We have almost become accustomed to it. Almost 80 percent of our horses have hooves damaged by thrush. Rot in the frog is one of the most widespread hoof diseases. hoof diseases. Some horses only have small black areas deep in the base of the lateral frog furrows. These areas often disappear with correct trimming.
Thrush can often be recognized by small black areas deep in the base of the lateral frog furrows. These affected areas often disappear when they are cut out correctly.
Other horses are so badly affected that the hoof scraper has to be used when scraping the hooves. The frog sinks into the deepened central and lateral frog furrows and the frog rot separates the bale into two parts. In some places, the frog skin is often already exposed. This causes the horse pain.
In this guide, we inform you about the causes, symptoms and effects of thrush in horses. We also provide tips on how you can ensure a healthy frog on your horse - no matter whether the Horse steamed up or barehoofed. A more regular View on the Beam and into the Furrows is worthwhile.
Fig. 2: Severe thrush
Causes of thrush
Putrefaction in the frog is a horn decomposition process caused by microorganisms. Bacteria and fungi, usually occurring together in symbiosis, dissolve the horn substance enzymatically as if with a solvent. The enzymes of the bacteria destroy the "keratin" structural protein found in the hoof horn. The sulphur-containing protein "keratin" is the main component of the horn and is responsible for its stability. The bacterium is often also responsible here Fusobacterium necrophorum.
With this Decomposition of horn This in turn produces harmful substances such as hydrogen sulphide with its characteristic smell of rotten eggs. These decomposition products can in turn damage the horn. of the beam. This leads to a vicious circle. The disease is thus self-perpetuating. This also applies to weeks of dryness in the summer months.
Symptoms and signs of thrush
Rot in the frog of horses can manifest itself in several clear symptoms. Deep frog furrows and a foul odor emanating from the hoof area are characteristic. The frog appears dark and has cavities and cracks. In addition, the frog horn becomes soft and begins to dissolve. These symptoms on the hoof require immediate and thorough treatment to ensure the horse's hoof health.
Effects of untreated thrush in horses
The consequences of untreated or incorrectly treated thrush in horses are more serious than generally assumed. Rot in the frog not only causes the unpleasant smell of rotten eggs or bacterial infections such as purulent-inflamed hoof abscessesbut also, in the worst case, a gradually increasing hoof deformation.
Due to the loss of substance of the decomposed frog horn, the frog becomes smaller and narrower. In some horses, you can see that the central frog furrow is already splitting the bale in two. In chronic cases, the loss of substance eventually leads to the frog losing contact with the ground, even on softer ground. As a result, the hoof is no longer widened with every step and the self-cleaning effect is missing. The elastic deformation of the hooves and thus the blood circulation in the hoof area decreases.
These processes have an influence on the entire hoof mechanics. The hoof becomes increasingly narrower and longer. Unfortunately, this picture is quite common: a front hoof that looks more like a hind hoof. Particularly in young horses, while the hoof is still growing, these unfavorable changes in shape occur very quickly. Regeneration is again complex and takes a very long time - especially in the advanced stage.
Anatomically, you have to imagine that the coffin bone and navicular bone, i.e. the bones inside the hoof, are still the same size in the adult horse as they were before the horn capsule changed shape. "The shoe therefore becomes too tight".
How does thrush develop in horses?
The decomposition of the horn often begins in stalls and open stables through manure and urine. The ammonia produced from the urea in the horses' urine (pungent smell when mucking out) is the main cause. Ammonia is gaseous, lighter than air and rises through the mattress and bedding. Ammonia not only damages the hoof, but also the skin (Mauke in horses) and especially the respiratory tract (coughing).
On the hoof, the ammonia-urine mixture destroys chemical bonds (sulphur bridges) in the keratin and thus damages the horn of the frog and the horn of the white line in particular. The alkaline pH value of the pollutant mixture is primarily responsible for this. This environment in the hoof is very beneficial to pests, i.e. fungi and bacteria.
