Horse not healing from cuts as quickly - supplementation?

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Welshie95

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Horse suffered with 5 months of mud fever and eventually cellulitis this winter on his white legs/pink skin despite my meticulous management so will have to rethink strategies for next year :rolleyes:
He is now out 24/7 on (mostly dry for Wales) hilly and well drained short grazing that doesn't come past his coronet and still has scabs, quite long ones which run in the grooves of his leg (can only describe this as like the sores obese people get in their skin folds if that makes any sense?), he also cut himself about 2 months ago, which was only a surface graze and scabbed over well despite being close to the fetlock joint, but its still there.

Horse is 10 and has had steroid and prolonged danillon treatment in the past if that could contribute, is this prolonged healing something that happens with age or does pink skin become more sensitive over time or am I looking at supplementing his grazing with something to give more internal support?
 
That sounds like mites, has he been treated for those? I'm pretty sure steroids can thin skin which wont be helping. I'd want to be feeding a good mineral balancer with no iron and high levels of zinc and copper in it to give him the best chance of recovering and not getting it again :)
 
Hasn't been treated for them but doesn't show any other symptoms, would he? Does iron irritate such conditions?
 
Seeming to suffer with lots of skin issues and endothelial damage. Have you thought about whether there is enough vit e and omega oils in the diet? Try micronised linseed and look to balance the minerals too - calcium being one that springs to mind intially.

Before you do though, you may want to consider detoxing the liver after so long on drugs. Look up trinity consultants or try global herbs restore.
 
Welshie95 said:
Horse suffered with 5 months of mud fever and eventually cellulitis this winter on his white legs/pink skin despite my meticulous management so will have to rethink strategies for next year :rolleyes:
He is now out 24/7 on (mostly dry for Wales) hilly and well drained short grazing that doesn't come past his coronet and still has scabs, quite long ones which run in the grooves of his leg (can only describe this as like the sores obese people get in their skin folds if that makes any sense?), he also cut himself about 2 months ago, which was only a surface graze and scabbed over well despite being close to the fetlock joint, but its still there.

Horse is 10 and has had steroid and prolonged danillon treatment in the past if that could contribute, is this prolonged healing something that happens with age or does pink skin become more sensitive over time or am I looking at supplementing his grazing with something to give more internal support?
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Welshie95 said:
I have been toying with the idea, have booked him in for the test: the last week he's been weeing as if its never ending too :/
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Definitely have him tested. My mare had poor healing skin, drank and weed a lot and last Autumn, on retest proved positive for Cushing's. She had had skin problems for over a year before we finally got a diagnosis. She is in her 20s but I had a young Shire mare (6yrs old) who I now believe must have had Cushing's, she remained undiagnosed and we lost her - don't let that happen to you.
 
tallyho! said:
Seeming to suffer with lots of skin issues and endothelial damage. Have you thought about whether there is enough vit e and omega oils in the diet? Try micronised linseed and look to balance the minerals too - calcium being one that springs to mind intially.

Before you do though, you may want to consider detoxing the liver after so long on drugs. Look up trinity consultants or try global herbs restore.
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He's been on 2 mugs micronized linseed per day all winter to help with the skin and I've not seen any difference, is there something that would inhibit the intake?
The drug treatment wasn't recent but I though I'd mention, Danillon was summer 2015, Steroids were for a week this winter and winter of 2012 (again for mud fever/cellulitis)
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Definitely have him tested. My mare had poor healing skin, drank and weed a lot and last Autumn, on retest proved positive for Cushing's. She had had skin problems for over a year before we finally got a diagnosis. She is in her 20s but I had a young Shire mare (6yrs old) who I now believe must have had Cushing's, she remained undiagnosed and we lost her - don't let that happen to you.
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Gosh how awful! If you don't mind me asking, what is it that makes them go downhill to the point of losing them? I'm a nutrition nerd but having never had a horse with problems associated with the elderly I have a lot to read up on! I also suspect he has Ulcers but isn't insured so GG is out until I can rob a bank/get a bloody good job after my degree - would this play a part in the development of cushings or would the medication have an effect on this?
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Definitely have him tested. My mare had poor healing skin, drank and weed a lot and last Autumn, on retest proved positive for Cushing's. She had had skin problems for over a year before we finally got a diagnosis. She is in her 20s but I had a young Shire mare (6yrs old) who I now believe must have had Cushing's, she remained undiagnosed and we lost her - don't let that happen to you.
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Gosh how awful! If you don't mind me asking, what is it that makes them go downhill to the point of losing them? I'm a nutrition nerd but having never had a horse with problems associated with the elderly I have a lot to read up on! I also suspect he has Ulcers but isn't insured so GG is out until I can rob a bank/get a bloody good job after my degree - would this play a part in the development of cushings or would the medication have an effect on this?
 
