Preventing Thrush and Seedy Toe in Your Horse this Winter

Picking out and keeping horse hoof healthy.
Picking out and keeping horse hoof healthy. Jeffrey B. Banke

Newsdate: Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 1:00 pm
Location: GILROY, California

With cold, wet weather combined with busy schedules, it often becomes difficult to squeeze in basic hoof care for horses. While some horse's bodies may slow down hoof growth in colder months, hoof care is still required to maintain a healthy hoof. Regular hoof trimming and daily picking out of the feet is a good start.

Treating a horse's hooves.

Treating a horse's hooves

While some horse's bodies may slow down hoof growth in colder months, hoof care is still required to maintain a healthy hoof and prevent thrush and seedy toe.
© 2010 by Carien Schippers

Soggy terrain in many areas because of winter snow and rain can lead to hoof problems that can develop rapidly and seriously impact the health of horses. Thrush and seedy toe are common troubles during wet months. Left untreated, these conditions can become painful and debilitating for your horse.

Thrush is an infection of the frog in the foot of the horse and is usually caused by the anaerobic organism Fusobacterium necrophorum. A hoof that is infected with thrush will exhibit soreness and contain black, pus-like liquid. Some bleeding may occur, and a strong, foul odor is emitted by the infected area.

Proper care of the horse's hooves is the best prevention of thrush. Horses that are kept in stalls with clean, dry shavings and have their feet thoroughly picked on a regular basis very seldom develop thrush.

Treatment of thrush is best done by a farrier or veterinarian, although a daily scrubbing routine to accelerate the healing process using a scrub or wire brush to get the frog and all the cracks immaculate will help combat the infection. Flushing the frog with running water, drying it with toweling and proceeding to soak with Lysol, Oxine, Clean Trax or White Lightning will often help.

After treatments, dry the frog off and apply Zinc Oxide ointment or Desitin over the frog and work it into all the cracks and crevices.

In cases of seedy toe, also known as white line disease, bacteria, yeast, or fungus invades the hoof wall, the infection begins at ground level and works its way up the white line to the coronary band.

Again, a change in the horse's environment is necessary. The feet should be kept as dry as possible, with clean, dry bedding and without turnouts in rainy or wet weather.

A well-balanced diet with the addition of biotin and methionine can be helpful. The shoeing schedule should be maintained at four week intervals until all signs of the disease have been eliminated and the hoof wall grows out.

About the Author

Flossie Sellers

Author picture

As an animal lover since childhood, Flossie was delighted when Mark, the CEO and developer of EquiMed asked her to join his team of contributors.

She enrolled in My Horse University at Michigan State and completed a number of courses in everything related to horse health, nutrition, diseases and conditions, medications, hoof and dental care, barn safety, and first aid.

Staying up-to-date on the latest developments in horse care and equine health is now a habit, and she enjoys sharing a wealth of information with horse owners everywhere.

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