THRUSH. 377 



The treatment of thrush is neither complicated nor difficult, 

 provided neglect has not resulted in serious changes in the 

 lioof. When the attack is recent and there is no marked 

 change in form, cure will be obtained by allowing the diseased 

 frog to come in contact with the ground and exercising the 

 animal freely. In more serious cases removal of all loose 

 fragments of horn, thorough washing of the diseased frog 

 several times daily, and the application of some antiseptic or 

 mild astringent, such as raw pyroligneous acid or a 5 per cent, 

 solution of sulphate of copper, will usually prove sufficient. 



To prevent irritation by manure, etc., the frog should be 

 cleansed and smeared with Venice turpentine, after which a 

 moderately warm iron may be slowly passed over the parts- 

 without actually burning them ; if, however, the disease is of 

 old standing, the frog almost denuded of horn, and the hoof so- 

 contracted that the walls of the heel press on the plantar 

 cushion and frog, De Fay's shoe (page 350) may be employed 

 with great advantage. Contraction at the heels favours the 

 disease, and conversely its removal assists recovery. As soon 

 as possible the frog should be allowed to come in contact with 

 the ground. Needless to say, the dilating shoe is useless- 

 except when the hoof is contracted. By using the knife in 

 conjunction with astringent powders, thrush can be cured, i.e., 

 the offensive discharge can be stopped ; but, as compared with 

 the sound, well-developed organ which results from proper 

 shoeing, the small, dry, shrivelled frog thus produced is most 

 unsatisfactory. Thrush can only be regarded as cured when 

 the discharge has ceased and the frog is once more dry and 

 well developed. This is not to be obtained by the application 

 of chemicals ; regular exercise and the intermittent pressure 

 it causes can alone produce sound horn. Canker can only be 

 efficiently treated by the veterinary surgeon, and the work of 

 the farrier in such cases is confined to fashionim^ the neces- 

 sary shoe. 



