“TWO” Valuable NO THRUSH Pro Tips this month. (Scratches and a new topic: Clipping-Nicks). Obviously thrush is on a roll right now, but if you have been stopping in here, you you already know what to do about that. Meanwhile, we are getting a lot of calls this year about Scratches (AKA mud fever).

If your horse has white legs be sure to keep a good eye for drainage and scabbing starting to emerge between the fetlock and the coronet band. (White-legged horses are more prone to this problem, but it can occur on other colors as well.)

It is best if you find scratches before it gets out of control, so run your hand down the fetlocks every few days and feel for bumps. Mudfever/scratches can hide underneath the thick winter coat.

To use your NO THRUSH, just dust 1-2 times per day and “gently” rub into the hairline. Do not wash, and do not remove scabs. If you catch early, the scabs will fall off on their own in 3-5 days. To be safe, keep dusting every few days until the hair has regrown.

TIP 2: NEW TOPIC: For those of you who clip the coats of your athlete horses during the winter, you know that it is very easy to nick legs and faces. These nicks can get infected and cause swelling and additional longer-term problems such as lymphangitis. So we recommend dusting the legs with NO THRUSH after every clipping to protect the nicks and quickly staunch bleeding. (Yes, NO THRUSH is a coagulant.)

No need to waste: Just use lightly on legs that are not obviously nicked, but dust more thoroughly when you see blood spotting. Use in this same manner for nicks elsewhere on the face/body. (If using on the face, cover the eyes with your hand.) 

This simple after-clipping habit will help protect against future avoidable problems. Have a great week. www.NoThrushShop.com