Best way to passively soften leg scabs?

S

soloequestrian

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 January 2009
Messages
3,124
Visit site
I'm looking after a horse who probably has CPL. He has a couple of small patches of scabs and the advice is to try to remove these. I really, really don't want to have to wash his leg every day - it's not pleasant for either of us in the winter and I suspect it would dry out his skin in an unhelpful way. I'm wondering if there's a cream or other method I can use to passively soften the scabs so they would massage off. I used to do this with one who had a vasculitis and for the life of my I can't remember what I used on him....
I could either put a cream on when they come in to be fed and then tackle the scabs after about 30mins, or have something on longer during the day. Or I wondered about using some sort of poultice. Advice gratefully received!
 
I used to use Aromaheel for mud fever, and that also needs all scabs to be removed for treatment. I found this by far the best to use, just 2 or 3 days of putting it on the scabs, they then soften and can easily be very gently sort of slid off. I am not even sure if it is still available, I shall have a google and see if I can find it.
 
Yes it is available still here is a link:

aromesse.com

Aromaheel Mud Scab Remover for Horses

Highly effective and proven natural ointment which quickly and painlessly removes mud and rain scabs in horses. Also offers natural antibacterial protection against further problems of rain and mud without affecting healthy skin. Aromaheel is easy to use & even horses who have previously not...
aromesse.com aromesse.com
 
Mrs Jingle said:
I used to use Aromaheel for mud fever, and that also needs all scabs to be removed for treatment. I found this by far the best to use, just 2 or 3 days of putting it on the scabs, they then soften and can easily be very gently sort of slid off. I am not even sure if it is still available, I shall have a google and see if I can find it.
Click to expand...
I love this stuff. I used it when my cob got nasty sore scabby bits on the back off his foot (not CPL, just some kind of mild infection or irritation) and it did a 5* job of keeping everything soft and clean so it healed nicely. I keep it in the car and sometimes I take the lid off just for a little sniff, it smells so nice 😆
 
We used to use cling film at work with scabby legs.
A thick coating of oil or cream- tbh it didn’t seem to matter initially what was used. Bandage over the cling film and gently shampoo the following morning.
Always worked well. The best thing, although I’ve read on here about some horses reacting badly so do test was MTG oil. Especially when the worst was gone it was great at the stubborn sore bits.
 
soloequestrian said:
I like the cling film idea. Would that work with Aromaheel? Or better to do something like cling film with udder cream and then Aromaheel afterwards?
Click to expand...
I can't see why it would be a problem using cling film but to be honest I just used the Aromaheel and didn't need to do anything else, it cleared the mud fever at the same time as softening the scabs. Why make it more work than is necessary?

Not sure about CPL though, but I would certainly think it would help clear it.

And yes, it smells gorgeous and leaves your hands nice and soft too. 🙂
 
Mrs Jingle said:
I can't see why it would be a problem using cling film but to be honest I just used the Aromaheel and didn't need to do anything else, it cleared the mud fever at the same time as softening the scabs. Why make it more work than is necessary?
Click to expand...
Me too, I smeared it on thick enough that even though the outside of the layer got dirty, the skin underneath was clean. This was on a horse living out 24/7, in winter. The thought of trying to wrap clingfilm around his feet makes me want to give up and go back to bed for a week 😆
 
25% Urea Foot Cream seems to be working really well for mine. Vet recommended it during a particularly bad flare up that the other lotions and potions I'd always used weren't cutting it, and it's my go-to now.

edit: Should clarify, I use this for hyperkeratosis build up, not actual scabs that are capping a wound aka doing their job. You want to avoid anything that forms a barrier if it's suspected CPL related scabbing, more info here: https://chronicprogressivelymphoedema.com/barrier-products-why-not/
 
Last edited:
Before you aim at scab removal, make sure you know what you are treating. If it is LV, the scabs need leaving well alone and horse treated via drugs, protection and environment.

For cob M&S the most useful product I have used is Farriers M&S cream, it is actually more of a grease. It does soften the hyperkeratosis and the skin will roll off under a gentle rub.
 
The page about not using barriers also says not to take the scabs off... but the vet has said that the scabs should come off. With this horse we are assuming CPL, it was a horse I used to have who had vasculitis. I've also treated mud fever. For all of these the general advice seems to be ease the scabs off if you can.
 
I swear by flamazine, it’s just a burn cream but the only thing I’ve found that stops the scabs reforming and gets them to drop off in the first place. I don’t do anything to the scabs. For something more like cannon crud I clip the scabs off - only if in the greasy scurfy stage - then flamazine on top and aloe gel in healing stage when dried up. I find oil based washes put the moisture back in the skin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top