Infected Sulcus?

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Zargon_91

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My boy has got thrush infection in the central sulcus of his frogs, but only on the off side. I've been scrubbing his feet with hebiscrub, using a syringe to clean out the fissure where I can't scrub and disinfecting with keretex frog disinfectant. My farrier has trimmed back the necrotic tissue and shod him as wide as possible at the heel... It's not getting any worse but certainly isn't getting better- any ideas? I'd rather not take his shoes off if it can be helped but obviously this needs resolving. He is 100% sound, and isn't sensitive to his feet being scrubbed/disinfected but it is still smelly.
 
Hi there, I've just managed to clear a nasty case of thrush from my lad, god it stank. I hibiscrubbed too, and then used eucalyptus/tea tree oil in a spray (from Superdrug), all over the frog, and deep into the sulsus crack, once or twice a day. I now use this every few days, and the thrush has gone, and his frogs look better than they have ever done.

I also bought some Red Horse Field Paste (ebay) which I plaster on when he's turned out.

Thrush has gone, feet fab. have tried almost everything else, but this has worked for me. Hope that helps x
 
Anything anti bacterial and anti fungal that doesn't harm live tissue.

A contracted heel with an unhealthy frog will always be prone to infection.....as will a horse on a high sugar and starch diet.
 
Does he live out or can he come in at night? To shift a stubborn case it's so much better if you can dry the frogs out before applying any treatment. If he can come in, carry on syringing the sulcus as you are, then puff some wound powder into it to dry it overnight. Then in the morning apply your treatment. For a tough case, it's probably worth asking your vet for some terramycin spray. Silver Foot will help the heels.

Once you've got on top of it and/or if your boy lives out, dry the frogs out with a little talc and pack Field Paste in once or twice a week; it's pretty unbeatable. Good luck, I know what a horror it can be to shift. A good farrier's also invaluable :)
 
Oberon said:
Where do you get that?
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What? Radiol or The bird beak syringe?

Radiol - http://www.animalmedicationdirect.co.uk/radiol-b-r-antibacterial-jelly-for-horses-40g-pr-12.html

Syringe - http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/170830481914?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y

(I called it bird-beak but it's actuallu curved tip - sorry!)

And canestan - http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/cane...=Google+Products&utm_campaign=Google+Products

I used 1% but now you can get 2%!!!

Mix the two into a paste on some baking paper/icing paper then pipe it into the syringes. Then you can get right into the nooks and crannies. Also great for abscess cleaning once burst and getting better.
 
Scarlett said:
Why specifically a contracted heel, if you don't mind me asking? I have one with thrush in one foot and it's the contracted one.
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When the frog lacks ground pressure (such as when it's lifted off the ground by a shoe) it will become thin and wimpy. This in turn makes the heels contract (and the digital cushions flabby) and often run underneath the horse in an attempt to find the ground.

The heels pinched in will cause a deep sulcus to the frog which is a breeding ground for infection. The weak and unhealthy tissue of the frog will mean it lacks resistance to infection too.

Then you also add a high sugar and starch diet with low amounts of zinc and the the wet conditions we encounter......

We hoof geeks see thrush everywhere :p.

caudalfrog-1.jpg


You can find an infected sulcus will prevent a heel from de-contracting even when all the other factors are in place.
 
I've just started treating the horse I ride using cider and tee tree. After seeing those pics and reading the posts here I will have a good old poke st him again tomorrow. First day of treatment today. I scrubbed and cleaned his feet and then sponged them with the mix I made.
 
Thankyou for the replies, I will try the red horse products- is it similar to a barrier cream? And drying with wound/talc powder is a really good idea. Is there any reason he would have contracted infection only on one side? I will take some pics tomorrow but near side has no sign of infection at all...
 
Oberon said:
Ah - I see what you mean now.

Anti bacterial cream :)

The Neosporin Plus is a topical antibiotic with pain relief - I can't find an equivalent in the UK.
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Well I'm not surprised, it's not very nice stuff. You can get skin problems from using it, like dermatitis.
 
