Iodine for hoof problems? How much is too much?

[zakkandtoto]

My gelding has had a good diet (TC Senior) and a very clean stall (do it myself), but has been plagued with thrush and poor hoof quality over the past several months. BO attributes the problems to our extreme wet/dry weather and the never drying muddy clay spots at the gates.

The barn farrier recommended "Nu-Foot Vet Formula" http://www.jeffersequine.com/ssc/assets/label_info/11816.htm to me.

I was able to get it through Jeffers, and he's eating it okay, but I'm concerned with its high levels of Iodine (5x his RDI), which the manufacturer claims will help combat thrush and white line disease via stimulation of the thyroid. http://www.farrierscience.com/wmiw.htm

Anyone have any idea how much Iodine is too much Iodine? I really don't want to create additional problems for him.

Thank you.

[twofatponies]

I've never heard of feeding iodine (so no opinion on it being good or bad).

We always just spray iodine on the bottom of the hoof. Doing that now with a new mare who just had her shoes pulled but has been successfully barefoot in the past and did it this summer with my barefoot mare, as the constant wet weather was softening her feet.

[M. O'Connor]

This paper addresses some of your questions.

http://www.ker.com/library/Proceedings/04/NutrientRequirements_p38.pdf

I would guess that it's a universal trait of manufacturers to claim their product will do 'xyz.'

Not so many have the proven scientific data to back it up. My association with KER began based on a product they produce (ReLeve) that has been proven effective in research to provide the specific nutrients needed by my RER horse.

Likewise, each of KER's other products have also been research-proven to address what they claim to.

Not all manufacturers are as diligent, and many do not even pretend to be.

Therefore, choose your supplements with care, and do your own research before spending money on supplements that contain ingredients that haven't proven effective. If they have proven effective, ensure that they are being presented for use in such a way that they will be as effective as they were under controlled circumstances during the research.

If a product is recommended by a vet, I would hope the individual doing the recommending is knowledgeable enough to answer any questions you might have, and not have simply taken the word of a manufacturer who may have influenced the vet's choice of product in the same way that many doctors are shown to have been influenced by pharmecutical companies

[M. O'Connor]

As far as improving your horse's hoof quality, you will need to adopt a three-front approach...

You have the nutrition front covered, pending your satisfaction that you've chosen the mose effective hoof supplement available to you.

Also make sure you are using an excellent farrier, and keep up with regular appointments.

In addition, topical applications of thrush remedies and hoof hardeners and dressings have been time-honored ways of making the best of what you have.

My own routine is:

Grand Hoof MSM in the feed room, Thrush Buster on the frog and white line, Venice turpentine on the soles (not the frog), Keratex on the hoof wall (especially nail holes if the horse has shoes) to about 3/4 up, and Corona on the coronary.

I do this several times per week per horse, and it has never let me down.

[zakkandtoto]

Thank you for the suggestions!

M. O'Connor, could you repost the end of that link? It's not parsing properly.

I'm researching away. I do use Durasole a couple of times a week because he tends to be tender-footed and I have, at any given time, 3 different thrush medications in my tack box.

I love him dearly, but he's killing me. There are horses across the aisle from him whose owners never come out, whose feet never get picked, who are eating the cheapest sweet feed available, and whose stalls are often wet. They have no problems.

Me? I've been a member of this board for 4 years and have about 30 posts because I'm always too busy reading about how to treat his latest issue.

I'm taking him off of the Nu-Foot. It's making me too nervous.

[jaimebaker]

Nu-Foot has 15mg of iodine per ounce. That's not anything to worry about. You have to look at everything the horse gets though. Most feeds don't have enough to even do much (we're talking 2mgs or so).

You have to get above 45mgs of iodine per day to even start worrying (and even then, that's just with foals...even higher amounts for adults).

I've used the Nu-Foot Vet formula before with no issues. For more info on iodine levels in horses go here

http://www.4source.com/products/horse.shtml

[M. O'Connor]

http://www.ker.com/library/Proceedings/04/NutrientRequirements_p38.pdf

[Claudius]

I concur with your hoof "recipe" but use Cornucresent instead of Corona. But when I am in Florida and forced to use shavings (I use straw in Pa.) would you still recommend the Venus Turpentine? I was worried about the stickiness.

[M. O'Connor]

The British grooms I knew in FL all swore by using the v. turpentine, and patted very fine particals of shavings onto it to keep it from picking up sand, etc. Seemed to work very well.