anyone help? skin problem

[B_2_B]

Blacky's a bit sore at the moment because of her skin problem.
she's got quite a big cut just beside her eye and we don't know how she did that:

and on her legs she gets really itchy in the wet and mud (she might have slight mud fever) and coz of her skin condition. so she stamps her feet but actually rubs her feet against her other leg so on both legs she's grazed the insides and they're really sore

:

then... she was tied up for feeding and she was nodding her head up and down so her lead rope rubbed on her chest (quite clever really but we don't want her to do it!) and she rubbed it so much it started to bleed:

on a brighter note! i took these nice pics:
this one freaks me out because her eyelashes are actually black!

and i love this picture!

anyone know anything we can use to stop her itching? and she needs hugs

 

[Fairynuff]

I presume she lives out. If you can stable her for a few hours every day (if she was mine) clip her feathers off and give her a good scrubbing with a neutral soap and dry her legs very well. If she has mud fever you will be able to treat it better without the feathers getting in the way and if its mites youll be able to spot them. Hope the weather gets better and her legs and various cuts heal quickly. mairi.

 

[Pidge]

aloe vera for her cuts, brilliant stuff IMO.
As for her legs sis is currently shampooing Sunny legs once a week as he gets dead itchy - feathers up to his knees - and stamps his feet also. can't remember what type exactly she uses, but I think its dermoline?

 

[Tia]

It might pay you to invest in some MTG from Shapleys. Not sure what the delivery times are from the States to the UK, but you could ask as a few members on here ordered some.

MTG is THE best thing I have found for skin conditions such as this.

 

[Madam_max]

I've got some if you want me to send it you? Mossburnsw.

 

[B_2_B]

i've pm'd you madam_max

also mairi, it a different situation as she is at a rescue centre. i ride her as i volunteer there but she isnt' mine. she can't be brought in during the day as the horses don't have stables, they just come in to a large barn altogether at night and it needs to be mucked out during the day. she's not clipped and is a fell x so has fairly large feathers but it's not my decisions to clip her or not.
we don't think it's mites as she has dry skin all over and noone has ever seen any mites on her.
thanks everyone and i'll make some suggestions to YO

 

[vicijp]

Id put a bet on lice.
I had a hairy yearling exactly the same, couldnt figure it out. In the end got hacked off and clipped him right out. He was covered in lice, me nor the vet could see them before.
Lice powder, couple days of Dexadeson and Ivermectin sorted him out.

 

[Mahali]

Stop feeding grains like oats etc, no mix, no müsli, nosugar, she needs a little bit more og Magnesium an Zink, don`t stable her. She has a swelling under the eye, her liver has trouble with the carbohydrates, that`s why you rthink of mud fever. If there is something like this at her legs, you should try the Net-Tex products for mud fever, they are working very well. But: Keep her on a low carb-diet and you will seen the result soon.

 

[Theresa_F]

Legs - wash out thoroughly with hibiscrub - make sure they are totally dry. Spray on front line and rub well in. Do again in 10 days time. Then (she looks like a hairy type) get pig oil and sulphur, mix into a thick shake and paint from knee/hock to the floor and again rub in - do this every couple of weeks.

In summer you can just wet the legs and rub in a couple of handfuls of sulphur - this stops mites and keeps the skin/feather in good condition. If she is not covered in scabs, leave the feather on and don't keep washing the legs causes more problems that it causes. Pig oil in the mane and tail also keeps it tangle free and healthy.

For the other scrapes, megatek rebuilder from tailgator is great - can use it on cuts etc and it helps heal skin and regrowth of hair. I have had excellent results with it.

Lice - won't hurt to do a treatment.

Long term - linseed is very good for skin and coats, or if you have the cash, I can recommend feedmark's equidermis for sore itchy skin.

Give her a hug - she looks very sweet.

 

[Klaudette]

She's at a RESCUE CENTRE? A vet should be called to see her. What sort of standard does this set if she has an obvious skin problem and a vet is not called. If she is itchy (she is traumatising herself!) then she's uncomfotable and that is a welfare issue.
The mites which affect horse feathers are often very small and just look like specks of dirt, they are often very close to the skin so on hairy horses can be difficult to spot. A half decent vet will have her sorted very quickly. But it needs to be a vet!!!!!!!!
P.M me if you need any support on getting her seen by a vet.

