Thrush+hardening frogs?

What's the best stuff to take care of thrush and harden up Lacey's frogs?

My farrier came out today and commented to me that I really need to get something to take care of Lacey's thrush (I hadn't noticed... O.o ) and harden up her frogs since evidently they're super soft, the farrier compared them to butter...

So, what do you use? The farrier recommended a thrush treatment or a mix of bleach and water in a spray bottle but I'm not really comfortable with bleach anywhere near Lacey's hooves so a thrush treatment is it.

What's the best?

I would avoid bleach-it's too harsh and kills healthy tissue, which in turn feeds thrush oranisms...plus, it burns.

I prefer to recommend apple cider vinegar and water 50/50 in spray bottle. It's non-toxic, it won't harm healthy tissue, and it corrects pH in the feet, and prevents thrush in the future if used about 1 or 2 times a week. For initial treatment, use it every day for a couple of weeks.

If it's not going away after that, you can try mixing Neosporin Plus with Lotrimin Athletes' Foot cream, 50/50 and use a syringe to deposit about 1 cc or mL in each crevice, esp. The center.

Or, if you wan to use a commercial prep, Clean Trax and White Lightening are the only ones I suggest. They work really well.

Do NOT use Koppertox, or Thrush Buster, etc. They are harsh, and kill irritate or kill healthy tissues. Idodine kills good germs on the hoof , which are necessary to keep bad germs in check.


Homeopathic remedies like tea tree oil are fine.

One thing to mention, nothing "hardens' the frog that is safe to use. Only proper stimulation by a heel first landing, contact with the ground and lots of exercise can do that. A good trim that allows the frog to contact the ground helps to prevent thrush and callous up the frog. Shod hooves have more trouble with that, as the mechanics of a shoe prevent it. Pads and bar shoes make thrush problems worse-constant pressure compromises circulation, the hoof needs give and take pressure, instead. (think massage vs. tourinquet)

Here's a good pic of the syringe idea. It's got a special tip so you can apply it deep into the frog. New Page 15

Is there any reason to not use apple cider vinegar and then put on the neosporin/foot cream ointment afterwards? I was planning on using the acv on all fours and then start again at the first hoof I started on after the acv had a moment to soak in for a few seconds. And then apply the ointment mix. Then I was going to put on my horses boots on his fronts. I only have boots for his fronts cus I thought it was typically only necessary for the fronts. But I don't know that for sure either.

But I wanted to make sure it wouldn't be a problem to use both acv and the ointment mix at the same time?

Hi,

In addition to Barefoot's good advice, I will add that depending on the situation/environment, I often don't find ACV great at getting rid of the thrush to begin with, and will frequently use something like bleach, iodine, coppertox or such once only, then follow it up with ACV.

Vettec has a product called Sole Guard, and another that I can't remember the name of, which is infused with copper sulphate, which you can use under the sole guard to treat & avoid thrush. That would make pads, to provide *comfortable* stimulation of heels possible. But yet to try it personally or see it used, so only as yet going on other's recommendations.

How to strengthen heels? Good nutrition & good hoof function. Stimulation by exercise with heel first impacts is what crates good hoof function. Unfortunately if they are already so weak, it's unlikely, even with the best trim & intentions, that he'll land heel first if he can help it. So treat the thrush first & use boots or such if necessary, to make him comfortable enough to use his feet correctly.

Coppertox or Thrush Buster.

The best thing to use I found is the gel from vetsetpro,
Do NOT use Koppertox, or Thrush Buster, etc. They are harsh, and kill irritate or kill healthy tissues. Idodine kills good germs on the hoof , which are necessary to keep bad germs in check.

We use Purple spray (or Gentian Violet as it is otherwise known in the UK) It works ever time but you need to keep the horses on dry standing and pick out regularly to clear it up properly.

They also use it on cattle and sheep here.

Ha - I'd have never thought to use Gentian Violet! I don't know why not since it's a great anti-thrush treatment!

I've used the Neosporin Plus with Lotrimin Athletes' Foot cream mix for awhile and its great stuff. I do buy the generic brands and it seems to work just fine.
I keep a spray bottle of AC vinegar with my grooming kit and give them a spray when cleaning feet. Its a good preventative. Our girls all have good healthy frogs so it must be working


If you don't have a place to get them, your vet should have large syrenges he can sell/give you. They're cheap and have lots of uses. I keep large and small ones on hand all the time.