Thrush

What is it?

Thrush is cause by a yeast infection, in horses it typically occurs in the hoof, in particular by the frog which is the soft tissue triangle like structure of the hoof, however it can also be found on the outer part of the hoof. 

Thrush can occur if you do not frequently pick out your horses hoofs or allow them to constantly stand in wet and muddy pastures. in addition to this if your horse has imbalanced feet or their hooves are not formed correctly this can mean they are moer prone to Thrush as their hooves will have problems 'self cleaning' as they wont be able to push out any debris. 

Symptoms

some of the most common may include:

  •  A smelly discharge leaking from the hoof 
  • Lameness (struggling to walk or bare weight on the infected leg/foot) 
  • A softening of the frog tissue 
  • Excess growth on the frog tissue 
  • Abscesses or sores on bottom of hoof (on or near frog)

 

Treatment and Prevention

Prevention for Thrush is easy and simple and the most preferable way to help you horse when it comes to Thrush management. 

  • Daily hoof picking to ensure that the hoof is kept as clean and debris free as possible 
  • Ensure good stable hygiene 
  • rotation of paddocks 
  • Ensure that your horse(s) are not consistently exposed to wet and muddy pastures 
  • Regular hoof trimming and inspection 

When it comes to treatment and control of Thrush in horses it is essential that it gets started as soon you spot it as if it gets worse it can go deeper into the hoof and damage more internal and important structures. 

Once noticed:

  • pick out hoof and then clean/ scrub with an antimicrobial solution (that is suitable for horses) 
  • once cleaned the horse needs to stand on a hard, clean and dry area to allow the hoof to dry 
  • Contact a farrier and/ or a vet to see if any dead areas can be removed 
  • A shoe may be fitted to allow infected area to prevent touching the ground whilst healing or to improve balance 

Is Thrush Notifiable?

No, you do not need to notify any governing bodies if you have a diagnosis of Thrush on your premises