 

[Theresa_F]

If it is only mites and from the description of her rubbing the legs, then what I have said should get rid of them - no need to see a vet - most will give out frontline without a visit if you explain it is to prevent/cure mites. If this does not work then yes you may want to call out the vet. The method I describe as been used for years by the old boys with heavies.

Small cuts - again no reason for vet. Ditto lice.

I would treat for lice and mites and then see about a vet - not all rescue centres have excess money for vets. If this is just mites and lice and she is not covered in scabs and sores, I would not call out a vet until using these simple everyday treatments first.

Problem is that there are a lot of people who do not know how to look after a horse with feather - once you know how to, it is in most cases simple to maintain. Mine never rub or scratch and have full feather - but I am constant in my maintenance of the feather.

 

[Irishcobs]

Well said T. My vet would love me if I got him out everytime my two stratched!

Gyp before I started his dectomax injections and feather treatment would eat and stratch himself raw!
He gets he Dectomax injection every 6 months and if he starts to stratch before that, I dose him in frontline and if that doesn't do it (has so far) I will get him the pig oil and sulphur.
Hattie gets the same but I haven't had to use the frontline on her as she responces really well the the injection.

 

[vicijp]

I think K's vets eyes must flash '££££££' whenever he sees her number come up on the mobile!

 

[B_2_B]

thanks guys! and thanks T_F and IC - she doesn't need to see a vet. the vet makes regular calls and keeps a check on all the animals and she keeps an eye on blacky.
Klaudette - please don't judge the centre it's an excellent one and most of our animals would now be dead without us taking them in. the owner is extremely experienced and does only the best for the animals.
we really don't think it's mites, just a dry skin type condition and i just wanted to know what to use to ease the itching.
thanks for all your suggestions and i'll look into them and suggest to YO

 

[Klaudette]

Actually, when I make visits to rescue centres I dont charge a call out and they get discount on drugs...or a prescription.
Frontline should not be used on broken or damaged skin.
Veterinary advice should be sought. The next time the vet visits then they should take a look.

 

[Fantasy_World]

I have been reading this thread with interest as I believe my daughter's cob mcfly has mites.
When I first bought him at Leominster sales last September the person selling him ( came from a stud in wales) said he had, had mud fever the year before which had burned off his feathers.
However when we got him home we saw him stamping and the back and a little of the front of his forelegs were bleeding.
Initially I treated him as mud fever, scrubbed with dilute hibiscrub and tried to remove scabs and then dried and was left in stables for just over 2 weeks.
When he did go out he had a barrier cream put on instead.
His legs were not as bad but it did not look like mud fever as there was none of the pus that you see described on websites and in books etc.
We then thought it was mites and the harvest variety as they appear in autumn so the time was right.
I had heard frontline was good, so I removed as much feather as possible, washed his legs with tea tree and lavender shampoo, left in stable to dry out. Got him out, removed all his bedding ( well other half did) and sprayed with diluted jeyes and srcubbed it. New straw was then put in and in the meantime I sprayed his legs with frontline.
I repeated it 10 days later and his legs did appear to be better than they were. There was less bleeding and he did not seem as itchy.
However I have since come to conclusion that the mites were in fact of the chorioptes variety which will attack, sheep, horses, goats, cattle and other cloven animals.
They produce what is called chorioptic mange or leg mange which is commonly seen in draft breeds or cobs with feathers.
The stud where my horse came from had sheep and cattle so I would presume that is how he got them. However it is saddening to think that for the 6 years he was out at grass he was never treated once for this condition.
We did not know about his legs until we got him home as you could not tell when he was in the pen and the ring and even the vet who vetted him after the sales did not pick it up.
I have heard that frontline is good and so too is ivermectin and permethrin is it called?
I found the following on a website which may be useful.

