# Best treatment for Thrush?



## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

My 18 year old has thrush, what is the best home made or store bought product that would work effectively if used several days a week?
Thanks


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## tbcrazy (Sep 27, 2012)

I like white lightning! You create a gas to get rid of it  it's on smartpaks website. Works REALLY well.


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## Army wife (Apr 29, 2012)

50/50 bleach water. Just don't get it on the skin!


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## xlionesss (Jan 30, 2012)

Contrary to popular belief, bleach(even diluted bleach) is NO good for thrush. Yes, it will kill thrush, but it will also kill the tissue in the horses' hoof causing a lame horse. I like Hooflex and No Thrush(powder)
Use it DAILY after cleaning the hooves thoroughly, then once thrush is cleared up, use 2 times a week as a preventative.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Ditto no clorox or anything else that will also destroy healthy tissue.

*It really depends on the degree and depth of the thrush.*

If it's already got a stronghold on the hoof and reached the point where the horse is sore and heading for lame, White Lightening, Clean Trax.

For less serious thrush issues that have crept down into the sulci but the horse isn't lame, ToMorrow works. ToMorrow is a cow mastitus treatment; sounds strange but it works really well, in many instances. After you syringe ToMorrow down in there, add some type of antibiotic ointment (out of the bathroom cabinet) and top that off with diaper rash cream to hold everything in the sulci for more than five minutes

If it's just starting, there are a lot of good things on the market. It will depend what's available in your local stores, if you don't want to order from a catalogue.

My favorite is Absorbine Hooflex "Thrush Remedy". TSC carries it but it's cheaper in some of the vet catalogues.

Thrush Remedy is oil based, and works on the hoof for quite a few days. I use it just as a maintenance tool, whether someone has smelly feet or not.

Anything with Purple Gentian in it, like Thrush Buster.


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## walkwavy (Mar 21, 2012)

Army wife said:


> 50/50 bleach water. Just don't get it on the skin!


Bleach works well. Have used it for 50 years with no problem. If thrush is a reoccurring problem, you need to take corrective action. We may have 2 or 3 cases per year with a herd of 30 plus.


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## laurapratt01 (Oct 3, 2012)

I've found that Koppertox work the best. My guy had some pretty bad thrush a couple months ago and it cleared up in 3 days using it once a day. I have used the Absorbine product and Thrush Buster in the past and I am definitely sticking with Koppertox because it works insanely fast. 
Interesting to hear of using Tomorrow... I'll definitely try that sometime since we have a ton of it around being a dairy farmer and all


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

laurapratt01 said:


> Interesting to hear of using Tomorrow... I'll definitely try that sometime since we have a ton of it around being a dairy farmer and all


I was also surprised when a barefoot trimmer recommended "the concoction" that included ToMorrow:shock:

I don't know the ingredients but I know it is fantastic for thrush so deep in the sulci that 90% of the time, it goes un-noticed. I didn't notice it but the Trimmer sure did:shock:

That little needle nose on the syringe gets way down in the sulci without hurting the horse --- as long as the hand attached to the syringe is gentle

The antibiotic next and diaper rash cream last, are to not only help with bacterial infection (fungal is also involved) but to hold the liquified ToMorrow in the sulci longer.

I have heard ToDay also works but comments are always "not as good as ToMorrow" 

I still take my stand against clorox when there's a bad case of thrush; I have to wear gloves when I use it or my skin burns, I can imagine what that does to seeping open flesh deep in the collateral grooves and sulci


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## xlionesss (Jan 30, 2012)

BO recommended Today for my horses thrush. I did Hoof Flex first, then put the cream on. Seemed to help relatively fast.


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## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

I have been using this, but worried about the effect on the tissue.


Army wife said:


> 50/50 bleach water. Just don't get it on the skin!


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## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

Why does it kill the healthy part? He isn't lame from it or anything, it is minor.
I board and can't get out everyday.


xlionesss said:


> Contrary to popular belief, bleach(even diluted bleach) is NO good for thrush. Yes, it will kill thrush, but it will also kill the tissue in the horses' hoof causing a lame horse. I like Hooflex and No Thrush(powder)
> Use it DAILY after cleaning the hooves thoroughly, then once thrush is cleared up, use 2 times a week as a preventative.


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## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

Thanks!


walkinthewalk said:


> Ditto no clorox or anything else that will also destroy healthy tissue.
> 
> *It really depends on the degree and depth of the thrush.*
> 
> ...


