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  Discussion on Hollow frog - no sign of thrush
Author Message
Member:
frances

Posted on Monday, Sep 17, 2007 - 4:52 am:

After the last farrier's visit 3 weeks ago, I noticed he'd pared the central sulci of the front frogs out quite a bit. On cleaning the area, I found the frogs deeply hollowed out inside; however there was no thrushy smell nor black goo. A few days later it seemed that the hind frogs' sulci were also deeper than usual, although not nearly so hollow as the front. What would cause hollowed frogs if not thrush? We haven't had rain for months so everything is very dry, although the arena is watered, and I'm very careful to clean the hooves thoroughly every day, and remove any manure in the stall or paddock that I see while I'm there in the mornings.

I cleaned it out with a Q-tip as well as I could, but was afraid to do too much in case I pushed debris further in. I've been squirting copper sulphate solution in there daily to harden it, and the hollows seem hard and dry now. Should I stop now/change to every other day? Is it possible to overharden the frogs?

Many thanks.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Monday, Sep 17, 2007 - 8:59 pm:

Hi LL it does sound like thrush, but without the smell, goo and it being dry....makes you wonder.

I have seen the central sulci change on my horses and I wonder if it has to do with weather changes,,sometimes it seems big, sometimes it seems almost non existent. Did your farrier say anything?

I'm not sure but I think I have read you don't want to over harden the frog, imo I would go every 3 days or so especially if it seems to be improving.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 - 1:13 pm:

LL I am having trouble picturing what you describe, would a photo of the soles of the feet be possible?
DrO
Member:
frances

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 - 3:57 pm:

Diane, I mentioned it to my farrier and he felt that if there was no thrushy smell it was ok, and I should just keep on with what I was doing. When asked, he said I could "ease up a bit" on the copper sulphate, or could put cotton soaked in it in the sulci (which would be the opposite of easing up in my view). Have you seen actual hollows in your horses' sulci?

DrO, thanks. I'll try.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 - 6:39 pm:

Yes I have Lynn, but in wet conditions. I usually use the cow mastitis stuff (tomorrow) it isn't as drying, comes in a nice syringe for dispensing, and it clears it up faster. Hope that helps
Member:
mysi

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 - 8:04 pm:

Can I ask what is probably a stupid question???

What is the "sulci"?
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 18, 2007 - 9:46 pm:

Melissa here is a link to one of Dr.O's articles it has a illustration of it towards the bottom. It's easier than describing it.
https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/3/5117.html
Member:
canderso

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 7:51 am:

LL do you mean the cleft in the frog is very very deep, seeming to go deep into the bulb of the foot?
If so, I see this from time to time - first, when corrective shoeing is changing the foot fall pattern (I guess the frog responds to differing pressure pattern?)
Second, I see this when the frog sheds - a layer of the frog loosens and peels off. I have no idea what causes the frog to shed, but it does happen, and I have not seen any ill effects.
Member:
frances

Posted on Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 10:55 am:

Thanks Diane.

Cheryl, when you first look at the frog and it's covered with a light layer of dust or whatever, you don't really notice a hole, but as soon as you clean the sulcus very slightly, you notice that the hoofpick sinks into a small round hole. If you then insert a cotton bud (or anything) to gently clean it out, you find that the small opening leads to a larger cavity within the frog.

Once I've cleaned it out as much as I dare, and injected the copper sulphate with a DrOpper, the hole is easily visible.

There's no corrective shoeing being carried out. Re the frogs shedding, I was wondering if it could be that too, although I always imagined that they would shed from the outside in.

As Diane said, it's like thrush without the smell and goo, and in VERY dry (desert-like!) conditions.

At the moment, I'm more concerned that I might be overdoing the hardening process than anything else. I've cut back to every other day - NEARLY Diane's suggestion, but I didn't quite dare go to three days!

Lynn
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