Horse Thrush

Hoof infections and horse thrush can make your horse lame

Hoof infections and hoof thrush are most of the time caused by a combination of fungi and bacteria. They can affect the frog tissue and the deep central sulcus. In severe cases the infection will also affect the white line, sole or sensitive tissues of the hoof.

Most of these microorganisms live anaerobic. They can live without oxygen and thrive in cracks, crevices and badly kept feet.

Horse hoof thrush is not a cosmetic problem. It can make horses severely lame and lead to loss of structure.

If sensitive structures are affected you should call your vet and discuss further treatment.

Symptoms:

foul smell of the foot
black, tar-like material around the frog and collateral grooves
loss of structure: weak thin frog. Often you will find a thick false sole to compensate for the lack of structure and to stabilize the foot.
Hoof thrush can make horses very sore in the heels. They might not use the heel area and land to the toe.

Treatment:

Trim all the infected frog tissue away. Flaps will harbor infections.
Use a non-necrotizing hoof disinfectant like Silvetrasol daily until the infection is cleared.
In severe cases soak the foot in a anti-bacterial and anti-fungal hoof-cleanser like Cleantrax.
If a lot of structure is lost only hand walk the horse on level ground for 10-15 minutes a day.
Bring back frog structure with the aid of a therapeutic pad (Sole Mate Pads). Walk the horse in the pads for 20 minutes a day.
Make sure that nutrition is balanced. Over-supplementation of selenium can cause weak hoof growth.
A healthy immune system helps the horse to deal with infection.

Prevention:

Avoid too much moisture. 24/7 turnout in mucky fields will make horses prone to hoof thrush.
A dry and clean environment is the best prevention
Regular trimming cycles
Pick out your horses feet every day
Use a wire brush to remove exfoliation. It serves as nutrients for microorganisms.
Spray with Silvetrasol 1-2 a week
Keep the diet balanced

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SBI!