Thrush prevention

[PlanB]

I like to apply an anti-thrush agent to my horses’ feet in wet/muddy weather. I just ran out of the Hoofflex thrush treatment I usually use and my next order won’t be in for another week or so.

I mixed up a little squeeze bottle with diluted betadine to squirt on in the meantime. Good? Bad? Ineffective? Better than nothing?

[LandisGreen]

I’m not sure about diluting it but I do use a betadine scrub on mild/moderate cases of thrush and it helps quite a bit. I don’t use it everyday and only with an active case of thrush. I would certainly give it a try while you wait for your next order.

[PlanB]

@LandisGreen

I’m not sure about diluting it but I do use a betadine scrub on mild/moderate cases of thrush and it helps quite a bit. I don’t use it everyday and only with an active case of thrush. I would certainly give it a try while you wait for your next order.

Ok, thanks for letting me know. I have never heard of people using betadine on thrush so I wasn’t sure. I just like to use something as a preventative when conditions are less than ideal for hooves.

[Puzzled]

I’ve never tried betadine before so no comment there, but do you have Lysol all purpose spray? My farrier recommended it a few years back. Cheap and easy to spray. Very effective as well.

[DarkBayUnicorn]

Mix sugar into your betadine (2 parts betadine, 1 part sugar) and paint that on. It’s called suragdine and it is amazing!

[PlanB]

@DarkBayUnicorn

Mix sugar into your betadine (2 parts betadine, 1 part sugar) and paint that on. It’s called suragdine and it is amazing!

Is the sugar just to help it from dripping as much, or does it somehow help?

[retiredhorse]

@PlanB

Is the sugar just to help it from dripping as much, or does it somehow help?

I believe it inhibits bacteria growth, like honey, if there’s enough of it (too little sugar can feed problems, though), and is not generally harmful to healthy cells.

Have also used sugar + iodine for thrush. It’s easier to start with amount of sugar you need and add iodine/betadine to it, instead of starting with the liquid. I’d make it on the thick side (it will be grainy) than watery.

[Scribbler]

I have used both iodine and Gentian Violet spray as a preventative. Gentian Violet is an older remedy but has interesting anti fungal properties. It is sold as BluKote or similar for wound care.

[Amy3996]

Tomorrow Dry Cow - it’s traditionally used to treat mastitis in cows but it’s the best thing I’ve found to treat thrush. It comes in a tube with a narrow nozzle tip that makes it really easy to get in the cracks in the frog. One or two applications usually knocks out even the worst cases I’ve had.

[DarkBayUnicorn]

@retiredhorse

I believe it inhibits bacteria growth, like honey, if there’s enough of it (too little sugar can feed problems, though), and is not generally harmful to healthy cells.

Have also used sugar + iodine for thrush. It’s easier to start with amount of sugar you need and add iodine/betadine to it, instead of starting with the liquid. I’d make it on the thick side (it will be grainy) than watery.

Correct!