How To: Treat and Prevent Thrush

Are your long ear's hooves smelly, squishy, or do they contain black, sometimes slimy films? It sounds like you've got a thrush problem. But never fear! Any time is a great time to get the problem rectified so your donkey or mule can be sound and comfortable, and so you don't have to smell stinky hooves.

What is thrush? Thrush is a catch-all term for a bacterial infection of the hoof, primarily in the colateral grooves and sulcus of the frog. Unfortunately for our equine friends, thrush will work its way into cracks and crevices of the hoof and start destroying essential structures and tissues if left untreated. This can lead to lameness, discomfort, and problems with the integrity of the hoof.

What can you do to prevent thrush? It's fairly easy to prevent thrush simply with good husbandry practices. Keeping your pens cleaned daily, picking out your long ear's hooves several times a week (ideally every day, and be sure to focus on those colateral grooves), Treating them regularly (once a week, or so) with a thrush treatment containing copper sulfate, such as NoThrush powder, keeping on an 8 week or less hoof trimming schedule, feeding a species-appropriate diet low in sugar, ensuring your pens have good drainage so the ground stays dry, and giving your donkey plenty of exercise to strengthen hooves and improve blood flow can all help prevent thrush.

What do you do if your donkey gets thrushy? While many an old cowboy will say bleach or iodine will clear up the infection, there are many much better products currently on the market, that are both more effective and less damaging to the hooves. Most of these will include antibacterial agents like copper sulfate to help clear up the bacteria while keeping the hoof tissues as healthy as possible. Your local feed store should have several options to choose from. However, it is essential you follow the directions that come with the thrush treatment and keep up with it, until after the thrush is cleared up. Once the infection is cleared up, be sure you stay on top of picking out your donkeys feet routinely.