Vinegar for thrush?

SaddleUp158 · 02-25-2008, 11:26 AM

Someone posted that using iodine for thrush can slow the healing or worsen the condition of thrush because it is so strong. It made me wonder about vinegar. A friend of mine has said that vinegar works to treat thrush; so I have been using that lately. This winter I have been battling thrush because of the moisture and using straight vinegar. Is vinegar too harsh or will it work just fine? There are some things that i haven't like when using it, but it may be just the normal healing process of thrush. Before this summer I have not had to deal a whole lot with thrush.

He does have deep clefts on each side of the frog. I do not know if this is an effect of thrush or just the way his feet are. I have seen plenty of feet with clefts like this, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't part of the problem! He is on the schedule to have his feet done at the end of March. He is growing so much right now that his feet are not! At least that is what the farrier has said.

Dawn · 02-25-2008, 11:40 AM

I know that you can use apple cider vinegar. I assume that 'regular' vinegar would work the same.

Taken orally, apple cider vinegar can help to reduce the occurance of thrush and other similar issues as well.

SaddleUp158 · 02-25-2008, 12:22 PM

Hmm... I have never heard that before! If this doesn't clear up then I will defenitely add it to his feed! Thanks.

Sue B · 02-25-2008, 12:48 PM

The deep clefts that you describe are most likely the reason...or at the very least a contributing factor....for the thrush. Deep clefts like that generally means that the hoof form has been compromised...contracted heels. This can lead to hindered circulation, ...hindered digital cushion function...and declining health of the frog.

While I have heard of apple cider vinegar being used to soak feet...I have not heard of it as a treatment for thrush. But, anything that changes the pH of the environment that the thrush lives in will most likely kill it to a degree...the questioin is....how successful is it.

Wet environments can promote thrush and other infections...but there has to already be an underlying compromise....either in the hoof itself or in the immune system (generally from nutrition deficits)....that allowed the infectio to take hold to begin with.

Iodine does kill surrounding healthy tissues....as does bleach...but it is helpful in treatment of thrush. Research indicates that feeding kelp (which contains iodine) helps resolve hoof infections.

But, the bootom line is that as long as the hoof form is not correct (contracted heels)...then there is no tretament that will ensure complete erradication of the problem.

ryu2832 · 02-25-2008, 01:11 PM

You can dilute the vinegar down to 10% so 1/4c in 2 1/4c.

One of my friends had the same problem, really deep clefts/contracted heels. The previous owners had used koppertox for years, it never cleared it up and he was developing ulcerations in the cleft.

She would soak the foot with the diluted vinegar and put him on clean dry shavings for the night. She squirted olive oil in the deep crevices with a bent tip syringe before he went back out in the morning. It really helped him out. She never cured this horse though. He had Cushings, and just couldn't fight it off.

SaddleUp158 · 02-25-2008, 01:44 PM

I have heard of contracted heels, but never knowingly seen them. Does anyone have any pics that would give a good example? I will try to get pics tonight when I go out to the barn.

Equine747 · 02-25-2008, 04:41 PM

Yes Apple Cider Vinegar is wonderful!

It can be used for many different things - Here is a link to look at:
http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benef...e-care.html#ha

Horse Care – Horse Hoof CareThrush and other foot fungus infections can be greatly reduced by a regular spray or soak application of apple cider vinegar to the soul and frog of your horse's feet. By making the hoof area more acidic, fungus is no longer able to grow well there.

A general horse hoof soaking solution can be prepared by adding 1/4 cup (60 ml) of apple cider vinegar to one gallon (3.8 liters) of water.

The vinegar application will, at the same time, speed up the healing of any other foot infections or bruises your horse might have.
An interesting article on horse hoof abscesses that stresses the beneficial role apple cider vinegar can play in their treatment can be found here.

Here is some more info that I thought you might like

Horse Care – Water and Feed Supplement Dr Jarvis, the Vermont country doctor who popularized the use of apple cider vinegar in his book Folk Medicine, found that a horse would chew the wood of his stall because the wood contained potassium.
Experimenting with calves, he found that they would not chew the wood of their pens if ACV was added to their drinking water, since apple cider vinegar is an excellent source of easily absorbable potassium and other trace minerals.
Besides the nutritional benefits , vinegar helps to purify the drinking water by destroying harmful organisms that can thrive in neutral or mildly basic water.
(Two thousand years ago Roman soldiers were adding vinegar to their drinking water for the same reasons!)

