Ariel and the farrier, part 2

[PaulaO]

Yesterday was farrier day. Last week I had the BO instruct me in giving an IM shot. My plan was give her 2.5 cc of Ace an hour before. Friday I worked myself into a state of atrial fibrillation. Sunday I had GI distress. I realized I cannot deal with holding her for the farrier even if she was sedated. I got to the barn, and asked Alexa to hold her for the farrier. I administered the Ace and she chilled til Matt arrived. Alexa took over and I sat in the car with my pulse around 100. Took about 45 minutes, and the report was she danced a bit but settled. Matt took time before he started to pet her and let her sniff him. Mission accomplished. Shoes reset.

She has a bit of thrush in her fronts. Bad horse mom.

That’s my plan going forward. Ace, and remove myself.

I gave Alexa $20, and told the BO to charge my board for farrier holding. There are few problems that cannot be solved by throwing money at them.

Now I need Thrush Buster...

I hand fed her grain, and 4 hours after the Ace, she was fine to have hay,

[StraightForward]

Sounds like a good strategy. You might look into some natural remedies for thrush - apple cider vinegar with the mother, spiked with some tea tree oil, for instance. The harsher chemicals can damage healthy tissue, which is the opposite of what you want and creates a cycle of being dependent on it. For a more severe case, I'd do a one-time soak with Clean Trax, or make up a goo with neosporin, desitin and athlete's foot medication to knock it back.

Thrush Buster contains gentian violet, and products containing it have been recalled in Canada due to carcinogenic effects: https://www.americanfarriers.com/articl ... ian-violet

[Chisamba]

I would just like to point out that nature made thrush, and some po pretty nasty toxins and humans have made some significant cures.

Vinegar, for example is actually useful against bacteria and fungus, but its man made, not natural.

Edited to be a bit less pithy. Gentian violet is safe on hooves.

[Imperini]

I would imagine the cancer concern is for getting it on yourself, which I've almost always done when using the stuff. Purple hands!

I'm glad you've found a solution for Ariel, the farrier and yourself that works.

[StraightForward]

I would just like to point out that nature made thrush, and some po pretty nasty toxins and humans have made some significant cures.

Vinegar, for example is actually useful against bacteria and fungus, but its man made, not natural.

Edited to be a bit less pithy. Gentian violet is safe on hooves.

Well, I can take your pithiness, Chisamba. I'll say vinegar is a product of fermentation, which is a natural process. Sure, man speeds it along.

I cited four other man-made products I would use on thrush before using Thrushbuster, and provided info PaulaO might find useful. Obviously she can do what she sees best. Personally, as a repetitive topical application, I'd rather be handling vinegar and tea tree instead of stuff that's been pulled from the market for carcinogenic concerns, if I can still address the problem.

[Chisamba]

Also, Just so you know, incorrect use of vinegar, in other words ingesting larger than normal daily dose is carcinogenic.

Also regarding gentian violet, to produce tumors in rats they were exposed to huge doses of gentian violet ingested from in utero daily for 24 months, so be careful if you eat huge doses for two years.

[blob]

Unless the thrush is really bad vinegar or listerine can help. Betadine can help as well.

[StraightForward]

Also, Just so you know, incorrect use of vinegar, in other words ingesting larger than normal daily dose is carcinogenic.

Also regarding gentian violet, to produce tumors in rats they were exposed to huge doses of gentian violet ingested from in utero daily for 24 months, so be careful if you eat huge doses for two years.

“Given the seriousness of this risk, Health Canada is advising Canadians to stop using all human and veterinary drug products containing gentian violet,” according to a statement from Health Canada. “There is no safe level of these products, and therefore any exposure to these products is a potential cause for concern.”

They sound pretty serious, but I'll just wait around until they make a similar statement about vinegar.

[PaulaO]

Unless the thrush is really bad vinegar or listerine can help. Betadine can help as well.

Thank you. I forgot about Listerine. My friend treated thrush last year with it, and her horse was a far worse case than Miss A. Of course, I have already bought the Thrushbuster.

[texsuze]

When we are having a spell of wet weather (I've nearly forgotten what that feels like....), I spritz Listerine on my oldster's soles daily when picking feet. A farrier made that suggestion to me years ago. Seems to help.

Also, my farrier started using the copper-coated nails about a year ago and feels they've made a difference with his clients' horses (including mine). The nails don't tend to fall apart when feet are subjected to extended periods of wet, like the traditional nails do. And apparently, there is some anti-fungal/anti-bacterial properties reported with use of the copper coated nails, although I've not read any scientific literature about it. Looks like bling

[LeoApp]

If your horse is already not good with her feet, do NOT use Thrushbuster. It stings and it's caustic. It can also contract their feet. Can't you return it? Or at least get store credit?