Help - bald scabby back legs suddenly - ideas ?

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JLD

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My Pony has white legs - a week ago I noticed they were a little scurfy but no scabs or hair loss, he is out and checked daily but not thoroughly gone over daily so today was the first chance I got to have a good look all over him, both lower hind legs have moderate areas of scurfy hair loss with a few scabbed areas on both sides of the cannon bones ( think that's right !) There is no swelling or heat and its not sore at all, he is totally sound. There is nothing on any other areas of his body or front legs. He has gone onto a little bit of new grazing but there isn't much grass and he has been on it every summer for 3 years so no new plant contact and no sprays been used. I'll call the vet Monday as doesn't seem to warrant urgent call out in absence of infection or pain but just wondered what might be going on and what I could do in meantime ? Have just washed it down with dilute hibiscrub/antifungal shampoo for now. We do get alot of deer, badgers and foxes through. Thanks !
 
It could be cannon keratosis which effects the front of the cannon bones rather than the back of the legs or heels as mud fever usually does, if you do a search on here you should get plenty of info and numerous ways of dealing with it.
 
Two of mine have something similar, I wash with gold label paragon shampoo, although I presume any decent antibacterial/anti fungal shampoo would do, and then rub in a little pig oil which seems to soften/moisturise the skin and clears it up in no time.
Be careful with pig oil in the sun though as it can burn, especially pink skin - may be safer to use an aqueous cream, I would have thought that would do the job?
 
I have a skewbald with white legs (why do coloured horses always have white legs ?) and he gets this. I've just ignored the need to treat it for 10 years and it's never got any worse, sometimes gets better. I keep his legs clean, but apart from that don't treat per se. I've always put it down to a "white legs, pink skin" thing. As others say, keep the skin moist and protected from infection, but otherwise, not much else to do.
 
Thanks for those replies ( computer crashed so couldn't check back in sooner ) - had another good look today - hair still coming out in clumps with thick white scale at base skin mostly looks ok although some scabbed areas having washed it yesterday it's quite alarming the extent of affected areas almost both sides of lower legs from above fetlock to below hock . Looks worse as has pink skin but weirdly not even itchy or sore at all. Will chat to vet tomorrow. Supposed to be going to our only show of the year in 3 weeks - won't be able go if pink bald and scabby !!!
 
Mine gets this sometimes, after her legs have been wet. I give them a good brush to get out the loose hair, wash with hibiscrub and then apply aloe vera gel, always does the trick.
 
My lad gets something similar with a sun reaction and I've found it's best to just leave it alone. The more you fiddle with it the more the area gets irritated.

I make sure he has sunscreen (I use filtabac) and clean with mild warm water as necessary.

Other than that I avoid rubbing or boots over the summer.

In the winter his disappears.
 
Like mallenders, maybe? Mine has his legs oiled weekly but reacts very poorly to a change in bedding, so needs consistency.

I'd be tempted to stay away from the hibiscrub, it thins the skin, not helpful when trying to resolve this, IMO.
 
I wondered about mallenders but it is on the flat sides of his legs not the front or back. Dunno. He seems happy enough just looks skanky !
 
I had this with my mare earlier in the year, vet was coming out anyway said it's the same as mud fever/rain scald. Was alarming though never had it before, hair came off from above hocks to fetlock not all hair. I washed with anti fungal shampoo every day for a week. Got better when I left it alone, but the shampoo probably helped 😊.
 
canon keratosis? Mine has this all the time on hind legs also backs of ears. It only concerned me as recently it all fell out so her legs were bald. Baldness was on all legs as well. Vet did some tests and found nothing. I started feeding her a balancer for other reasons and the hair grew back interesting the hind leg keratosis which she's had for years appears to have gone now :s
 
You could be describing mine. Long story short, he has a sugar intolerance. Cut out all feed, reintroduce each element at two week intervals. We started with a plain grass chaff, the added sugar beet and his legs went mad. Stopped it again and it went away so then went for low sugar feeds and it's stayed away. Spring grass can make it flair up but it's nowhere near as bad as it was.
 
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