Thrush?

[Does’ Leap]

We have a horse with a split at the base of his frog[IMG]http://http://picasaweb.google.com/doesleap/ManureSpreader?authkey=Gv1sRgCI_Yk-6q3_DOKQ#5313579798299174306[/IMG] He has some tenderness, but shows no sign of being lame. Based on some reading, I think it might be thrush. Can anyone confirm / deny this diagnosis? If anyone who has a horse that has experienced this, any recommendations?

[dominiquer60]

Is there a distinct disagreeable odor? Is the area soft, flaky or pasty when you pick the hoof out?

[Jean]

One of my horses has an infection in his frog on both front feet. He is not lame, just a bit tender when I pick them out. I have been treating him with the cow medicine Tomorrow. It is helping, but with the mud, it is hard to keep ahead of it.

Good luck.

Jean

[littlebow]

coppertox and keep in dry area if you can

[Does’ Leap]

@dominiquer60 7064 wrote:

Is there a distinct disagreeable odor? Is the area soft, flaky or pasty when you pick the hoof out?

No odor and no flakes or pastiness, just tender. Thanks for the other responses.

[dominiquer60]

Based on my experiences with thrush, your problem sounds like something different. Can you provide a picture?

[Does’ Leap]

I noticed the picture didn’t upload. I tried to “Insert Image” with the picture icon, copied and pasted the “Picassa” http: address. No go. Am I missing something? I have seen folks post nice clear images, not thumnails / attachments, right in the body of their post. How do you accomplish this wonder?

George

[Carl Russell]

I think the photos in the text have to be posted on the net first.

You are the 2nd person to complain about posting photos, you have done it successfully before, so if you have further problems let me know, it may be a remnant of the switch over to a new server.

As far as the foot, have you had a vet look at it? We may have a lot of experience here, but some of mine comes from having my vet educate me to what I’m looking at.

I have found spots in the frog where bacteria can get trapped in the frog, causing puss, etc, but very little pain, which clear up quickly when cut open and drained.

However, if it is an abscess it could be at the early stages. It may also just be the result of a puncture wound from a branch working in the woods this winter.

Hope you can post the picture.

Carl

[Donn Hewes]

if you have all your photos in picasa on your computer as I do, you need to “export” it to your desktop. This will make it a unique file you can link to. It doesn’t have to be on the web. Donn

[Does’ Leap]

After unsuccessfully trying to post the picture in the main document, I tried to attach it as I have done in the past – no go. Maybe the server Carl? So far I have not called a vet. Within reason, I like to try to address the problem myslef. Given their is only ternderness to probing with a pick, it hasn’t risen to that level yet. I plan to do some betadine soaks in adittion to some of the aforementioned suggestions and get him on dry ground.

Donn, the photo started on my desktop, then I uploaded to Picassa. How do you link to a certain photo once it’s on your desktop?

George

[Carl Russell]

George, sorry to steal your thread with admin, but the attachments did not seem to be working earlier, but the grease monkey got under the hood, and I was able to post one just now that wouldn’t load this morning.

Try again and let me know how it goes.

I share your approach to the vet, it doesn’t sound too bad, and I wasn’t suggesting you should call the vet, just that having someone right there, poking, cutting, pointing, and describing is a great way to be better prepared next time. I know it ain’t cheap, but at least you may have some answers.

Good luck, Carl

[Donn Hewes]

hi George, I think there may be more than one way, and mine not be the “right” way but I don’t us the “insert image” or “insert Link” , I use the paper clip above “attachments”. That way I can go find the file instead of of entering it’s HTTP. I use the “insert link” when I want to connect folks to photos in my web album, though. Thumbnails are ok. They open the minute some one clicks on them. Donn

This picture is a bad example. I picked it at random and after I saw it I remembered a whole group of photos That a friend sent me that are compressed and never open very big. Good luck. Donn

[Does’ Leap]

Thanks for the replies. Here’s an attachment of the foot

[jen judkins]

Well, George, that’s definately a belgian style foot:D! Looks to me like he is bulked up too much in the frog so you are getting some separation in the central sulcus, which is a terrific location for thrush and other microbes to play house. The rest of the hoof looks very healthy. I would trim (or have your farrior trim) down the excess frog abit at its base so that it is level with the heels. This will alleviate some of the pressure on the area and is better in general for overall balance. I really like cleantrax for these deep crevises but its a pain to apply. White lightening is also a great product, but you will have to get it down in the crack, then perhaps a layer of desitin to keep the mud out. Of courrse photos are sometimes misleading, so take my comments with a grain depending on what you are seeing.

Are you bringing them in at night? You might consider standing him in shavings for part of the day or night to dry the area out.

Good Luck.

[Does’ Leap]

Thanks Jenn,

What you say makes a lot of sense. We’ve kind of been thrown into hoof trimming with this horse. We bought him quite good in harness, but kind of a nervous wreck around people on the ground, and he’d always been trimmed in stocks. Our farrier has only managed to do fronts on him after a lot of shenanagens. He is comfortable with us and falls asleep hacking away at his feet, so we have since taken the trimming over, but we have kind of subscribed to the natural shedding of the frog managment with only light trimming of it. Another piece of infomation is that this foot is quite crooked on him, we have to trim it very regularly, the inside grows long and he wears the outside and his foot twists slightly as he lifts it, kind of smearing the frog, it actually grows out in a smear if you can imagine what I am talking about.

We will try to find those products. we had bought some betadine to throw in there but maybe will try something more agressive. We feel fortunate to have some good high and dry ground here as well since we live on gravel, we just need to set up a fence away from the immediate barnyard which tends to be a little messy this time of year.

thanks again, Kristan

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