# How long should it take for thrush to go away?



## missy06 (Apr 5, 2008)

After the farrier told me that Blaze had thrush on the 29th of November, I've been treating it almost every day. There have been days where I couldn't come out or he was just too wired to get near his hooves, but that's maybe 3 days out of 2 weeks. It doesn't seem like it's getting any better to me.

I was using what we had at the barn, Horseshoer's Secret ThrushTreatment, but bought my own yesterday, Absorbine Thrush Remedy. Is there a huge difference in medication brands? Should I be worried that it hasn't cleared up in 2 weeks?

Unfortunately, I don't have much power over his environment. He's on 24/7 turnout, and where the BO puts the large round bales naturally has a lot of mud and poop around it from the geldings standing around and eating. Blaze loves to eat, so I don't know how much time he's spending in the rest of the pasture (covered in snow). I make sure to put the medication on when I first bring him up for dinner (he's standing on packed snow while he eats) and obviously clean the hoof well beforehand.

Am I missing something? What's a typical time for thrush clearing up? Can I be doing something better? Any advice greatly appreciated; I feel horrible every day I'm there and his frog still feels so soft and spongy.


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## Horsegma (Dec 1, 2008)

I follow Pete Ramey's method of trying to clear it up.

It's a paste mixture using half generic athlete cream paste, and half triple anitibiotic cream. I mix them together and put it in a syringe and apply. 

Apply daily, making sure it gets in all the right spots. 

I also spray them with a half mixture of apple vinegar cider and water every other night.

I started this about two months ago.

I would say it cleared up within the first month. Or at least got significantly improved.

My one gelding had it pretty bad though. He still can show signs of it. It's an ongoing thing with him. I hope once we get it gone I can get by with doing maintenance.

The other gelding took about 6 weeks to show signs that it was gone for the most part.

My mare looked great after about a month. I see no signs of any thrush in her.

Good luck, to me it's so hard to keep on top of with the wet midwest conditions. :-(


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I use betadine. The iodine/betadine is easy to get at most drug stores. You really need to get the medicine down in there whatever you use. I also keep some apple cider vinagar in a spray bottle and douse the hoof whenever I pick them out. When the weather is bad I used to rub the hoof down with bees wax but that's a non-thrush hoof. The thrush needs air/oxygen to kill it. The bees wax is only to seal a healthy hoof and I only did that before I improved my round bale area. 

I do scrap my old hay out every time I bring in a new bale and keep it on a high spot of gravel that drains well. I also keep a tarp over the bale, just bungees strapped to the hay feeder. I know your not in a situation to do that but maybe a subtle suggestion to the BO might do something. We had problems until I started keeping the hay area as clean and dry as possible. 

Your probably going to have problems as long as the hay area is wet and muddy. Just be diligent in your cleaning and hopefully it won't get too bad. 
Does his frog have the black stinky thrush or is it just soft? It may be just water logged.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

good luck with that.... thrush in the wet yucky months is just a way of life, for me anyway... My farrier says we just have some really bacteria infested soil out here so close to the river...

I have mixed bleach and water and sprayed it on before and it worked ok... but there is a thing I use, I think it's called thrush magic or something like that, it comes in a tube that looks like dewormer. that works pretty well for me.....


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

It does sound as if treatment will be on-going until his environment dries up.

One thing I would do before adding the treatments others have mentioned would be to get a stiff bristled fingernail brush and brush his frogs out with a warm water mix of povidine (iodine). 

I buy WalMart's brand of povidine. You could also add a bit of vinegar or a bit of clorox to the mix. Not a lot of clorox, just a splash.

Pat the frogs dry with a paper towel, then put whatever topicals you decide down into the crevices of the frog. Be sure to include the sulci which is the crack where the top of the frog meets the heel.

If he gets a fungal infection down in there, you will have a dickens of a time trying to get that healed up --- especially when he's out 24/7 and doesn't have many options for dry places to stand in.

So no, you aren't missing anything in terms of treatments, it's the wet/muddy/manure environment he's in. You may find yourself switching off treatments too.

All of the suggested treatments are great ones, it's just going to be a lot of extra time and work for you, I'm afraid:-(

Under the conditions you describe, if it's possible to treat him every other day I would do that. If not, just try to get out to the barn as often as you can thru the week


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## missy06 (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks so much everyone. I'll pick up some of the things you suggested for getting the hoof cleaner, and Vida, I'll talk to my BO and see what we can do about where the hay bale is getting placed. It isn't smelly, I have a sensitive nose and haven't smelled anything yet. Granted, I haven't gotten my face all up in his hooves, but when I'm leaning over and picking them out, I can't smell anything.

I can get out there 6 days a week, which is good.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

also, this works wonders: Tractor Supply Company - Go Dry Mastitis Treatment Tube

3 treatments of one tube every other day and thrush was gone!


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

If it isn't stinky it may not be thrush. Thrush has a smell that once you get a whiff you'll know for sure. There will also be a black pus or just black in general. If you think it may not be thrush, you might go with just a preventative. I like the vinegar in the spray bottle and frequent cleanings. Its quick and simple so it works for me :wink:


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## hotreddun (Jun 27, 2008)

I use the ACV in spray bottle. Seems to work good. My horse has had thrush problems on and off since we moved from arid desert region to swampy east texas. Not to mention he only pees in his turnout shed where he naps!! stupid horse.:? Anyway the ACV seems to be a cheap way to keep it in check.


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