Central sulcus thrush fix - NOT antibiotics

[fivestrideline]

Twofold issue, asking for my own education and to help a friend:

Nasty case of thrush on all four, trim is being addressed, diet is appropriate and horse is out 24/7. Mud is an issue right now but it is what it is.

1. Owner has used the dry cow treatments with success in the past, but those are off the market. (ETA: please do not suggest these. Owner does not want to use them anymore due to concerns about contributing to antibiotic resistance).

2. Horse’s central sulcus is tight to the point you can’t get a hoof pick in there, let alone packing. A small syringe can’t get in there either.

Are oxine soaks/white lightning the only way to treat this? Any other topical that could get in there and open up the sulcus enough to treat it?

Also, besides copper sulfate mixed into DIM (apparently the horse doesn’t tolerate DIM or pour-in well, historically), are there any other options for under pads if the farrier wants to try shoes? Just artimud? Again the central sulcus is so tight you couldn’t get artimud in there if you tried.

Any input is welcome. Everything I’ve done and read says to get the treatment into the sulcus with a syringe or hoof pick, and that is just not happening right now! I think the owner is using thrushbuster on the sole and frog surfaces. I’ve also heard of poultice like IceTight working?

[IndysMom]

Dry cow treatment is not off the market, but it does require a vet script. I still use it.

[DoubleDown]

Vetericyn has 2 great products, a spray & a soak. They work great, and aren’t as toxic as white lightening.

[Texarkana]

Is the horse in 4 shoes or barefoot?

[fivestrideline]

Currently front shoes, bare behind right now. Owner and farrier likely will want to add pads up front - horse is ouchy bare but they’re worried about frog support. The barn the horse is at is mostly gravel between turnouts and work areas, so rehabbing feet to go bare is really hard without boots which aren’t on the table at this time.

[back_in_the_saddle1]

You can still buy Tomorrow Dry Cow without Rx, I did so recently: https://www.amazon.com/Tomorrow-Dry-Cow-10ML-Pack/dp/B06XVJMYYJ

[fivestrideline]

To all saying the dry cow - the title says NOT antibiotics for two reasons. One, it’s not legal to sell in the US unless it’s old stock since before summer 2023. And two, the owner doesn’t want to contribute to antibiotic resistance for this. (I’m with them on that!). I will edit the OP.

Thank you.

[LilRanger]

What about sugardine? It might get in as is a liquid.

[Texarkana]

@fivestrideline

Currently front shoes, bare behind right now. Owner and farrier likely will want to add pads up front - horse is ouchy bare but they’re worried about frog support.

Unless this farrier is new to the horse, I don’t think they are going to make much headway at all with the shoes on. The number one reason for the type of central sulcus thrush you’re seeing is contracted heels/pathological feet. The heels need to be able to expand to treat the infection.

The best advice I ever got on this topic is to treat severe thrush like a skin wound. You have the equivalent of an infected deep laceration with poor access. How would you treat it? If it’s not something you would do to a skin wound, don’t do it to the hoof; you’ll just kill the sensitive tissue.

[barnesthenoble]

Is soaking out of the question due to freezing temps? I’ve generally had the best luck with a combination of soaking plus aggressively brushing in something like Artimud or Field Paste with a medium-soft firmness plastic bristle brush (NOT metal). The combination is important since the gases from the oxine/WL can get into areas the hoof pick can’t, and the topical can then help keep the areas cleaner between soaks. You may be able to accomplish similar results with lightly diluted ACV in a spray bottle set to a stream setting, getting as close as possible to the sulcus and rinsing it out with the spray then adding the topical. For muddy conditions I much prefer Field Paste over Artimud, it’s a stickier formulation that tends to stay longer.

For under pads, I’ve had ok luck using Magic Cushion with added copper sulfate on horses who can’t tolerate DIM.

[fivestrideline]

New barn, new farrier. Horse has been on holiday due to owner’s schedule.

Good point about the wound angle. I’ve used desitin before with good luck, sometimes with athletes cream mixed in. This horse though, the central sulcus is so tight you can’t even get thrushbuster in there with a syringe.

@barnesthenoble

Is soaking out of the question due to freezing temps?

No, just wanting to add another option to the arsenal. Sometimes the soak isn’t possible due to timing (according to owner), but picking the feet and applying a topical would be.

Sounds like the white lightning soak is likely the only thing to get into the tiny cracks as it stands?

[Old_Mac_Donald]

What about a medicated hoof pack (sole pack, magic cushion) and wrap the feet overnight?

All my horses live out and this is what we do for any sole treatments.

Tubbease boots are magic, but not sure if they sell them in the US.

[SolarFlare]

You could try Hoof Doctor (I think it’s called Hoof Mender in the US now). It’s a liquid that is brushed on so it should be able to work its way in. They also make a putty and a powder in a puffer bottle so she could double-hit the area.

It’s an antibacterial product. I’ve had huge success with it preventing abscesses in my horse, who is prone to them in wet, muddy weather. https://equine.one/collections/frontpage

[endlessclimb]

With an area this tight, I think minimum 3x weekly soaks is the only real answer here. That or find a syringe that will get in there. I use curved tip syringes for areas like this - they’re small and the curve makes them stronger so you can really push on them to work them in.

Amazon.com: Wisdom Teeth Syringe, 5 Pack Irrigation Dental Syringes with Measure Scale & Curved Tip for Dental Care Liquid Oral Tonsil Stone : Industrial & Scientific

[fivestrideline]

Oh I actually have this sole paint! I don’t need it so I may see if my friend wants to take it to try. The rehab barn loves it idk how I forgot about it

@endlessclimb thanks for the link and that makes sense. I imagine 3x/week is more doable than daily (it would be for me!).

[Marla_000]

I second the Vetericyn treatments. Great products.
I’d also remove the shoes and
Trim for healthy uncontracted
Hooves.

[Xanthoria]

You can buy copper sulphate crystals on Amazon. Use that to do a min 3x weekly soak.

Then daily get cotton balls, jam half of one up in that crack with a clean hoof pick and pour on some thrush remedy. (Eventually as the hoof widens a little you can fit a whole one in.)

I really like Absorbine Hooflex Thrush Remedy because it’s not caustic like some thrush remedies, has the right viscosity to seep into the cotton ball, comes with a pointy tipped applicator and is even clear, so no staining.

Address the trim as the underlying cause but also add zinc and copper to the diet as this is really going to help fight off bacterial and fungal issues.

[Pehsness]

Another vote for hoof doctor/hoof mender. I jam the brush in to any cracks and it works its way in there. My gelding had a closed sulcus on his LF (his upright foot). It comes and goes and I didn’t realize it had closed back up again. I tweaked his trim and got religious with the hoof doctor and only a few weeks later we’re almost wide open again.

[Cowgirl]

Thushbuster and pack cotton balls into the sulcus to help open it up to air

[Alterwho]

@fivestrideline

Are oxine soaks/white lightning the only way to treat this? Any other topical that could get in there and open up the sulcus enough to treat it?

White Lightning is also available as a gel in a squeeze bottle, Amazon sells it. If the hoof is held up for a minute or two after applying the gel should work its way into the crack.