Any suggestions? Mudfever, sunburn, thistles or any other theories?

[Chambon]

One of my mares came in tonight with two hot, fat legs. She had ooozing puss on both heels.....

I washed off with a hibiscrub solution and underneath the puss was lots of tiny little oozy scabs. Now had this been December and we were up to our armpits in mud I would have suspected mudfever, but we have no mud, only green grass and a fair few annoying thistles.

I have spoken to her previous owner and she has no history of mudfever and has never displayed these symptoms before. Also, she is out in the same field as my Cremello mare who has ultra sensitive skin, and she is not affected.

After washing the heels I have poulticed them and kept her in and given her antibiotics.

Any ideas/theories? Im stumped!

 

[rema]

mmmm It does look abit like photosensitivety (might be wrong though).It looks like like what my boy has had in the past on his nose.Went from nothing to burnt in a few hours.The only thing that i found to help was Aloe Vera gel.

 

[sqippa]

Have you got long grass and grass seeds in the field? These can really irritate their legs??

Sqip

 

[SpruceRI]

Have you used a new Fly Spray? My Shettie got something similar to this on his sheath with new Fly spray (I'd tested it on his neck and all OK with that) Had to get some antibiotics from the vet and steroid cream for the oozing.

 

[lizzieuk1]

wonder if it could be those nasty biting midge things as that looks similar to the sort of thing they get in other areas.
take care using antibiotics at the first sign of damage, lots of resistance building up and often they're not necessary. keep the wound clean and exposed to the air if the ground is dry, it'll heal better that way. a little antiseptic cream won't go amiss. best check the paddock carefully in case she's stepped in anything thaht may have damaged the area.

 

[guisbrogal]

Not sure what that could be...anyone of those things I think.

But my mare got Mudfever last summer when the fields were as dry as the Sahara and then she lived out ALL winter up to her neck in mud and she never got it!

I would clean it and let it dry and then spray some Seal to heal on it or camrosa or a thin smear of vaseline.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Yep I agree with Rema on this one.

 

[hairycob]

Friends horse gets mudfever every summer, but never in winter. She finds the best thing is to claen up with hibiscrub & then plaster on zinc & castor oil cream.

 

[frannieuk]

This looks EXACTLY like what my mare had last year - its caused by harvest mites and is a more extreme reaction than they regularly get. My vet made me clean with mild hibiscrub to remove the scabs gently, and then used sudocrem. The most important thing though, was to use the Frontline spray (same stuff as you use on cats and dogs). Don't leave it, I thought it was photosenstivity to start with and my poor girlie ended up with it right up her white socks

 

[Chambon]

It spread to all four legs.

Vet has been and thinks it is photosensitivity although she did mention the possibility of mites. She is on antibiotics and is having them hibiscrubbed twice daily and protocon applied. I moved the girls to a different paddock with less thistles and the legs are improving steadily.

 

[Snowberry]

our ponies have all come in with legs like this too!!!

I've washed with hibiscrub and put sudocrem on, then sprayed with Frontline. Seems to have sorted Louis's legs.
I thought it was harvest mites too

 

[Lorian]

My boy had exactly the same as this. The vet said it was either mites, mudfever or photosensitivity. She gave me frontline to use for mites but this didnt clear it up so they then said it was mudfever. I used demobion and this didnt clear it up. It was then said he had photosensitivity. The cream I use to clear up the scabs is called Dermisol. I buy it from the internet so PM me if you want the web address. Then to stop the sun from getting on his heels and prevent the scabs forming I put over reach boots on all 4 feet. This has stopped in coming back ever since. You can get boots that go all the way up the legs. They are made by Cashel Crusader and are called Leg Guards. The best sun block that I have found for photosensitive horses is made by Gold Label and is called Sun Guard. Id stay away from Sudocream as I used this and because of the oil in it the scabs got worse.
Hope this helps.