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## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

Thanks! Where do you buy this?


laurapratt01 said:


> I've found that Koppertox work the best. My guy had some pretty bad thrush a couple months ago and it cleared up in 3 days using it once a day. I have used the Absorbine product and Thrush Buster in the past and I am definitely sticking with Koppertox because it works insanely fast.
> Interesting to hear of using Tomorrow... I'll definitely try that sometime since we have a ton of it around being a dairy farmer and all


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

You can also buy a small tube of triple antibiotic cream and a small tube of antifungal cream (for athlete's foot). Also get a catheter syringe from the pharmacy. Mix the creams together in a dish then put it in the syringe. The long nose will enable you to force the cream deep. If you'd like to know more, google Pete Raimey and he has an excellent article on dealing with thrush.


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## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

Thank you!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## laurapratt01 (Oct 3, 2012)

Sorry to be so slow to respond but I buy Koppertox at the local Tractor Supply..but I'm sure you can find it at any farm supply store. Good Luck!


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Bleach works well. I dilute, spray, and then put foot down. I am not soaking hoof in it, nor pouring it on like dousing a fire.

One reason that the home remedies are being given such a bad rap, is that the companies that make the "new methods" do a hell of a lot of advertising, as well as give incentives for their products to be recommended by vets/farriers.

Latest thing is NO Pepto Bismol, when it too has been used and recommended by vets for years. Now? OH MY GOD....go buy the expensive med from vet.

Money makers many times.

I've used bleach over 50 years, as did most I know. It does work, and usually with one application too.

And never, ever had hoof problems from it, and I've used it on show horses, TB's, and every thing in between if needed it.


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## Black Beauty 94 (Dec 26, 2011)

Great, thank you!


Palomine said:


> Bleach works well. I dilute, spray, and then put foot down. I am not soaking hoof in it, nor pouring it on like dousing a fire.
> 
> One reason that the home remedies are being given such a bad rap, is that the companies that make the "new methods" do a hell of a lot of advertising, as well as give incentives for their products to be recommended by vets/farriers.
> 
> ...


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

Bleach IS harmful to living flesh people. Do some research. I would not apply bleach of any sort to MY skin wounds or infections and therefore I will not apply it to my animals. Beach IS caustic. There are better options. Vinegar for one on superficial infections works very well as well as simply scrubbing the foot with dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Thrush is actually pretty easy to kill. Getting to it can be a bigger problems. If it's in an easily accessable area vinegar do the job really well. It's an old way of treating it that I learned from some very old (now dead) horsemen and it's worked on my horses for over 40 years. I use a 2 parts vinegar to 1 part water mix in a spray bottle. If it's just round the surface or upper areas of the frog and open the pocket (usually completely removing the covering tissue if it's near the surface), clean if out and rinse it well with vinegar mix. I clean and rinse it daily for about a week (I'm known for doing overkill with thrush). In cases where it's deeper in the frog (I've had new horses come with it down in a crevasse) clean is best you can (I'll use cotton or gauze to push down inside with the vinegar mix to "swab" it out as much as possible) rinse well with the vinegar. I then pour tea tree oil into the area and pack it with clean cotton or gauze soaked with tea tree oil and leave it. I will actually be ok to leave it for a week to 10 days, but I usually replace it after about 4 days. Rinse and repack again. The thrush is usually gone after a week, but I continue the treatment for a week longer just because I never like taking chances with thrush.

You may hear some people specifically say apple cider vinegar. ACV will do the job, but the only difference I've seen between using apple cider vinegar and white vinegar is that the ACV makes the foot taste better :lol:


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## Trinity3205 (Dec 21, 2010)

A little more on bleach. As a hoof care provider, I am really against bleach. It does nothing to heal, only harms and it shows when it it used often. It is a base and the wrong PH for the foot also. Vinager is a much better choice. I use straight white vinager and its cheap and wont burn your lungs and esophagus. It just smells of pickles. 

From the horses mouth: and they are trying to sell it. It is NOT for use on flesh, man or beast. 

Can I use Clorox® Regular-Bleach to gargle, brush my teeth or clean cuts and scrapes?
No. Clorox® Regular-Bleach is not for personal usage.

Bleach Cleaner - FAQ | Clorox


Another answer from a Dr abot applying bleach to poison ivy 

Chlorox is composed of sodium hypochlorite, which is a strong oxidizer. Products of the oxidation reactions are corrosive and may burn skin and cause eye damage, particularly when used in concentrated forms. Household bleach and pool chlorinator solutions are typically stabilized by a significant concentration of lye and skin contact will produce caustic irritation or burns. The effect will be dependent on the concentration you used. 

Clorox bleach on skin - Dermatology - MedHelp


more

The Effects Of Bleach On Skin & Eyes | LIVESTRONG.COM


So, there ya go. everyone can make their own choices but for me the proof is in the results when compared to other treatments. Bleach flails the mark in all ways except for killing the pathogen. It does do that. I dont know why would anyone want to apply this to living flesh intentionally when there are much better options that are just as cheap and effective like soap and water or vinegar. 

Ok done now


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