Crusty Armpits!!!

merlinsquest

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Everytime merlins summer coat comes through he gets a strange crusty patch on the inside of his armpits..... the bit where all the wrinkles are
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He also has some strange scabby circles on the piece of skin between his front legs.

In winter it is not visible, but may still be there... just covered with hair.

It is not ringworm, but I am concerned that it could be sarcoids (the non ulcerating non lumpy ones) but have not officially mentioned it to the vet
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as I dont want it excluded from his insurance because it existed before the policy re-new date
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Has anyone got any ideas or anything that would be worth trying..... at the moment I have just been washing it with weak hibiscrub each day and made sure he is not left with sweaty pits after exercise.

Thankies
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The armpit bits are probably a build up of grease - my lad gets them and I pick off the loose bits and remember to brush there more often (I am a slovenly wench and don't do a great deal of grooming
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- not implying you are btw!).

I find the picking incredibly satisfying
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I too am a slovenly wench, but sadly its not grease
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It really is like scabs, dry and flakey... rather than greasy.

Also it happens every year without fail.... and even I am not that slovenly!!!
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My chap's are crusty too but I'm sure I read on here that it's grease...

Hopefully someone else armpit-minded will read this thread and steer us in the right direction
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Is it possible that the elbows are getting rubbed from the floor and the chest area also. That is where feet touch when they are lying down.
 
Doesnt really look like a rub though..... more like individual crusty spots on the pit wrinkles rather than the elbows
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Will post a pic tomorrow if I remember and see if that makes it clearer
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MQ - my grey highland x Sullivan got this and I was always VERY watchful over it. It got worse if meticulous attention wasn't paid to the area after work/hot days in the field. It's my firm belief that if he'd lived past 20 (bless him, his front feet were disintegrating and he had to be pts) these patches would have started to become more than an irritation. That patch behind the elbows gets a lot of movement of the loose skin, gets very sweaty and can get overlooked on a grooming session. I think what starts out as minor damage to the skin through a sort of chronic sweat dermatitis can become more sinister over time as any chronic damage can. I'd keep that area scrupulously clean at all times with gentle washing with eg hibiscrub. Be cery careful what you put on it especially while it's crusty. I wouldn't put tea tree or aloe vera near it. If you must put any cream based product on it, I'd only risk Thuja.

I wouldn't get the vet out specially but next time they were out anyway, I'd ask them their thoughts.
 
maybe it is a bit of rain scald or he just sweats a lot witch causes the crusties to form! wash off and apply alea vera jelly!
 
BB - I'd repeat that it is contra-indicated to put aloe vera or tea tree products on anything that may turn out to be a sarcoid. Chronic skin conditions, in horses as in humans, can become much more sinister over time. Anything that is advertised as encouraging skin growth is a danger if there is a pre-cancerous stage happening. Take care.
 
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