Horse allergic to hoof salve

[muffinmunsh]

It would appear my mare is allergic to Effol hoof salve. She gets terrible swellings where her feet tuck in when she is sleeping, they disappear when we don't use the salve. The vet agrees that it is a contact allergy... Probably to the thymol or laurel oil in Effol.
Problem is, the farrier has asked me to keep her feet moisturised as they have gone a little dry / brittle. I have started giving her a supplement but would also like to use a moisturiser.
Has anybody else encountered a similar problem? What do you use now?

 

[albeg]

Have you tried cornucrescine?

 

[ThePony]

Have you tried cornucrescine?

since it is an irritant I would avoid anything with cornucrescine in.

If the feet are dry then hose them down (particularly after work in a sand school or other particularly drying surface), tip out the water trough to provide a muddy area and take a look at the diet. A balanced biet will help enormously along with some microionised linseed - say around 100g - 200g for an average horse.

 

[Nari]

I know a lot of people frown on oil but my farrier always recommends cod liver oil painted on feet & it seems to work for mine.

 

[AmyMay]

Try good old fashioned olive oil.

 

[Waltzing Matilda]

Hi,
I'm afraid if the feet r brittle/dry this is usally due to damaged horn, and the best way to improve their condition is through nutrition and exercise. Moisturiser can't actally moisturise the hoof. Unless the topical product u r using on the hoof is breathable, it will infact cause more damage to the tubules in the hoof horn. Thus drying out the hoof further in the.long run.

Only.feed hoof supliments if the horse is actually deffcient or its a waste if money. Just make sure diet is balanced, high in fibre and low in starch.

Red horse, and ketetax products are generally ok to use.