Is This Thrush(PICS)

[DoBeSassy]

When I picked out Sassy's hoof today, the hoof peeled off. It's like it wasn't hard like the other 3 hooves.

And it had that smell hooves get ofter it rains and the horse has been in mud.

Am I correct in saying this is thrush, or would you think something else?

[seerfarm]

Hoof peeled off, or did her frog peel off? And is the smelly stuff kind of a black tar looking consistency? If so, I would say yes, to it being thrush. Better to be safe than sorry, I would go ahead and treat for thrust...3 days in a row and then re-evaluate.

[BarnBum]

If the frong peeled off, thats par for this time of the year. Every year, a horse sheds its frog. When in doubt treat as thrush. I like Koppertox.

[DoBeSassy]

Not the frog, the hoof. It peeled of kind of like packed powder? Does that make sense?

It does smell a little, but the other 3 don't smell at all.

[DoBeSassy]

Here are a couple pictures. They are blurry, but hopefully you can see what I mean.

You can see where the hoof pick dug out lines. This is not normal for her hoof, it's normally hard.

It's not supposed to be this soft right?

[MyFoxyLady]

That happened to one of my horse's hooves but hers didn't smell so I'm a bit curious. I think its normal for it to come off like that, but I'm not sure.

[PaintsQH]

Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong, but it looks like a normal hoof. It is probably just soggy and when you scrape like that, it does look powdery. Thrush isnt usually like that. Its more a black gunky looking substance, and it really smells. I know the smell you are talking about Sassy and mine smell like that if they get alot of mud or poo in them. If you want to be safe so it doesnt turn into thrush, get the koppertox or thrush buster. You also might want to get a sole hardener if they are getting too soggy.

[BabyMay]

Originally Posted by PaintsQH

Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong, but it looks like a normal hoof. It is probably just soggy and when you scrape like that, it does look powdery. Thrush isnt usually like that. Its more a black gunky looking substance, and it really smells. I know the smell you are talking about Sassy and mine smell like that if they get alot of mud or poo in them. If you want to be safe so it doesnt turn into thrush, get the koppertox or thrush buster. You also might want to get a sole hardener if they are getting too soggy.

Yup, thrush has a very distinct odor to it. Phew!

[BarnBum]

Originally Posted by PaintsQH

Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong, but it looks like a normal hoof. It is probably just soggy and when you scrape like that, it does look powdery. Thrush isnt usually like that. Its more a black gunky looking substance, and it really smells. I know the smell you are talking about Sassy and mine smell like that if they get alot of mud or poo in them. If you want to be safe so it doesnt turn into thrush, get the koppertox or thrush buster. You also might want to get a sole hardener if they are getting too soggy.

Agree, no thrush, just soft. Alot of water / moisture will do that.

Wouldn't hurt to coat the bottom of the foot and the frog crevaces with koppertox. It will act as a moisture barrier and also kill off any thrush. If she is soft b/c of the moisture, more than likely there is some thrush in there.

[seerfarm]

DoBe, is that crack on the back of her heel bulb soft as well, and have you clean it out? I agree that the sole is soft from the impaction of mud, but with the wet muddy conditions, a bit of smell and the deepness of her crevices both along the frog and that heel bulb I would treat her for thrush. Something like thrush buster, or even good ole Gentian Violet to keep it on the safe side. Thrush can develop over the course of the day...daily treatment for 2-3 days is not going to hurt her. In my opinion.

[cameo05]

When seer was riding with us one day, we were hosing the horses down and she noticed that my mare had a hole in the backbof her bulb. Just aout could fit a pencil in it. She had some thrush buster in her kit and we put it on. I continued the thrush buster for thecourse of 5 days, I had to push it into the hole. It worked and a few days the mushy hole was gone. I started, and don't throw tomatoes, putting it on every horse I had once a week since.

[PaintsQH]

Cameo, its better to be safe then sorry. I think thats a great idea esp when its rainy and wet. Im thinking about doing that for mine as well. We have had so much rain and they are in my arena alot. No mud, muck or poop, just soft dirt. Good idea for prevention.

[Roewyn]

This happened to one of my horses once and I freaked out... BUT...

Did some research, and this "sloughing" of the hoof bed is totally normal for this time of year, especially if you've had some rain or wet conditions. It's also more typical for the back hooves than the front (but beware, Thrush occurs most often in the back and thrush leads to founder... ACK!)

