Help - can't catch pony with sore nose :(

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Beatrice5

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We moved pastures last week and my New Forest developed a slightly scabby nose Friday so I doloped sudo cream on, by Saturday it was looking worse and he was reluctant but I caught him but no way was he allowing any cream near him.

Tried bribery with carrots and apples yesterday and managed to loop leadrope over neck and face and make a makeshift head collar but again very head shy and no way cream was allowed near no matter how careful and sly my hand was.

Today nose is horrific mass of scabs and crusting. Spoke to vet who requested photos which I sent immediately and will get back to me.

BUT this little chap will not eat sedalin paste and can't get anything near his mouth so my only possible option is apples . He is very vet phobic and just to do his jabs I have to block vet from view with my body and distract him with a large bucket of nuts. It took me nearly a year to be able to bridle him as he is naturally very headshy ( Forest born pony so born wild and reverts back to wild when in pain or frightened poor chap )

Any tips or suggestions greatly welcomed.
 
When my pink nosed pony got this I got Tim Couzens a holistic vet involved and he sent pills to treat it as an allergy. It did clear up really well, using just pills and Sudocreme. For years I'd put it down to photosensitivity from buttercups, but it wasn't.
The only way I can think of for you to deal with this is by using slow and quiet approach and retreat, and be prepared for it to take hours. Have treats on hand to give him at regular intervals for being a brave little soldier. Maybe don't attempt to smooth the cream around his face, but cup some in your hand and just gently press it on. Once he's seen the photos the vet might even say that you don't need cream, or need to use something else of course.
 
I spent 2 hours today crouched down in the yard doing the gentle approach. I taught him the word " touch" so he would let me touch his muzzle but not the sore bit. each time he got a carrot stick. I did manage to touch a tiny weeny bit of cream onto a tiny scabby bit but he really needs covering in it as the flys are bothering him.

If I had a stable i'd bring him in but sadly the stables are full of the field owners junk and despite offering him storage in our garage, to do his tip runs etc etc he refuses to clear out the stables :( It is highly frustrating.

I think I will have to move them all home as it's something in the pasture accross the road causing it as it didn't happen in all the hot weather we had when they were grazing and out 24/7 at home.

Problem is my fields are bare but rather that than a sore nose :( plus how do I bring him home when can't get a head collar on ? Need to sedate him just to put a head collar on and get some cream on him.

Any alternatives to Sedalin and the other gels stuff? I hear ACP is no longer available for use what else is there ? I will get the vet out to sedate if necessary but can't do that every time he needs cream. Plus even to get a vet near him is a trauma.
 
Willowsnose.jpg
 
Sounds like a buttercup allergy to me. Can you move your pony to somewhere that will give him a chance to heal. You may need to get rid of the cause rather than just treat the symptoms.
 
I'd bring him in and tie up rather than do it in the field. Get the headcollar round his neck first, then buckle the nose and do it up higher than the scabby bit.

When you get to the cream, put it all over one hand, thickly. Stand at his neck facing forward, pass your arm under his jaw and put a hand over his face above the scabby bit, as if you were going to put a bridle on or give a wormer. Bring the other creamed hand up the side of his face to the top of the scabby bit, apply cream with one quick stroke downwards.

Be prepared for him to throw his head up, don't let him any more than you can help it, keep hold and get the cream on, don't faff about. It'll just get harder and harder to do if you stop with the cream every time he moves his head. If they know it'll be over quickly they learn to tolerate it quite well.
 
Looks like a nasty case of sunburn to me. Can you bring him in until it has cleared up? Get some kids, thick 50 sun block.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
I'd bring him in and tie up rather than do it in the field. Get the headcollar round his neck first, then buckle the nose and do it up higher than the scabby bit.

When you get to the cream, put it all over one hand, thickly. Stand at his neck facing forward, pass your arm under his jaw and put a hand over his face above the scabby bit, as if you were going to put a bridle on or give a wormer. Bring the other creamed hand up the side of his face to the top of the scabby bit, apply cream with one quick stroke downwards.

Be prepared for him to throw his head up, don't let him any more than you can help it, keep hold and get the cream on, don't faff about. It'll just get harder and harder to do if you stop with the cream every time he moves his head. If they know it'll be over quickly they learn to tolerate it quite well.
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This ^^
I use this method with lots of horses daily, many of them hate it. But it needs to be done or they would get very sore and they realise it doesnt take long.
 