For horses, recommended dosage rates vary from 1 cup (250 ml) of ACV for every 50 gallons (190 liters) of drinking water all the way up to 1 cup (250ml) for every 6 gallons (23 liters).
For a horse that will not drink the water in a new location, a commonly used tip is to add apple cider vinegar to the unfamiliar water.

For a healthy horse, use 1/4 cup (60 ml) of unpasteurized ACV on his feed grain per day. Dilute the vinegar 50/50 with water before adding to the feed.
Because of it's potassium and associated trace mineral content, this feed supplement is invaluable for mares coming up to foaling and it is also beneficial for older horses with digestive difficulties or arthritis.

Apple Cider vinegar has many healthy benefits for pets and people! If you would like to find out what it would do for you take a look at HOME REMEDIES

Hope this helped you
-Danielle-

SaddleUp158 · 02-25-2008, 06:12 PM

Equine- Wow thanks so much!

SaddleUp158 · 02-25-2008, 06:16 PM

These 1 st four pics are of the front feet.

These last four pics are of the hind feet. The first two are of the left hind, and the last two are of the right hind.

Dawn · 02-25-2008, 07:05 PM

It's difficult to tell exactly what's going on without viewing the sole. But it appears as if all 4 feet have very high heels. This in itself is going to lend them to being prone to thrush as the crevice between the frog and bars is going to be deep, which means that nastiness can really get packed in there and away from the air. The frog is also likely not going to be in contact with the ground, resulting in compromised health of the frog, making it more prone to infection as well.

02-25-2008, 11:26 AM	#1
SaddleUp158 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,753 Images: 68	Vinegar for thrush? Someone posted that using iodine for thrush can slow the healing or worsen the condition of thrush because it is so strong. It made me wonder about vinegar. A friend of mine has said that vinegar works to treat thrush; so I have been using that lately. This winter I have been battling thrush because of the moisture and using straight vinegar. Is vinegar too harsh or will it work just fine? There are some things that i haven't like when using it, but it may be just the normal healing process of thrush. Before this summer I have not had to deal a whole lot with thrush. He does have deep clefts on each side of the frog. I do not know if this is an effect of thrush or just the way his feet are. I have seen plenty of feet with clefts like this, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't part of the problem! He is on the schedule to have his feet done at the end of March. He is growing so much right now that his feet are not! At least that is what the farrier has said.

02-25-2008, 12:48 PM	#4
Sue B Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,824 Images: 6	The deep clefts that you describe are most likely the reason...or at the very least a contributing factor....for the thrush. Deep clefts like that generally means that the hoof form has been compromised...contracted heels. This can lead to hindered circulation, ...hindered digital cushion function...and declining health of the frog. While I have heard of apple cider vinegar being used to soak feet...I have not heard of it as a treatment for thrush. But, anything that changes the pH of the environment that the thrush lives in will most likely kill it to a degree...the questioin is....how successful is it. Wet environments can promote thrush and other infections...but there has to already be an underlying compromise....either in the hoof itself or in the immune system (generally from nutrition deficits)....that allowed the infectio to take hold to begin with. Iodine does kill surrounding healthy tissues....as does bleach...but it is helpful in treatment of thrush. Research indicates that feeding kelp (which contains iodine) helps resolve hoof infections. But, the bootom line is that as long as the hoof form is not correct (contracted heels)...then there is no tretament that will ensure complete erradication of the problem. __________________ Save a Horse - www.saveahorse.org December 13th - National Day of the Horse September 19th - International Talk Like a Pirate Day www.talklikeapirate.com

02-25-2008, 01:11 PM	#5
ryu2832 Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Iowa, USA Posts: 2,957 Images: 43	You can dilute the vinegar down to 10% so 1/4c in 2 1/4c. One of my friends had the same problem, really deep clefts/contracted heels. The previous owners had used koppertox for years, it never cleared it up and he was developing ulcerations in the cleft. She would soak the foot with the diluted vinegar and put him on clean dry shavings for the night. She squirted olive oil in the deep crevices with a bent tip syringe before he went back out in the morning. It really helped him out. She never cured this horse though. He had Cushings, and just couldn't fight it off. __________________ Gene Pool: Warning, no lifegaurd on duty. "Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't." author Erica Jong

