Connected Healing
Thrush and Fungus
Please, please pay attention to cleaning out hooves. Healthy hooves are not usually afflicted by thrush and fungus. However, when these "bugs" move in they can be tricky to treat. I can't stress enough the importance of treating infections of the hoof.
Thrush affects the frogs. Usually in the center sulcus but can also affect down deep in the collateral grooves. Thrush will invade and destroy frog tissues and reach live tissue. Most people don't treat thrush with enough seriousness. It is painful! Thrush is waiting to invade during any time of year and under any condition. Keeping your horse's living areas, loafing sheds, stalls, pastures, and dry lots free from manure and standing urine is important to hoof health. Providing your horse with proper nutrition that has minerals and vitamins to support cell function and immunity are essential to treating thrush and fungus.
Stubborn wall cracks can also be suffering from an underlying fungal component. The trim and environment play an integral part in growing a healthy hoof wall. Applying hoof oilments can actually seal in fungus or bacteria and promote the anaerobic environment organisms seek to eat away the hoof.
Remedies for thrush and fungus range in price and effectiveness. I don't promote the use of some of the commercial remedies as I feel some are ineffective or unsafe for life tissue.
I recommend the following for thrush or fungus:
A 50/50 combination of athlete's foot creme and triple antibiotic ointment and is an effetive treatment for thrush.
Blu Healer (from Bruce Alexander) is an amazing treatment that so far has cleared up some of the worst cases of thrush I have seen.
Iodine and water or iodine and sugar paste have been effective at treating fungus as well.
Apple cider vinegar soaks done 2-3 times weekly for 20 minutes can be very beneficial for resolving fungal issues. This is my choice for working with stubborn wall cracks.
White Lighting or Clean Trax are both sold over the counter and are chemical based. They are great at treating thrush but some horses won't stand long enough to do the Clean Trax soak.
Thrush affects the frogs. Usually in the center sulcus but can also affect down deep in the collateral grooves. Thrush will invade and destroy frog tissues and reach live tissue. Most people don't treat thrush with enough seriousness. It is painful! Thrush is waiting to invade during any time of year and under any condition. Keeping your horse's living areas, loafing sheds, stalls, pastures, and dry lots free from manure and standing urine is important to hoof health. Providing your horse with proper nutrition that has minerals and vitamins to support cell function and immunity are essential to treating thrush and fungus.
Stubborn wall cracks can also be suffering from an underlying fungal component. The trim and environment play an integral part in growing a healthy hoof wall. Applying hoof oilments can actually seal in fungus or bacteria and promote the anaerobic environment organisms seek to eat away the hoof.
Remedies for thrush and fungus range in price and effectiveness. I don't promote the use of some of the commercial remedies as I feel some are ineffective or unsafe for life tissue.
I recommend the following for thrush or fungus:
A 50/50 combination of athlete's foot creme and triple antibiotic ointment and is an effetive treatment for thrush.
Blu Healer (from Bruce Alexander) is an amazing treatment that so far has cleared up some of the worst cases of thrush I have seen.
Iodine and water or iodine and sugar paste have been effective at treating fungus as well.
Apple cider vinegar soaks done 2-3 times weekly for 20 minutes can be very beneficial for resolving fungal issues. This is my choice for working with stubborn wall cracks.
White Lighting or Clean Trax are both sold over the counter and are chemical based. They are great at treating thrush but some horses won't stand long enough to do the Clean Trax soak.
