to the bulbs of his heels.

Vet recommended bar shoes which farrier duly supplied, and vet came back out after a week to see him. He is still about 1/5 lame, and we have PC Area this and that coming up, so I was just wondering if anyone else has had it, time it took to heal, anything I can do to speed things up?

Vet didn't suggest anything, farrier mentioned magnesium sulphate to clear out any underlying infection. He has a strong digital pulse which makes me wonder if there is any infection up there. But I don't want to mess about with it either in case I stop it healing. Ideas please?

 

[GermanyJo]

Mine had this in all 4 feet when I first got him.... took at least 8 months until all 4 were completely gone, the bar shoes are definately the right way forward as this should stop too much movement between the heels and stabilise.
I used Hydrogen peroxide several times a week for the first week or so, every day cleaning really thoroughly with iodine solution, after the first few days of the agressive treatment , once the feet were really clean and dried, I then coated with Stockholm tar - you need to ensure that it is really clean before you start this as otherwise you are sealing any infection in. I continued to clean thoroughly for at least a month... then did a couple of times a week, more if it looked like it needed it. for the first month or so, I often soaked some cotton wool or swabs in iodine and packed down into the crack...stays in relatively well when you have the bar shoes on.. this helps to keep mud, grit or school surface out.

I am afraid this is definately something which needs really consequent treatment over weeks and months , and then you need to make sure that you keep on top of it.
I scrub Mickeys feet at least once a week and make sure that he gets hoof oil over the bottom of his feet at least 2-3 times a week.
Even if all infection is gone , if the crack is deep then this will still be very tender

 

[nikkiportia]

My friends horse had this recently, although probably not as severe..
I treated it with a strong disinfectant, Hydrogen Peroxide syringed into the cleft, and poulticed daily. Once sure any infection was out, I packed with iodine swabs, and bandaged.
Then left to dry, and kept VERY clean, it healed in a matter of weeks.

 

[DuckToller]

Great, thanks both of you, will go off to chemists this afternoon then and try hydrogen peroxide. Do you use it neat?

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

We used magnesium sulphate, made into a paste,covered in gamgee and lots of duct tape to keep muck out. We also syringed hydrogen peroxide through the crack twice a day.He was shod in heartbars which really helped and within 3 months it was all healed up and he went back into normal shoes

 

[nikkiportia]

I did use it neat, yes, just wear gloves! A syringe is essential, and you don't need to use a huge amount, just a few mls.

 

[Peter026]

You could try using White lightning Gel. I have heard good reports about using this.

 

[air78]

White lightening gel is exellent; it doesn't damage healthy tissue like hydrogen peroxide does

Otherwise soaking in milton solution or a cider vinegar and water solution are really good for fungal and bacterial conditions in the foot.