Thrush Treatments and Experiences Please!

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Hi again, more hoof questions for my young one with terrible feet…

I suspect he has some thrush as the central sulcus is fairly deep, could also suggest why he is less likely to heel load but that’s another topic… I have been picking and washing with iodine and leaving him on hard standing for that to dry in, however haven’t been seeing a lot of progress.

Unfortunately he is currently on a slightly wet field as it has been quite rainy here in Wales (surprise surprise). I would really rather him not have to be stabled for any significant period as he has just turned 3 so is much better living out - his field mate also has arthritis so needs to stay out 24/7 except for when he comes in for food, feet and exercise approx 2hrs a day.

I am looking for suggestions of remedies for said thrush - there is so much on the internet of hoof clay, topical solutions, cotton wool packing etc etc, but specific experience of these when combined with wet ish turnout would be useful.

As a note I have also put a lot of research into his diet (low sugar, starch, barefoot friendly and higher protein) and he has now been moved onto ForagePlus Hoof & Skin, FP Gut Plus and FP Pea Protein, fed with 1 cup micronised linseed for condition and a small amount of Alfalfa. The difference in his coat over just 1 week is astonishing. Hopefully this should help from the inside out as it has been said diet can contribute, now it is just a case of clearing it from the outside.

TIA!

 

[Birker2020]

Hi again, more hoof questions for my young one with terrible feet…

I suspect he has some thrush as the central sulcus is fairly deep, could also suggest why he is less likely to heel load but that’s another topic… I have been picking and washing with iodine and leaving him on hard standing for that to dry in, however haven’t been seeing a lot of progress.

Unfortunately he is currently on a slightly wet field as it has been quite rainy here in Wales (surprise surprise). I would really rather him not have to be stabled for any significant period as he has just turned 3 so is much better living out - his field mate also has arthritis so needs to stay out 24/7 except for when he comes in for food, feet and exercise approx 2hrs a day.

I am looking for suggestions of remedies for said thrush - there is so much on the internet of hoof clay, topical solutions, cotton wool packing etc etc, but specific experience of these when combined with wet ish turnout would be useful.

As a note I have also put a lot of research into his diet (low sugar, starch, barefoot friendly and higher protein) and he has now been moved onto ForagePlus Hoof & Skin, FP Gut Plus and FP Pea Protein, fed with 1 cup micronised linseed for condition and a small amount of Alfalfa. The difference in his coat over just 1 week is astonishing. Hopefully this should help from the inside out as it has been said diet can contribute, now it is just a case of clearing it from the outside.

TIA!

My previous vet used to sell bottles of iodine mixed with eucalyptus oil for applying with a brush the sole and frogs to prevent thrush and its always proved very effective for my horse. Eucalyptus has a powerful yet gentle antimicrobial property. Iodine kills germs.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I have used Oz Oil teatree oil spray to clear up hoof infections, Equimins also make one.

 

[TPO]

Red Horse products

Sole Cleanse and Field Paste have always worked wonders for me. Hoof Stuff is good for packing into central sulcus or any wee crevices too

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Thanks for all the responses

What about putting some treatment (Iodine & eucalyptus/ sole cleanse etc) on cotton, sticking that in the crevices and then packing with hoof clay - changing it every 24 hours?

I’m also not sure exactly how long to continue treating for - he doesn’t have actively smelly or gooey feet but the central sulcus is very deep?

 

[Bernster]

Red Horse products

Sole Cleanse and Field Paste have always worked wonders for me. Hoof Stuff is good for packing into central sulcus or any wee crevices too

That was my go to. Worked a treat. All sorted and now I use the sole cleanser spray once a week as a preventative.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Yep, Red Horse products have always worked for me. I used the Hoof Stuff in the central sulcus before. Cleared up quickly.

 

[TPO]

Thanks for all the responses

What about putting some treatment (Iodine & eucalyptus/ sole cleanse etc) on cotton, sticking that in the crevices and then packing with hoof clay - changing it every 24 hours?

I’m also not sure exactly how long to continue treating for - he doesn’t have actively smelly or gooey feet but the central sulcus is very deep?

"Flossing" with a baby wipe works well of the heels and frog are really tight and deep.

I "flossed" then would spray with sole cleanse and leave the horse standing on clean hard ground (rough cement in my case) while mucking out. Then once the hoof was dry I'd pack it.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

"Flossing" with a baby wipe works well of the heels and frog are really tight and deep.

I "flossed" then would spray with sole cleanse and leave the horse standing on clean hard ground (rough cement in my case) while mucking out. Then once the hoof was dry I'd pack it.

This was my routine too. I forgot to mention the flossing in my last post.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Milton works wonders. I use that sprayed on and scrubbed in then leave for a bit tiedup on the concrete tie up area then I rinse off pat the hoof dry then put tea tree oil directly on and leave for a bit again tied up with a haynet again whilst I do other stuff round about or I take out a walk on the road so as it get a a chance to soak in before putting back in the field/stable

I have also blasted bad cases with clean trax solution. That again works wonders and is good for really bad embedded thrush. I did pare back any ragged frog before I did with my hoof knife so as there was as much solution getting to the worst bits as possible.

