Although droughts in many areas are being reported, other areas in the US are being bombarded by an onslaught of torrential rains causing not just extensive flooding but also damage to roads and buildings and farmland areas. When equines are left standing in wet pasture lands, paddocks and stalls, the danger of hoof diseases and infections increases.
Importance of hoof health in wet conditions
Thrush is caused by anaerobic bacteria and usually affects horses living in wet conditions contaminated by urine and manure which become breeding grounds for thrush bacteria.
Thrush is among the conditions that threaten horses living in wet conditions. It is caused by anaerobic bacteria and usually affects horses where stalls and pastures become contaminated by urine and acidic manure which are breeding grounds for the thrush bacteria. The infection is accelerated by lack of proper hoof hygiene.
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 commercial treatments are available to owners and handlers to treat the disease. Wnen choosing a treatment for thrush, the medication should:
- Contain antibacterial and antifungal ingredients
- Have a topical paste form that stays on hoof, even when moist
- Easily penetrate crevices and cracks
Horses that contract thrush should be moved to a clean, dry area, and antiseptic foot wash used to clean the hooves. The hooves, particularly the frog area, should be thoroughly cleaned and trimmed. This will help aerate the frog area, and the effectiveness of medication applied to the affected areas will be maximized.
Once cleaned and medicated, the hooves should heal within six to seven days if the horse is kept in clean, dry conditions.