What is the best thrush treatment for my horse?

Question

I am currently using tuttles foulex treatment it works good but I am sure that there is better stuff out there

Answer 1

The best thing is hydrogen peroxide. It works much better than anything the vets will give you and costs a lot less too.

Thrush is caused by anerobic bacteria (they don't like oxygen). When you put the peroxide on the foot it bubbles and fizzes lots. This is oxygen being released and this kills the bugs.

Thrush is often associated with poor foot and bed hygien. But not always! We moved to a new livery yard and despite not changing the horses care and routine he started to get really bad thrush constantly. We have moved yards again since but still have problems. The peroxide is the only thing that sorts it out.

Basically you want to pick the feet out and wash them so there is no mud or anything and then useing a syringe, squirt the peroxide into all the pockets and anywhere that it is black and yucky. Hold the foot up and let it soak for a few minutes. Then release.

Do this 2 times a day for a couple of days and then once a day for about a week. This should completly clear the trush up. If not, persist for a few more days.

Don't use it everyday for long periods of time as this can dry out the sole of the foot but once the thrush is gone you can use it once a week all over the foot and frog and this helps prevent a recurance. It is also extremly important to properly pick the feet out at least once a day, preferably twice a day. You also must make sure that the bed is dry - thrushy horses don't do very well on deep liter beds so a complete muck out every day is important. It's also important to have the foot trimmed regularily because the thrush causes pockets to form on the frog that trap the bacteria and make excellent sites for it to live so this has to be trimmed regularily. If you are confident you can use a hoof knife or pair of scissors to take off any frog that causing pockets, but be very careful to only take a little bit as taking to much can cause lameness. If you are at all unsure, don't do this. You could maybe ask your farier to show you how to do this on your next trim.

Depending on who you talk to some people will say you should dilute the peroxide before use but I have always found straight out the bottle works best. Get it from a chemist and get the stuff for first aid use. Try not to get it on your skin or the horses - it doesn't damage it but it stains your fingers white for a few days.

This shouldn't sting or hurt the horse at all.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

As you have discovered, there are many treatments that are supposed to clear up thrush, but don't. That's because there's a critical part of the treatment that most owners do not recognize: Cleaning up the affected area before you treat the problem. Here's a quote from Michael Wildenstein, American Farrier's Association, Certified Journeyman Farrier, resident farrier at Cornell University's large animal hospital: "Thrush is the most common bacterial infection (of the hoof); it reduces the protection by the insensitive frog. Thrush that invades the central sulcus of the frog can enter the digital cushion, causing inflammation of the sensitive tissue. Treatment of thrush includes daily cleaning of the infected area with a brush (stiff enough to scrape out the debris). Then, and only then, treat the area with a suitable antibiotic preparation.

"Currently I use the bovine mastitis preparations that are designed for dry-cow treatment." (Partly from Equine Medicine and Surgery, 5th ed., 1999, Mosby, Inc., p. 1428.)

Answer 3

Personally...I like 10% iodine that I get from my vet.

I clean the hoof as good as possible.  With water and a brush to get all debris out.  I then spray the iodine onto the sole and the frog.  Making sure it covers everything.  I keep it off the coronet band...it will dry it out.  A couple of drops or overspray isn't really a problem...but I would NOT cover it.

It will sting and the horse usually 'stomps' their feet after a few seconds.  So, if you spray with the iodine...put the foot down immediately so the horse won't hurt you accidentally.  Mine only stomp a couple of times...and then they are back to normal.

This treatment has only had to be done NO MORE than 2 times.  I spray one day...and you don't have to cover it or anything.  Then clean the foot again the second day and reapply.  The iodine kills the bacteria on contact.  Most of the time...one application is all I've ever needed.

You can get 4% or 7% iodine from a feed store.  It works too...but may take more than 2 applications.

The stuff you get from a regular store is like 1 or 2%.  Totally a waste of money for this problem.

Answer 4

1. Clean the affected hoof/hooves well

2. Apply treatment (Thrushbuster or Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer are both good)

3. Repeat as directed

Make sure to pick out your horse's hooves regularly and try to keep him/her from standing in wet bedding or other wet areas for long periods of time.

Cowboy Magic Thrush Killer:

http://www.saddlersrow.com/store/item.as...