Any ideas? Like sunburn but not...

[fuzzyp]

I was wondering whether any of you lovely people have had a similar experience? At our yard four of five of the horses have come in with a red burnt like and cracked sunburn appearance on their noses and heels. It is not sunburn and does not affect just the white bits. They have been treated with Flamzine, Panalog and Sudocream etc by the vet but to no avail. It looks ever so painful. Some people think it is photosensitization, buttercups or maybe the fertilizer that the yard owner puts on the fields once a year (have had the soil analyised and its not apparently) but we have checked out all these theories and nothing. It seems to be getting worse - in one of the mares it has spread right up her leg. Any ideas would be very much welcome! Thank you

 

[AmyMay]

I wonder if it's just good old fashioned cracked heals and mud feaver?

Have any of you tried something like Udder Salve (not cream)? May well help.

 

[fuzzyp]

Yep tried udder cream, sudo cream zonc & castor oil etc... its much worse than mud fever and cracked heels, i may try and upload a photo for you guys to see... thanks anyway

 

[fairhill]

What does the vet think? Mine had a fungal skin infection this time last year, which was spreading up her leg with open yellow sores. I used maleseb shampoo and flamazine to treat her.

 

[fuzzyp]

The vet is at a loss to be honest, he has tried everything and flamazine hasnt done very much at all. We have tried washing the affected areas with malaseb and dermoline insecticidal shampoo as well as dilute pevidine but it doesnt do anything. The noses are the worst they are literally covered in sores red and cracked, looks like we may have to try the RVC. Thanks though

 

[joanne1920]

have you tried pig oil and sulphur? or fungatrol cream...

 

[fairhill]

Nose and heels does sound like it's from some sort of contact from the ground. I'm sure my RI was saying that a few horses have had similar problems from a showground. The excessive rain we've had meant that the weedkiller (or whatever it was) had been washed back out of the soil.
Are the horses being kept in off the field, and isolated from the other horses?

 

[fuzzyp]

I am inclined to agree although it didnt go down well when i mentioned it! LOL
The horses are off the field but looking very miserable

 

[fairhill]

Poor horses. It might be worth trying aloe vera gel on their noses. It should soothe and moisturise the cracked skin if nothing else.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Yep tried udder cream

[/ QUOTE ]
No not cream - salve. Massive differnce, and outcome.

 

[LauraBR]

I found this last summer when I was trying to help a friend work out why her horse had v nasty red mud fever type rashes.

Summer Mud Fever

We have recently recognised a form of mud fever, invariably affecting the skin of the back of the pastern, which occurs during the summer and appears unrelated to wetting of the limbs. The scabs are characteristically red in colour and very tenacious. If left untreated the skin of the affected area may slough. It is unclear what is the cause of his condition. There is a suspicion that it may be related to sunlight exposure. Although treatment is similar to conventional mud fever it is often difficult and prolonged.


(taken from this vet practice website)

 

[fuzzyp]

Ok shall try the salve - thanks for that - fingers crossed!!

 

[fuzzyp]

Aloe vera - very good idea - i shall try that too!!! Thanks

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok shall try the salve

[/ QUOTE ]
You should notice a difference very quickly. Scabs will start to soften and come off very easily. And a much better protection is given to the skin that's being affected.

We don't use anything else - and use it all year round to protect vunerable heals and legs.

 

[juliehannah58]

My mare came back from stud like this, no sun at all as she had the worse weather possible! I put it down to long very wet grass. Her nose was very sore when she came back (Friday) I have been treating both her nose and heels with Aloe Vera gel and it's virtually gone, cleared up very well although I guess she was removed from the cause as well as our grass is much shorter.

Aloe Vera is cheap (get the tub from my local tack shop) and is very good for most things, worth a try anyway

 

[fizzer]

my little girls pony has similar prob ans i have been putting wonder gel on and seems to have cleared up, wonder gel has aloe vera and tea tree, used for all skin probs