The thrush germs feel at home, can multiply and easily digest the chemically damaged horn in the hoof. Insufficient stall hygiene therefore provides them with the ideal breeding ground. With the "White Line Disease" almost the same processes take place. The frog horn and the horn of the white line are of the soft horn type and are therefore very sensitive to precisely these harmful substances. One regular Care of the Beam furrown can be a decisive preventive measure.
What helps against thrush in horses?
Tips and tricks for treating rot in the beam
To treat thrush, the farrier or hoof trimmer should be consulted first. The treatment is then carried out daily by the horse owner.
Important measures to treat the disease are:
- Have the hooves trimmed very cleanly. Pockets and cavities in the frog furrows should be carefully exposed as far as possible. (ATTENTION: Bloody Rot in the beam except for the dermis should definitely be treated by a vet first).
- It is very important to scrape the hooves daily, especially before riding or paddocking, so that air can reach the damaged areas. Round off the edges of the hoof scraper so that no injuries occur.
- You should pay attention to hygiene in the stables and runs.
- If the rot in the frog is at an advanced stage, it should generally be treated daily. Clean "dry" by placing a small cloth around a blunt, flat wooden spatula and using it to wipe out the central and lateral frog furrows several times. Do this until there is no more smelly dirt on the cloth. Change it frequently. This mechanically removes a large proportion of the germs in the hoof or frog. This process contributes significantly to the rapid success of the treatment.
Expert tip: Hydrogen peroxide, iodoform ether and blue spray are outdated and no longer the treatment of choice for the jet.
Beam rot remedy
Keralit Undercover - for horses that spend a lot of time in the wet
Keralit Undercover is also often used for the treatment and prevention of horn decomposition in the frog area of the hoof. It is particularly suitable for horses kept in open stables or paddocks, as it remains in the frog furrows for many days and adheres to the frog furrows even in wet weather. Daily treatment is therefore not necessary.
Keralit Strahl-Liquide - for horses that tend to stand dry
For a horse that tends to stand dry, the Keralit Thrush Liquide is very suitable for the treatment of thrush. In particular, it prevents the above-mentioned enzymatic processes. This stabilizes the horn structure and makes it indigestible for germs. It also creates an environment in the hoof that reliably prevents the further multiplication of germs.
After mechanical cleaning, the preparation is applied drop by drop to the frog furrows in the hoof and distributed. This procedure (dry cleaning, then Keralit Strahl-Liquide) should be carried out once a day for approx. five to seven days.
In general, there is a clear improvement in the frog after just a few days, and the treatment intervals can then be extended to every other day. After treatment, the horse should remain dry for approx. 15 to 20 minutes. As a preventative measure, a weekly application to the hoof is sufficient.
It is very important to treat thrush regularly until complete regeneration.
How do I prevent thrush in horses?
What thrush germs love
The harmful germs are anaerobes. They like it moist, warm and dark in the absence of air and an alkaline environment, e.g. in unhygienic paddocks. Unfortunately we offer almost all of these conditions, especially in horses shod in stalls. In summer, shoes with plates and silicone inserts provide an ideal breeding ground for germs on the hoof.
What thrush germs hate
Thrush germs, on the other hand, do not like the farrier, light and air, clean and dry bedding and a rather slightly acidic environment, which can be improved with regular hoof care using products such as Keralit Strahl-Liquide and Keralit Undercover is given.
Poor stable hygiene and hoof care are among the risk factors. Therefore, good stall and paddock hygiene and regular mucking out and mucking in are important for healthy hooves. No mattress posture. Scraping should be part of daily hoof care.
Sufficient movement of the horse stimulates the Hoof mechanism and thus the blood circulation of the hoof. This is very important for the formation of healthy frog horn. A lack of exercise should therefore be avoided.
Unfortunately, there is no right feed to prevent rot in the frog, as thrush is more of a husbandry-related problem, as described above. Hoof rot cannot be treated with additional feed, as the hoof consists of "dead cell material" and is not connected to the bloodstream. Supplementary feed can only compensate for a lack of nutrients. If there is a deficiency, horn production can be stimulated again, which means that damaged areas of the hoof can grow out more quickly. For example, through targeted additions such as Biotin and zinc.