[Klotira]

I've never had a thrush problem before with my TB mare, but after being on vacation for the last few weeks, i noticed today that the frog of her front right hoof....well it looks like something has eaten it away. There are holes shaped like irregular blotches in the central groove of the frog. I expected to see black discharge, but i didn't so that's throwing me for a loop. I've been looking through books and searching online for pictures of thrush, but i can't find anything. Can someone please help me out.

[ejforrest]

If its thrush, it will have some blackness to the hoof and smell very bad. Is there a different oder to the hoof? If you think it's thrush, my farrier who has done horses for 40 years said to use bleach deluted with some water. Works wonders and it hasnt hurt my horses feet. Been doing it for 16 years.

[belle4]

Thrush will really stink. All horses hooves stink, obviously from what they stand in, but thrush will really stink bad! It will make your eyes water, stink. You will immediately put the foot down, stink.

I have never seen a discharge with thrush? There could be. There are many over the counter treatments to use. Kopertox would be one, diluted bleach is used by many, although I have never tried bleach. It's hard to tell without seeing the hoof, but if it has a horrible smell, it is probablly thrush.

Equine Thrush is an infection of the frog in which bacteria causes horn to rot producing a black residue which produces a strong smell. The condition is normally controlled with good foot care and dry clean stabling. The frog should be well trimmed and scrubbed clean. Antibiotic spray can be sprayed on and formalin and phenol or iodine washes used. Stockholm tar can also be applied if necessary. Persistant cases of equine thrush may be caused by a weak immune system and/or poor horn growth because of dietary imbalance.

<small>[ January 14, 2004, 03:38 PM: Message edited by: belle4 ]</small>

[Dawn]

If you do use bleach for thrush, it only requires 1-3 applications usually. Also remember that you have to remix your bleach solution every day.

[Blistering Winds]

diluted bleach clears it up faster than coppertox and I believe does a better job overall. Just make sure there are no open wounds and to rinse the hoof off when you are done. It can dry the hoof out really bad, so some moisturizer wouldn't hurt either.

[Klotira]

I don't think there was any unusual smell, but i will check again tomorrow. Will thrush make those holes though?

[Blistering Winds]

Holes? When was the last time your horse saw a farrier? Could be the frog sloughing off normally, it looks bad when it is doing that.

Could be serious worm issues.

I really don't know from your description.

[Klotira]

My horse saw the farrier about 7 or 8 weeks ago. I wish i could describe the holes better....they aren't perfectly round holes. It looks as though the frog has just sort of...rotted away i guess you could say. It's sort of soft and spungy also. What does the frog look like when it sloughs off?

[Blistering Winds]

There are pieces hanging every which way.

Soft and spungy huh..?? Let me get back with you tomorrow if no one else has. My brain is fried and I'll check a few things for you.

Also, if you are in doubt, it wouldn't hurt to have your farrier run out really quick. It's about time for a trim anyways.

[Cyn]

BW, thats what my first thought was too Their frogs do naturally slough off. Most of the time we don't see it because the farrier trims away thre top layers of the frog. He may not have been trimming it and it is just doing it naturally.