curing thrush

[kbdb32]

ive been battling thrush with my mare for a while now. it just doesn’t seem to want to get better.
I scrubbed her hooves out good with Dawn and have been applying Asorbine Hooflex thrush remedy whenever I can along with keeping them clean. she is in a dry lot when not on pasture. it is quite muddy however.

Are there any other things I can do to help get rid of the thrush? Unfortunately I am not able to get out to the barn on a daily basis but she does get her hooves cleaned and treated for thrush on average 3 times a week. is this something that I need to see if the BO can help me do daily?

[BilyandJack]

You can use thrush buster. The directions say to only apply once per week. However, I would apply all three days you are there if this has been going on for sometime.

[Flash44]

You may need to get her out of the mud and into a stall for 8-12 hours a day. I’d use thrush buster or tomorrow today instead of the thrush remedy. But having her stand somewhere dry for a while will help a lot.

[JB]

Most cases of chronic thrush are from needing better trimming.

But, if the trim is fixed and you’re just trying to get rid of the thrush, then yes, you’re going to have to get her on dry footing for a period of time every day. That length of time isn’t just an hour, it’s preferably more likely 8-12 hours.

Since this has been going on a while, it’s time to get your vet involved and get a plan of action.

It would help too if you could post some pictures of her feet, using this guideline:
http://www.all-natural-horse-care.com/good-hoof-photos.html

[findeight]

Can you get somebody to clean her feet out and stand her on dry ground for at least a couple of hours the days you can’t be there? You might have to pay a little but I don’t see any improvement on the horizon without getting on that more then three days a week. Until it dries out anyway.

When the hooves get wet and soft, you can actually do more harm then good trying to dig the thrush out of the cleft. IMO you can skip the scrubbing with Dawn, hooves are already soaked and soft, more water isn’t the best answer and vigorous scrubbing can break up the hoof as does digging in the cleft when they are wet.

Back in the dark ages before all these fancy products, we used to just pick the hooves lightly then put them on hard ground and hand graze or practice showmanship or even take a slow ride on dry ground and let the hooves dry and a lot of that gunk to fall out on its own. Then pick them out again after it dried then apply something-back then it was 50/50 bleach and water solution in a spray or squirt bottle (like the ones for catsup and mustard) so it would get into the cleft and heel.

Also have to say that mud itself is not the chief culprit. It’s standing in mud filled with pee, poop and rotting hay bits and stems that breeds the bacteria and fungus. You might want to see about switching pens to a cleaner, drier one.

[trailrider2015]

thrush buster is amazing, and i agree, she needs to be in a dry area for longer periods of time during the day or overnight. thrush thrives in wet and dark places.

[airhorse]

Dry Cow Tomorrow.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/tomorrow-dry-cow-mastitis-treatment

[Appsolute]

Yep - some dry ground would be best - and most likely 3 times a week treatment is not going to cut it.

Most topicals need to be put on 7-14 times a week. I have had luck using Thrush Remedy in the past - but I used it 7 days a week until things cleared.

[fordtraktor]

I agree about the better trimming. My retired horse had been battling thrush for six months – I finally got upset with a number of things about my farrier and switched, and my horse’s thrush is gone in one trim. I also use Tomorrow, chlorhexadine solution and this stuff: http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Zephyrs_Garden_Thrush__White_Line_Hoof_Spray_16_oz/descpage-ZGTWLHS.html.

That last stuff smells to high heaven like oregano but really seems to do the trick for an herbal type thing.

[kbdb32]

wow, thanks everybody! at this time im not sure its possible to get her in a stall or a different pen but the mud is drying up now.

JB, bad trimming could very well be the cause of her thrush. ive been using a farrier who my vet and I weren’t pleased with and recently switched. new farrier is great and works closely with my vet to manage her club foot. So maybe I will see a difference.

Findeight, I only scrubbed the hooves once when I first noticed the thrush.

[2miniB]

In my experience, its necessary to treat thrush daily. Getting the trim right is a big part. Diet too, especially copper and zinc. Focus HF is a good supplement to help grow strong, thrush free hooves. If the trim is right and there’s adequate zinc and copper in the diet, the horse shouldn’t get thrush. Even in a wet environment.

My favorite treatments are No Thrush and White Lightning gel. Apply and either have the horse stand on dry, clean footing for an hour or so or put on hoof boots and turn her out. I wound up using boots for the stubborn thrush my mare had, since it was easier for me to do that.

I’d avoid stuff like thrush buster and bleach. Yes, they’ll kill the thrush…but they’ll also damage the healthy frog under the disease frog.

Would it be possible to change to footing in her dry lot? I used to have horrid mud in mine, until I switched to 3/8" pea gravel. After all we have 5 seasons here in Maine. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Mud (that lovely transition between snowy frozen ground to wet thawed ground). Yes, its an additional expense for the BO…but a pea gravel dry lot doesn’t get rutted like a dirt/mud one and its prettier too. And most importantly, I feel that pea gravel is a healthier surface for the horse to be on.