I haven't tied him up as if he pulls back which I know he will I am worried he will damage his poll and if the string breaks cause an accident. I am also worried he mas strike out with a front leg if really frightened and feels in a corner so to speak.

MissLToe I am not considering doing injection sedation that I leave to the experts I just want an oral one to take some of his anticipatory anxiety away. He is in pain and therefore on high alert from everything including me the evil cream baring woman :(

Going to collect Flamazine from vets tomorrow and Diazepam to try to relax him a little - also going to move fields yet again and borrow a stable while we help him heal. Then have the joy of persuading him he can be caught and bridled once he is all healed up.
 
Wouldnt sudocreme it some waterproof tacky kids sun cream. Mine gets this he gets sunburn etc cremello.

Sudocreme can sting despite its for eczema etc plus no sun protection in it. But agree also Buttercups are rampant too.

I agree rope head collar round neck or bridle without noseband on.

Hope you sort it out
 
I know one who suffers like this every year - she gets both sunburn and buttercup burn. It sounds like catching him is the main problem so I'd resort to bribery - try a small feed of something he really likes but without overdoing it and without touching his muzzle for a couple of days. Put a rope around his neck and work up to getting some cream on after a few days once you've established a routine. As another poster said, persist if he doesn't like it but make it as quick as you can and then praise him to the skies - he may then learn to associate putting up with it with good things happening afterwards.
 
Beatrice5 said:
I haven't tied him up as if he pulls back which I know he will I am worried he will damage his poll and if the string breaks cause an accident. I am also worried he mas strike out with a front leg if really frightened and feels in a corner so to speak.

MissLToe I am not considering doing injection sedation that I leave to the experts I just want an oral one to take some of his anticipatory anxiety away. He is in pain and therefore on high alert from everything including me the evil cream baring woman :(

Going to collect Flamazine from vets tomorrow and Diazepam to try to relax him a little - also going to move fields yet again and borrow a stable while we help him heal. Then have the joy of persuading him he can be caught and bridled once he is all healed up.
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I know this will sound harsh and I am sorry for that. But sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind. He is in pain now and without treatment his nose will only get worse because you are scared he will panic if you grab his nose. The sores on his nose could easily pic up infection, they could also effect his ability to graze if they are really sore. He needs to get used to having cream applied anyway (I'm sure I saw some pink on his nose - suncream).

The answer to your dilemma is simple, catch him whichever way you can and get cream onto him... regularly.
 
If you do it as I said its a two second job, not enough time for him to damage poll, if he breaks string have a second rope (lunge rope) clipped on and pass through the ring untied, so when he breaks string you've still got hold of him. If you stand in the right place you won't be caught by a striking front leg. You need to stop being ditzy about this and get on with it. I can't believe you've let his nose get into that state in the first place TBH.
 
Oh my goodness how judgemental sugar and spice!!!! If you read my post it happened over a few days (Friday was the first tiny scabs) all the time I have been trying to get cream on him. Some days with a little sucess.

Ditzy I am not. Doing more harm than good I am scared of. I have spoken to the vet and am more than prepared to do what is necessary.

As the owner of a horse with head shyness I am not prepared to risk him hurting himself or me or creating a longer term issue. Hence I have sought advice. I have taken years to gain his trust and by applying the wrong cream which stung him - sudo cream - I have now lost his trust.

This I now have the long road to heal and re gain.

I am all for straight talking but name calling and being judgemental is unnecessary thank you .
 
Update:

It turned out to be Hog weed burn. Thank you to a very kind HHO'er who pm'd me.

I moved him to another field which had use of a stable and stabled him daytime and used the burns cream the vet sent me. Overnight the scabs all dropped off and he is totally healed and with the help of buckets of nuts, apples and carrots the cream went on once he had calmed down we got the cream on with no need for being heavy handed thankfully.

Had a few days of uncertainty re the head collar but again softly softly and he is back to himself and I even got the bridle on the other day for a little hack :D

Lesson learnt - not going to let Ponies eat weedy paddocks again!
 
I'm so glad you've got to the bottom of it and found out what was causing it, and that your pony is well again now.:D:D

And thank you for posting the outcome, I'd never heard of Hog weed burn (just had to google Hog weed!), but now if I ever come across anything like this it might be helpful.
 
Well done and how nice of someone to pm you. Great to hear a good update. Very similar to the process I went through with my little old pone. It seems that many of these very severe reactions aren't down to sunburn or buttercups.
 
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