Chorioptic Mange in Horses 9/16/05
Many horses can develop inflammation of the skin around the pastern, called pastern dermatitis or scratches. This area is itchy to the horse and thus hair loss occurs. Eventually, the area becomes infected and the skin becomes thickened. The cause of this condition is often unknown, but one known cause is a mite called Chorioptes equi and infestation with this mite is called chorioptic mange. This little mite feeds on the outer surface of the horse’s skin and causes irritation that can lead to secondary infection, and this infection causes the skin to thicken and permanent damage to develop. The difficulty in dealing with this mite is that many horses can be carriers of the mite and not show any symptoms. Because of this, cases may recur even after treatment. Although this disease is common in draft breeds that have long hair or feathers on their legs, it is also common in short haired breeds as well.
These mites can be identified by examining scales of skin under the microscope. Other diseases that look similar to chorioptic mange are other types of mange, lice infestation, and allergy to fly bites. There are many methods of treating these mites. One common treatment is to use Frontline spray on the horse’s legs to kill the mites. Although Frontline is a product approved only for ticks and fleas on cats and dogs, it is effective in treating these mites. Also Lyme sulphur dip is effective in killing the mites. Many vets will mix ivermectin in with an antibiotic paste and apply this to the pastern. The most important point is to clip the hair, kill the mites, and treat with a topical antibiotic and anti-inflammatory ointment. Some horses with deep secondary infections will also require oral antibiotics.

I am planning on treating my horses legs again as it has been difficult due to the bad weather.
I would like to use frontline but I am a little worried as it says not to use on broken skin but in order to kill the mites it is advisable to remove the scabs as they are found underneath them.
Has anyone got any ideas of what I can use instead of frontline and where you can get hold of the drugs in the uk without going to a vet.
I don't mean to sound horrible to vets but I really don't like the idea of paying a vet to come out take a scrape, lab work it and then charge me a fortune to tell me something I already know and also I don't know the cost of the injections anyway.
I was thinking of maybe mixing a suitable mite killer with sudocrem or another soothing cream to get the effect of the drug whilst the cream soothed any irritation.
Has anyone got any suggestions as what I can use as I would like to get him sorted before the spring and get rid of them as the numbers will drop in the summer and they could raise their ugly heads again next winter.
Once I have killed them I was planning on using sulphur powder and pig oil as I have been told by someone who breeds shires that they use this to help keep legs mite and lice free.
I did read on another thread that someone had used a scabies treatment for humans on a horse with sweet itch and it cured it.
any help would be greatly appreciated, if you don't want to post on here you can send it too me privately.
Sorry for appearing to hijack a thread, apologies if I have offended anyone
Cazx

 

[tiggie]

My hairy cob had exactly the same problems as you described when we brought him.He had been left untreated for so long that he had huge scabby lumps on his legs that bled periodically.
We were referred to glasgow veterinary hospital who injected him with Dectomax-not licensed for horses but used frequently in these cases.It did a fantastic job,he was injected again a few weeks later and now I have him done once a year.They did advise changing bedding to cardboard as the mites live in straw and shavings.
They said the lumps on his legs might go down but they haven't so I have to keep his feather quite long as he is very clumsy and if he knocks them they still bleed a little.

 

[Fantasy_World]

Thanks Tiggie for your advice I will look into that injection with my vet.
I have had a good look at his legs today and they are not as bad as I thought.
I have cut off as much hair as I can with scissors as I have no clippers that will do the job yet

tried a pair of those hand held metal ones you can get and to coin a phrase it was crap.
His back legs seem fine and I could not find any signs of scabbing although I will look again before I try to remove some of the scabs. He has some scabbing below the back of his knees on his forelegs but no where near as bad as they were before.
I tried taking a scrape today and looked under the microscope but I could not find any signs of the mites but I'm not going to scrape him again and will just treat him for mites anyway as I can not think of anything else it can be as his skin is fine in other places, he does not have lice patches and it is not mud fever as his heels seem fine too.
I would not be able to change the bedding I'm afraid as the farm where he is stabled would not allow cardboard I would not have thought.
I buy the hay and straw from them too on site so storage may be a problem for other bedding although I may consider changing to shavings next winter as he does pee a lot.
This is my first winter with horses as I only had them both in September so I am still learning so to speak.
I'm planning on de lousing the straw after treatment as I have a fair bit of lice powder rather than emptying his stable again completely. To be honest both my horses have very deep beds and therefore I am not in a position financially to change all his bed again lol.
I am a little annoyed though that the vet who vetted him did not pick this up. It cost me around £65 for a less than 10 minute job, and really he should have noticed that his legs were bleeding as bad as they were as he was lifting his feet and feeling his legs at the vetting procedure.
Had I have known then and been given a clue as to what it was he would have been fine by now.
Thanks for the advice though as it's not easy being a first time owner lol
Cazx