Severe Thrush/Canker in Clydesdale

Question
Hello there, I thought I would drop you a line from Australia.

I am battling a terrible thrush or canker problem in my 18.2 hh Clydesdale's hind foot.  It is smelly, under the tip of the frog, all down the sides and at the back of the heal.  Some times it can be black and greasy but if i clean and soak it, it is gray and spongy and cauliflowery like the growth is a ragged type of proud flesh.  It looks and sounds mushy quite deep.  I have taken the shoe off and have taken him out of work (he had been in work for 10 years).  He had it in 3 hoofs and I have got the spongy cauliflowery stuff dry in 2 hoofs and am now getting normal hoof growth.  The back foot however, is a nightmare.  I had to order a Davis Soaking Boot from USA just to control the environment of the foot to keep it clean and dry.

I have been at this problem daily for over a year with various levels of success but I still can't beat it.
He is not lame, however he only has about 2/3 of his frog left as the tip is just mush and this has eaten into part of the soul on the side towards the back heel.  I have had the vet out and we are both stumped.  We have tried penicillin powder, penicillin injections when there was heat, soaking boots with Epsom salts, hairdryers, copper sulfate and lately have resorted to a quick soak in formalun for sheep footrot.  This seems to be working the best, coupled with the warm Australian summer and it is drying out but the spongy tissue underneath is hard to cut out without drawing blood, yet it is spongy/mushy right under the frog.  I have used a hairdryer with some success and placed a baby's diaper over the top and a dry boot over the top of that, but the diaper is always damp when I take it off so either the foot keeps weeping or the foot sweats.  Do you have any further ideas or should I just keep at it?  It is a full time job.  I am wondering if there is a naturopathic treatment?
The horse gets all minerals in his diet from block licks to apple cider vinegar to biotin daily and I have cut down his high protein grain in case that was causing him to be"over acid".  I am a bit lost in all my treatments.  I would really appreciate your advice.  Cheers  J

Answer
HELLO JAYNE...THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION...

I feel for you!! You do have a big problem. I have answered this question to other readers in the past and you can refer to my answers.

The fact that the hoof sweats and the diaper is wet is a "big thing"
as far as recovery. I (in my opinion) would also STOP the apple cider vinegar. More acidity that you don't need and if you can purchase
some loose minerals...w/ salt,potassium,calcium, etc. Horses have smooth tongues/cattle rough. Horses will benefit more from 2oz. of
loose minerals in their feed daily, than trying to gnaw,chew and lick a hard block.

Again...dryness is the key in all respects.Moisture as you know is your enemy!

I personally would stop any water treatments...epson soaks and such.
Formaline/iodine does help and I like a drying powder call here in
the states "Wonder Dust" I use it like a poultice. Change every
other day. It has lime,copper sulfate,talc,caustic powder and such.
I have had good luck with it and also even though alfalfa is great in my opinion...I would feed alot of grass/prairie type hay.
NO sweet feed of any kind. Dry rations only. I think that after the
molasses are absorbed in the hind gut it does affect the urine
naturally and that is another "can-of-worms"...Stay dry---Stay safe!!

I wish you only the Best!!
Do refer to my other commments on the subject.
Joepaul Meyers,C.J.F.