Thrush in horses and What is thrush in horses?
Thrush is an unpleasant infection of the horse's frog that is predisposed by moist, damp, dirty ground or stall conditions.
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What causes thrush in horses?
Thrush is an infection of the central and lateral sulcus of the frog of the horse's foot, most often involving bacterial infection, occasionally fungal infection. One species of bacterium (Fusobacterium necrophorum) is particularly aggressive, invading and destroying the frog, sometimes exposing the deeper sensitive tissues. Long heel conformation encourages the development of deep narrow frog sulci that are more prone to the development of thrush, if environmental conditions are right.
How is thrush diagnosed?
Thrush produces a foul smelling black discharge in the affected sulcus of the frog. There is pain when applying pressure to the area. The hind feet are more often affected than the front feet and, occasionally, infection may result in a general swelling of the distal (lower) limb.
How is thrush treated?
The horse should be moved to a dry clean environment. The foot should be thoroughly cleaned out, removing necrotic debris from within the affected frog sulcus, and then pared out down to healthy tissue, allowing air to reach any remaining damaged tissues. The frog and its sulcus should be treated daily with Outlaw Thrush Stuff.
The horse should be kept in clean, dry stall conditions and the frog should be cleaned and treated regularly until the infection is controlled and the infected tissue regrown.
Severe Thrush infection
A deep, severe thrush infection can penetrate deep into the sensitive Plantar cushion under the frog within the horse's hoof, and will cause the horse to be lame. An infection caused by a thrush pocket can be deep. After 3 days of Outlaw Thrush Stuff application, there is a huge reduction in both the size and depth of the horse's thrush infection. Thrush is a common anaerobic bacterial infection of the horse's hoof tissue characterized by a black, necrotic (dead), foul-smelling material. This condition typically affects the central or collateral sulci, but in severe cases thrush can also invade the white line, sole, and sensitive layers of the foot, potentially resulting in permanent hoof lameness.
Consistent treatment was important for maintaining the hoof in the Outlaw Thrush stuff solution and keeping the hoof in a clean environment will do wonders for your horses.
Outlaw Thrush Stuff is proven to produce fast results even with painful severe thrush and decrease infection within one to two days of application.
With early treatment and good stall and environmental management, the prognosis for complete recovery for cases of thrush is good. Treatment will usually be required for 7-14 days. The prognosis for complete resolution is good unless the infection has been allowed to become chronic or there is extensive involvement of deeper tissues.
Daily attention to hoof cleanliness and health is important. If you can't do this, ask a stable buddy or friend who can assist you. Early recognition will go a long way in preventing or containing a festering infection.
Your horse NEEDS regular motion to properly circulate blood to keep healthy, which includes the hooves. Regular exercise and turnout are essential - so get your horse outside and moving.
The frogs should be trimmed in a manner that while the V of the frog may remain somewhat deep, the frog isn't allowed to grow to a point where it is overlapping, trapping organisms that can grow. This promotes self-cleaning of the clefts during a horse's outside activities, including walking, exercising, playing, working, etc.
Keep your horse's environment clean, the object being to limit your horse's access to areas of potential contamination. This includes providing good sanitation for all open spaces, including turnout pastures and daily mucking of paddocks and stalls and a regular routine of preventive application of Outlaw Thrush treatment.
By following these simple steps you can keep thrush at bay.