02-25-2008, 04:41 PM	#7
Equine747 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 887 Images: 237	Yes Apple Cider Vinegar is wonderful! It can be used for many different things - Here is a link to look at: http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benef...e-care.html#ha Horse Care – Horse Hoof CareThrush and other foot fungus infections can be greatly reduced by a regular spray or soak application of apple cider vinegar to the soul and frog of your horse's feet. By making the hoof area more acidic, fungus is no longer able to grow well there. A general horse hoof soaking solution can be prepared by adding 1/4 cup (60 ml) of apple cider vinegar to one gallon (3.8 liters) of water. The vinegar application will, at the same time, speed up the healing of any other foot infections or bruises your horse might have. An interesting article on horse hoof abscesses that stresses the beneficial role apple cider vinegar can play in their treatment can be found here. Here is some more info that I thought you might like Horse Care – Water and Feed Supplement Dr Jarvis, the Vermont country doctor who popularized the use of apple cider vinegar in his book Folk Medicine, found that a horse would chew the wood of his stall because the wood contained potassium. Experimenting with calves, he found that they would not chew the wood of their pens if ACV was added to their drinking water, since apple cider vinegar is an excellent source of easily absorbable potassium and other trace minerals. Besides the nutritional benefits , vinegar helps to purify the drinking water by destroying harmful organisms that can thrive in neutral or mildly basic water. (Two thousand years ago Roman soldiers were adding vinegar to their drinking water for the same reasons!) For horses, recommended dosage rates vary from 1 cup (250 ml) of ACV for every 50 gallons (190 liters) of drinking water all the way up to 1 cup (250ml) for every 6 gallons (23 liters). For a horse that will not drink the water in a new location, a commonly used tip is to add apple cider vinegar to the unfamiliar water. For a healthy horse, use 1/4 cup (60 ml) of unpasteurized ACV on his feed grain per day. Dilute the vinegar 50/50 with water before adding to the feed. Because of it's potassium and associated trace mineral content, this feed supplement is invaluable for mares coming up to foaling and it is also beneficial for older horses with digestive difficulties or arthritis. Apple Cider vinegar has many healthy benefits for pets and people! If you would like to find out what it would do for you take a look at HOME REMEDIES Hope this helped you -Danielle- __________________ "It can be - done quickly , done inexpensively, or done correctly... Pick any two." -My Husband Proud Wife of an ex-Army Sniperproud Member of the ASPCA AHHH! I'VE BEEN SNOWBALLED! - TWICE

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02-25-2008, 11:40 AM	#2
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	I know that you can use apple cider vinegar. I assume that 'regular' vinegar would work the same. Taken orally, apple cider vinegar can help to reduce the occurance of thrush and other similar issues as well.

02-25-2008, 12:22 PM	#3
SaddleUp158 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,753 Images: 68	Hmm... I have never heard that before! If this doesn't clear up then I will defenitely add it to his feed! Thanks.

02-25-2008, 01:44 PM	#6
SaddleUp158 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,753 Images: 68	I have heard of contracted heels, but never knowingly seen them. Does anyone have any pics that would give a good example? I will try to get pics tonight when I go out to the barn.

02-25-2008, 06:12 PM	#8
SaddleUp158 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,753 Images: 68	Equine- Wow thanks so much!

02-25-2008, 06:16 PM	#9
SaddleUp158 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,753 Images: 68	These 1 st four pics are of the front feet. These last four pics are of the hind feet. The first two are of the left hind, and the last two are of the right hind.

02-25-2008, 07:05 PM	#10
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	It's difficult to tell exactly what's going on without viewing the sole. But it appears as if all 4 feet have very high heels. This in itself is going to lend them to being prone to thrush as the crevice between the frog and bars is going to be deep, which means that nastiness can really get packed in there and away from the air. The frog is also likely not going to be in contact with the ground, resulting in compromised health of the frog, making it more prone to infection as well.