 

[Coblover63]

Copper sulphate powder, mixed into a paste with some Sudocreme. Put onto a piece of gauze and use a hoof pick, or an old credit card to squeeze it into the gap in the central sulcus, daily. Obvs remove the old before starting again. Oh, and scrub with diluted Milton before packing again. This worked for my mare, although she'd just had her shoes removed so her heels could move and spread so that the central sulcus could grow out.

 

[smolmaus]

I was about to post a v similar thread Alpaca, ty for the timing ? I have been using the Leovet FrogAde but it doesn't appear to be doing much to improve things, maybe it's stopped it getting worse?

Hoof Stuff arrived in the post this morning but baby wipes are an excellent idea that Google did not give me!

 

[Highmileagecob]

You also need to get the frog working properly again. This was the missing link that solved my years of thrushy frogs. Either boots with gel pads, or simply tape the pads to the hoof. Anything that will provide gentle pressure on the back third of the hoof and encourage those heels to widen and drop. I would second the iodine wash and field paste, and either tidy up the raggy loose flaps on the frog or ask your farrier to do it.

 

[TPO]

Agree regarding movement but it must be comfortable movement or else it creates compensations. I think the discomfort/pain from thrush isn't always fully acknowledged.

I can't remember what vet said or where I read that they liken it to a burning sensation and that's why stabled horses dead in dung to "cool" it but obviously that makes it worse.

High sugar diets can be a factor too so given its only been a week on the new feed this might take a while. 6wks seems to be the rule of thumb but often changes are seen a lot sooner.

I'd avoid arenas too until the sulcus has opened and become more shallow. Sand can be a cause of irritation/pain to frogs compromised by thrush.

The Hoof Geek Blog has some really interesting and informative articles about thrush and hood health so highly recommend.

 

[MarvelVillis]

I second Red Horse products, my gelding had persistent thrush until I started using the sole cleanse and it cleared up quite quickly. I now spray it on once a week for maintenance and haven't had thrush since.

 

[Hepsibah]

The active ingredient in Red horse products is zinc sulphate. I buy it as powder and mix it with water to use as a spray which kills the thrush within a week then pack the field paste well in to clean and dry hooves. Even in muddy conditions it only needs picking out and re-applying once a week as it stays firmly in underneath the mud.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Wow thanks everyone for your responses!

I’ve ordered some red horse products to try as they seem to be good and will see how I get on with them. He’s well overdue a trim (farrier cancelled last week…) so once that’s done it should be a bit easier to sort, too.

Just a very random FYI - since I have changed his feed over his demeanour at food time is drastically different - he used to be very angry, bitey, pawing the floor etc and if another horse came near he would go crazy, now, he is very calm, eats his food slowly and happily and he’s even let his ‘brother’ help him lick the bucket clean!!

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Has anyone tried cleantrax soak? It also seems to have good reviews, but I’m not sure how I’d go about doing it without spending ££ on a medication boot, plus I imagine a lot of stomping around with a baby…

 

[I'm Dun]

Has anyone tried cleantrax soak? It also seems to have good reviews, but I’m not sure how I’d go about doing it without spending ££ on a medication boot, plus I imagine a lot of stomping around with a baby…

Yup and it works. I used the corner of a plastic feed sack cut off and taped onto the leg

 

[TPO]

Has anyone tried cleantrax soak? It also seems to have good reviews, but I’m not sure how I’d go about doing it without spending ££ on a medication boot, plus I imagine a lot of stomping around with a baby…

I'm sure it's Shires that have made a qee soaking boot too that's not thst expensive and reusable

 

[laura_nash]

Has anyone tried cleantrax soak? It also seems to have good reviews, but I’m not sure how I’d go about doing it without spending ££ on a medication boot, plus I imagine a lot of stomping around with a baby…

CleanTrax soaks really work.

Obviously expensive, time consuming, and you need a horse that's okay to have his legs stuffed in soaking boots and then stand very still for some time.

I have used them when thrush or white line infection isn't responding to the usual treatments, but I wouldn't jump straight to it.

 

[AlpacaTeddySJ]

Picking this back up for further advice - one hoof has an old abscess hole about 1/3 of the way down from the coronet band. I have been spraying it with red horse sole cleaner, should I leave it open or should I cover with Keratex putty and remove and clean every few days? Same foot has seedy toe.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have had a lot of success by washing the foot well with warm hibiscrub and using gauze pads to like dental floss to clean the the cleft really well leave it to dry and then try either canesan cream or Leovet frog medic which works really well .

 

[Highmileagecob]

You may find that the seedy toe and the abscess are linked. If it is still discharging gunk, then it needs to be kept open and draining, but if you feel it is healing, I have stopped up abscess holes with Field Paste and cleaned out daily.