Horse Seedy Toe Treatment | Probiotic Spray

DESCRIPTION: Seedy toe is the stretching of the white line, caused by the hoof wall, at the toe, pulling away from the coffin bone.  The most common of the hoof afflictions, the white line is compromised (either by excess hoof growth (hoof toe too long or heels too high), horse shoe nails or sub-clinical laminitis, namely rotation.  So Seedy Toe is a physical condition.  It only becomes an infectious condition as a secondary issue, whereupon bacteria and subsequent fungi invades. The fungi commonly appear in the toe area, hence the name, but can appear anywhere in the hoof wall.  Often discovered by farriers who uncover a small area of rot that then reveals a greater degree of damage on investigation.    

TREATMENT: After cleaning with an antibacterial wash a wire brush or a hoof pick can be employed to get into all nooks and crannies.  The modern approach at this point is to use cotton strips soaked in antibacterial wash to completely submerge the hoof areas for around half an hour.  Caution is recommended for treatments using pure Formalin or copper sulphate, as there is implications for health and liver function once these are absorbed into the bloodstream from the live tissues being treated. 

Dietary intervention may be needed if there are nutritional deficiencies. 

CASE STUDY: “When I tried MicroMed For Horses I was relieved to know that there was nothing in it which would harm the animal and I was blown away by how effective it was! Within a month (mid winter) my own herd of seven horses was entirely free of hoof infections, namely seedy toe, and the product cleared up rain scald and mud fever as well.”  

(Sue Court. PhD. EarthHorse Aotearoa www.earthhorse.co.nz)