Thrush smells like a skunk or really really fresh compost. Once you smell it, you never forget it. Do like everyone has said; if it smells "funny" or different (not like regular horsey-smell), work some thrush treatment down in the grooves between the frog & hoof bed for a few days, and try to keep your horse in a semi-dry area so it has time to harden up.

Pine tar also works really well to keep moisture out of soft heels, and it's super cheap for a decent sized can. It's messy though!!!!

Good luck!
Eden

[fishing_trex]

Originally Posted by seerfarm

DoBe, is that crack on the back of her heel bulb soft as well, and have you clean it out? I agree that the sole is soft from the impaction of mud, but with the wet muddy conditions, a bit of smell and the deepness of her crevices both along the frog and that heel bulb I would treat her for thrush. Something like thrush buster, or even good ole Gentian Violet to keep it on the safe side. Thrush can develop over the course of the day...daily treatment for 2-3 days is not going to hurt her. In my opinion.

Good catch. That heel crack really does look like thrush. Thrush, contrary to many descriptions, does not have to be black, oozy goo. Sometimes it just eats away the frog.

With those deep crevices in the heel like that, another thing that works is 1/2 neosporin (any triple antiobiotic) and 1/2 antifungal (like athlete's foot cream with 1% clotrimazole). Put this is a large 60cc syringe and shoot just a little bit into the cracks (once or twice per day). You can push some cotton balls into the cracks if you want. I fought thrush like this for 3 years with my mare, and this concoction (called Pete's Goo, after Pete Ramey) was the only thing that worked. Unlike ThrushBuster and some of the other remedies for thrush, it won't retard new tissue growth. Now that I have it cleared up, I spray a 50/50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (with a couple drops of tea tree oil) on her feet at least 3 times/week. The vinegar and tea tree oil are antifungals and antibacterials and she has been thrush free for two months.

My vet is a firm believer in not using anything on a horse she wouldn't use on herself. I tend to agree with her. And this is pretty cheap (if you go to a Target, Walmart, etc. and pick up the generic brands).

[CatsTack]

It don't look like there's any thrush, but it's hard to tell in pictures. The sole and the frog both shed this time of year. Each foot is different and will shed at different times, maybe one foot in the spring, another in late spring, etc. Most of the time, though, they'll shed roughly the same time.

Hooves with shoes are more apt to hold moisture, because the shoe holds dirt and debris in it. The constant moisture and lack of oxygen makes for brittle hooves. It's also a great environment for thrush to thrive in; thrush is an anerobic bacteria. That's why it's important for us to muck the feet out everyday.

[DoBeSassy]

The problem is we haven't had rain in quite some time. And there is no wet ground for it to get soft in. and the other 3 are hard.

Seer- I do clean them, but yesterday I was afraid to take off too much so I didn't clean it very well.

[seerfarm]

Originally Posted by DoBeSassy

The problem is we haven't had rain in quite some time. And there is no wet ground for it to get soft in. and the other 3 are hard.

Seer- I do clean them, but yesterday I was afraid to take off too much so I didn't clean it very well.

I know you clean them silly!

It does not have to rain, overnigh dew and sweat along with compacted dirt, poo and other germy microbials can get into those little cracks and crevices. In particular heel bulbs and froggies. Just my opinion again but if that heel bulb crack looking line gives to the fingers and you have a surface opening of any depth you can get the nasty thrush. Untreated and clean out good, I have seen those cracks run up the back of the bulb and actually run into the coronary band. Just me as I am anal about feet, but I would scrub that hoofie down real good, dry and apply ThrushBuster or something to the heel and frog, to prevent anything further. I say that with Love, DoBe.

[DoBeSassy]

No worries. Obviously something is amiss with that hoof. I will pick some thrushbuster up tonight and put it on. And I will keep an eye on those cracks, I just assumed they were normal, now I need to go take a closer look at all of her hooves. You learn something new everyday

[Burnttimber]

I am thinking it is just the sole being shed!

[HighHorse]

I don't see any thrush, but that doesn't mean its not developing. I would go ahead and treat it with the thrushbuster or koppertox. I have never personally used the thrushbuster, but my stepmom always used the koppertox (if I remember correctly).

Good luck!