You’re caring for your horse, picking out their hooves, and BAM! The next thing you know, your butts on the ground pinching your nose shut trying to regain clarity. The good news..… it’s not you. The bad news… it’s probably thrush. So what is thrush? Thrush, also known as Pododermatitis is one of the most common equine hoof infections that mainly effects the frog area of the hoof. Aside from the smell thrush gives off, the frog area of the hoof will be black, discharging a black gooey substance.
So, we know bad odor and black discharge are the two biggest red flags associated with thrush. So what’s the cause? The very same bacteria that live and thrive in your horse’s natural environment are the ones to blame. Because this bacteria is naturally abundant where your horse lives you can’t eliminate it, but you can take specific measures to prevent thrush and save yourself from that smell that’ll knock your horseshoes off.
As we know you’ve heard before, “prevention is the best medicine”. Because the bacteria live in your horse’s immediate environment, begin your first line of defense there. You’ll need to provide an environment with dry areas for your horse as thrush thrives in wet, muddy areas. Unsanitary stalls and low oxygen environments also multiply the chances of your horse becoming infected with thrush. Don’t forget, good’ol fashioned TLC goes a long way so keep your horse’s hooves well maintained with regular foot care and inspection.
If your horse has thrush and your scent receptors have already been singed (we’re sorry) than you’ll need to begin treatment. Leaving thrush untreated can lead to the infection spreading into the deeper areas of the hoof leading to lameness. Equisearch shares one daily method of treating equine thrush as follows:
1. Make your own cotton swab by wrapping a wisp of loose cotton tightly around the end of a hoof pick
2. Soak the cotton in the treatment solution. We are using a commercial preparation, but bleach also works.
3. Swab down the sides of the frog as if you were picking out the hoof. The goal is to get into all the cracks, so don't be afraid to apply a bit of pressure. (If there are flaps or shelves of compromised frog, have your farrier pare them away so the fungus is easier to reach.)
4. Swab the cleft of the frog and any other crevices in its surface. The swab will become darker as you work, a sign it is picking up exudates and dead tissue. Repeat the process, using fresh cotton, until the swab comes out of the hoof nearly as clean as it went in.---Source- Equisearch.com
We know there are plenty of you out there who have come across this challenge and have conquered thrush with flying colors. Share your thoughts and solutions with us here, and don’t forget to tell us what you thought about the smell!
