Foal (not mine) with scabby skin... pics included

PapaFrita

PapaFrita

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This young man was born on the 30th Dec. His mother is in what I can only describe as SHOCKING condition, disgracefully thin and covered in rainscald. He was very weak when born and took a very long time to get to his feet and needed to be helped. The owner is an idiot and the only reason I think foalie didn't die on his first /second day, is that the groom took it upon himself (owner told him NOT to) to bottle feed baby (skimmed milk and TEA as he wasn't pooing) and make him get up every couple of hours or so to feed.
These pics were taken today. His skin has got very scabby all over, particularly noticeable on his eyes/muzzle and is literally flaking away at pressure points on his body; hip, thigh, elbow, stifle. I was wondering whether this could be a fungal infection from all the time he spends lying down, particularly on damp grass (it's been raining quite a lot) or in some way connected to his questionable start in life? He doesn't appear to be in any discomfort. Yet.

Bumpy bits around eyes and muzzle
foal1.jpg


foal3.jpg


foal4.jpg


hock.jpg


Stifle
stifle.jpg


Elbow
elbow2.jpg


Thigh
thigh2.jpg
 
Stab in the dark here as it could quite literally be anything - but my initial thought was parasites ie. intestinal worms.

What breed is he?
 
No idea as to cause (other than obvious poor condition) but those pictures are just heartbreaking and if he wasn't so far away I would be there to snatch him away and give him the life he deserves - even if it turns out to not be a very long one
 
Poor, poor little man
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FWIW the last two pictures looks like the skin of a sheep below where it has had flystrike - ie where the waste products from the maggots have run down the skin and burnt it. I am absolutely NOT suggesting flystrike but I am wondering where this little chap has been lying because that bit does look like the sloughing off of the "burnt" skin.

No idea how to help him though - other than getting him a sensible owner.
 
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Poor, poor little man
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FWIW the last two pictures looks like the skin of a sheep below where it has had flystrike - ie where the waste products from the maggots have run down the skin and burnt it. I am absolutely NOT suggesting flystrike but I am wondering where this little chap has been lying because that bit does look like the sloughing off of the "burnt" skin.

No idea how to help him though - other than getting him a sensible owner.

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Looking at the pics i have to agree with you, it really does look like the skin sloughing off. This can not be a good thing is such a young foal that is in such poor body condition. I really think a vet need to look at the poor little man, or get the RSPCA or ILPH involved if he wont get a vet out!!!!
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Can't you call a horse charity ILPH, RSPCA or similar to come and have a look at him - seems like something should be done to help both mum and foal. Owner doesn't need to know it was you that called them.
 
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get the vet they dont look good for him to have it could be anything!

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I'm not sure I should get the vet out for a horse that isn't mine... especially as it's the same vet the owner uses. I do know she's coming out soon on a routine visit in a few days, so I will have her look at him then... Actually... I think I'll email her the pics.
 
I think emailing her the pics is an EXCELLENT plan.

Hope she can tactfully find a way to get to deal with the little chap.
 
He's being lying down a lot in damp longish grass. I'm pretty sure that he's on the ground a lot more than normal foals and we do have a lot of flies. Could it be flystrike. His skin feels quite nobbly all over his body and quite hard and thick/dry in areas where it 'creases'. I'm just now writing an email to the vet to see what she thinks... Sh:t, I wonder if I'll get into trouble for this...
 
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Can't you call a horse charity ILPH, RSPCA or similar to come and have a look at him - seems like something should be done to help both mum and foal. Owner doesn't need to know it was you that called them.

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No horse charities in Argentina
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And PF and I would be out on our ears if I reported owner. Am emailing the vet though.
 
NO - it won't be flystrike. That sort of lifting off of the skin, with new skin underneath happens when *sorry gross warning* the maggots have been on the body above where the skin is lifting off. That effect happens after the maggots have been killed and the waste products from their digesting the skin and flesh of the sheep have dried out on the skin, burning it - ammonia / urea plus other nasties I should think.

In the foal's case I should suspect he has lain down either in a patch of strong wee or he habitually lies in wee in his stable or that he's not getting enough liquid through him - did you say he was being fed made up milk if so I suspect that it may have not been made up correctly ie too strong, and his own wee is causing it by being too strong and he then lies in it.


Sorry this is all guess work but I'm 99.99% it won't actually be flystrike - but something burning his skin to give that lifting effect.
 
*insert green vomiting smiley here*

I've just been googling for pictures to illustrate what I meant. Didn't find any - don't look for yourself, really some of them are gross.

From the look of the skin coming off the damage or burning, if that's what it is, would have happened a couple of weeks ago. Think about if you scald yourself - how long the bunt skin takes to peel - and of course any sort of chemical burn, because you don't notice it when it's happening has the chance to do more damage and go deeper.

Hope the vet can sort it out for him, he looks like a sweet little thing. Sad to think that he has been born into that life when PF's baby is set fair to be possibly the most pampered foal ever! I just hope he likes pink - if he's a colt.
 
You know, if I showed you photos of some of the mares you'd be gobsmacked (actually, I'll PM them to you) and you know what's MOST disgusting? Is that they call themselves a stud, pride themselves on their fine European bloodlines and are certainly NOT short of cash.
I'm not loaded by a LONG shot and I still manage to keep PF in what I consider to be the 'proper' manner. Makes me very very cross when people cut corners like that
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Oh god, the poor little thing
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I suspect it's just caused by being weak and having a poor immune system. He needs good grub and some antibiotics imho
 
I've seen reactions to severe localised infections shed skin like that, but no idea about the little lumps. If he hasn't been suckling properly he probably has a reduced immune system and could have an infection.

Agree he looks so poor, and in need of ab's.
 
I'm sure, PF, that a lot of his problems are down to being nutrient deficient. Feed the mum properly, and I'm sure he'll start to thrive.

What a sad little thing....
 
Well, she's certainly getting fed now (she was turned away somewhere else, pretty much unattended) but I'm sure the groom has said that she's not got much milk. Actually, I don't think he would've had much colostrum either; he didn't stand up for around 3 hours, I don't think and I'm sure that's not good.
 
So definitely no QH anywhere in the lineage presumably?

Well in that case, I would still say parasitic/intestinal worms; I've seen this before with youngsters with a low immunity. Skin raises like welts then sloughs off.

I wouldn't worm him, could have a detrimental effect on him right now as I would be concerned that he could not cope - having a vet do it, would be preferable. I can't believe owner has not had a vet out to him.
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He looks like a very sick foal, he's all hunched up and not looking too bright. It could be his own immune system attacking his skin. I would say he needs a vet and some blood tests pronto.
 
oh my god !!! the owner seriously needs to get a vet asap to this foal to let this foal have some kind of chance of living poor thing
 
Hi,

Poor little man. It must be horrible not being able to help him too much. Some owners should be allowed to have horses.
Id deffo copy this post into the breeding section. Lots of people with lots of babies on there.
Good luck.
Vicki
 
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