Best remedy for thrush in a horse?

Question

I have been hitting my horse with Jim Rickens or however you spell it, but I don't know if I am using it too much or not enough. He still walks a little unsound. What should I do?

Answer 1

The first order of business when dealing with Thrush is immeadiately fire the groom!

I concurr with Mr Fancy Pants; Coppertox will remedy the situation.

Answer 2

after you pick out his feet, pour a little organic tea tree oil on them. after you do this a few times, his feet should clear up. and next time you start seeing the beginnings of thrush, a few drops of tea tree oil in the foot a couple of times should keep it from getting bad. i use this method on all of my horses, and they have never had a major thrush problem.

Answer 3

I've always found that Coppertox (or Kopertox) works wonders for nipping thrush in the bud.

Answer 4

First, consult your vet. I doubt that veternarians frequent Yahoo Answers and I certainly am not a qualified vet myself. That being said,

Getting rid of thrush requires an attack on two fronts. First, you need to kill the invading fungus and-despite what directions on commercial products may say-pouring a thrush remedy over the frog will not get the job done. S. necrophorus lives in the many cracks and crevices of the hoof, and a simple splash of liquid will roll right over these hiding spaces. Packing a hoof with any product is potentially dangerous because excessive pressure can kill sensitive frog tissue.

Here are four easy steps to treat thrush by delivering medication into the areas where it is most needed without damaging surrounding tissues. This technique, which is most effective if applied daily, is suitable whether you use a commercial or homemade preparation.

1. Make your own cotton swab by wrapping a wisp of loose cotton tightly around the end of a hoof pick

2. Soak the cotton in treatment solution. We are using a commercial preparation, but bleach also works.

3. Swab down the sides of the frog as if you were picking out the hoof. The goal is to get into all the cracks, so don't be afraid to apply a bit of pressure. (This hoof was recently shod. If there are flaps or shelves of compromised frog, have your farrier pare them away so the fungus is easier to reach.)

4. Swab the cleft of the frog and any other crevices in its surface. The swab will become darker as you work, a sign it is picking up exudates and dead tissue. Repeat the process, using fresh cotton, until the swab comes out of the hoof nearly as clean as it went in.

An ounce of prevention: Some horses are prone to thrush and have recurrent episodes no matter how clean their environment is kept. For these horses, a daily preventive swabbing can control the problem. Using straight bleach or a commercial thrush product every day can dry out the frog, however. Instead, make a gentler preparation of half bleach and half glycerin or glycerin-based hand lotion. Apply this solution to the hoof a few times a week using the hoof-pick swab technique.

The second--and most important--aspect of treating thrush: changes in the affected horse's living arrangements. Resolve to keep cleaner, drier stalls and increase your horse's exercise time. Better yet, try continuous turnout in a clean field. Not only will these changes help clear up a case of thrush, but it will prevent its return.