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Zargon_91 said:
Thankyou for the replies, I will try the red horse products- is it similar to a barrier cream? And drying with wound/talc powder is a really good idea. Is there any reason he would have contracted infection only on one side? I will take some pics tomorrow but near side has no sign of infection at all...
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Perhaps it has better living conditions for nasty bugs and fungi! Is the heel contracted at all? When tissue loses it's use they do tend to be prone to attack from infection.
 
A little, but not much more than the clean side, and i think its become more contracted since having the thrush infection, rather than being the more contracted heel in the first place. I will try completely drying it out with wound powder and red horse barrier creams for when he goes out- if that doesnt work has anyone used cleantrax? I know its good for white line disease but i wasnt sure about thrush.
 
Hypocare spray is brilliant for any foot infection/thrush! I saw massive improvement very quickly. I also used it on a cow with a very bad infection between her claws. Two doses of antibiotics did nothing to help, hypocare cleared her up in 4 days
 
Oberon said:
Ah - I see what you mean now.

Anti bacterial cream :)

The Neosporin Plus is a topical antibiotic with pain relief - I can't find an equivalent in the UK.
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I wonder if a tetra delta mastitis tube would be about the closest - its long lasting topical antibiotic + anti inflammatory..... Our mutual trimmer suggested mastitis/dry cow tubes for my ex liveries horse with massive cracks that needed filling.
 
TigerTail said:
I wonder if a tetra delta mastitis tube would be about the closest - its long lasting topical antibiotic + anti inflammatory..... Our mutual trimmer suggested mastitis/dry cow tubes for my ex liveries horse with massive cracks that needed filling.
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They share the ingredient neomycin, so it may do - thanks for that.

I'll stick with Red Horse stuff, but it's handy to have a back up plan ;)
 
Oberon said:
They share the ingredient neomycin, so it may do - thanks for that.

I'll stick with Red Horse stuff, but it's handy to have a back up plan ;)
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It is - just reminded me to try it in a central sulcas split! Also I can get tubes near enough free wheras red horse stuff is rather expensive, especially when they slap a £7.99 postage charge on :eek: that was the equinepodiatrysupplies site grr
 
TigerTail said:
It is - just reminded me to try it in a central sulcas split! Also I can get tubes near enough free wheras red horse stuff is rather expensive, especially when they slap a £7.99 postage charge on :eek: that was the equinepodiatrysupplies site grr
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I bought the ingredients of the Field Paste in order to make it myself......but never got round to it :o.

Do you have any concern about buying clotrimazole in bulk? Does the pharmacist look at you funny? :D
 
lol as she's my neighbour it could make for interesting conversation at the street xmas party.... :eek:

I thought about making the paste myself but i just never get there either - just object to the postage charges when it only costs me 4.99 to get 25 kg of bran delivered!
 
TigerTail said:
I wonder if a tetra delta mastitis tube would be about the closest - its long lasting topical antibiotic + anti inflammatory..... Our mutual trimmer suggested mastitis/dry cow tubes for my ex liveries horse with massive cracks that needed filling.
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To be fair, you dont really need the anti-inflammatory. Antibac and antifungal is enough. Why pay more for stuff you dont need?
 
tallyho! said:
To be fair, you dont really need the anti-inflammatory. Antibac and antifungal is enough. Why pay more for stuff you dont need?
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I dont pay for them ;) Also depends how bad the thrush is as if its a raging infection the anti inflammatory part can only be helpful :)
 
TigerTail said:
I dont pay for them ;) Also depends how bad the thrush is as if its a raging infection the anti inflammatory part can only be helpful :)
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Bute?

You know, I worry about giving horses human anti-inflam as topical unless it is specifically approved. The only one been given approval by FDA is diclofenac. Topical phenylbutazone was deemed too high in skin reactions to pass. Ibuprofen is not studied enough despite its widespread use.

I would stick to oral bute or arnica cream.
 
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