How to Treat Equine Thrush Naturally With Neem Oil

 Treating Equine Thrush

As one of the most common ailments to a horse, equine thrush affects the hoof of a horse. Thrush is caused by a anaerobic bacteria as well as general moisture get trapped in the hoof which in turn causes an infection in the hoof that can be very damaging to the horse if left untreated. This particular infection will eat away at the frog of the hoof that at first will cause a little discomfort but over time it can lead to complete lameness if the tissues of the hoof are affected. Most of the time, thrush is noticed immediately, making it quite easy to treat.

Thrush is predominately caused by poor hoof care which means lack of regular picking and trimming, but it can also be caused by unhygienic conditions, lack of exercise, poor circulation, as well as poor diet. Some of the symptoms of equine thrush include a foul smell that is very noticeable when you pick up the hoof, as well as a thick black pus-like substance in the frog itself or around it. Also you may notice that the frog is soft with deep grooves around it that are not normally there. Lastly, the horse may have some sore and/or tender heals as well as some lameness if the thrush has progressed.

Thankfully, thrush is both easy to prevent and easy to treat. First and foremost, you should keep his stall shavings clean and dry, eliminating the moisture altogether. You should also clean his hooves regularly with a pick so that no bacteria can enter the hoof. However, if the thrush does manage to affect the horse, even with prevention, there are several ways in which to treat it.

Treating Equine Thrush with Neem Oil and Neem Soap

After thoroughly cleaning and trimming your horse's hooves with Neem soap, specifically the frog area, it is important to then follow up the cleaning with a healthy dose of Neem oil. Just putting the Neem oil on the hoof isn't enough since some of the oil may not reach all the areas of the infected frog. Instead, you can use a cotton swab to apply the Neem oil directly into the frog. You can wrap the cotton swab around the hoof pick to reach the deeper areas. Neem leaves or Neem extract also can be used as a preventative measure as it contains antiviral and antifungal agents. It can be put directly into the feed or applied on almost any area of the horse to help prevent not only thrush but any number of equine ailments.

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