PPID (Cushings) is the inability of the pituitary gland to produce the necessary hormones, for whatever reason - tumour, old age etc. There are no nutritional implications but without pergolide (dopamine) to redress the balance a lot of biological functions are compromised. It is in a way similar to diabetes in humans in that it affects production of insulin to deal with sugars, which leads to insulin resistance, laminitis and the subsequent foot abcesses. My old mare had a terrible winter with it, before pergolide was readily available, and apart from the sweating, drinking and urinating, she suffered from the lethargy and loss of appetite so much so that she almost asked us to let her go. It isn't a nice thing but fortunately these days can be fairly well managed with Prascend.
 
JillA said:
PPID (Cushings) is the inability of the pituitary gland to produce the necessary hormones, for whatever reason - tumour, old age etc. There are no nutritional implications but without pergolide (dopamine) to redress the balance a lot of biological functions are compromised. It is in a way similar to diabetes in humans in that it affects production of insulin to deal with sugars, which leads to insulin resistance, laminitis and the subsequent foot abcesses. My old mare had a terrible winter with it, before pergolide was readily available, and apart from the sweating, drinking and urinating, she suffered from the lethargy and loss of appetite so much so that she almost asked us to let her go. It isn't a nice thing but fortunately these days can be fairly well managed with Prascend.
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Got it, so medicating for Cushings (if it even is that) wouldn't adversely affect ulcers etc. Must have been awful for you I'm so sorry :(
 
I have two oldies, both on Prascend and they have had problems with growth. One has had various skin problems for years, including coronet sores that never clear up and a fairly superficial cut that took months and still isn't quite right. The other has problems with virtually no hoof growth, to the point of abscessing and is still sporting his clip from December having not grown it out at all until recently. They are also both lacking muscle, one is particularly thin at the moment, but they have terrific, glossy coats.

Their ACTH levels are within the normal range.

I am seeing improvements in them both, since I started adding protein in the form of whey powder to their diet. Vastly improved hoof growth in one, better skin in the other and a noticeable difference in muscle tone in both, with the thin one not looking anywhere near as poor as he has been.
 
Check Copper and Zinc levels as both are needed for healthy skin.


Go back to using only Saline solution for washing any wounds.

For mudfever try Nizoral as it kills the fungus that sets of the mudfever

Activated Manuka Honey is excellent for its healing properties - I use the normal stuff from the supermarket - if it comes from New Zealand its very high quality. Otherwise you may chose to buy the medical grade.
 
Thats good news Welshie95. Look to optimise the nutrition in particular the mineral balance. Take away any starchy foods if you can and hopefully you will see the skin integrity strengthen.
 
tallyho! said:
Thats good news Welshie95. Look to optimise the nutrition in particular the mineral balance. Take away any starchy foods if you can and hopefully you will see the skin integrity strengthen.
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Thanks! He is currently on a well grazed summer paddock and hay when he comes in to be ridden with a treat to let me catch him. Currently trawling my way through the minefield of lo-cal balancers :O he feels and looks amazing at the moment, he is an ideal weight with plenty of energy and stamina and his fitness has improved plenty as has his attitude (less spooky and stressy) so don't want to add anything that could compromise this!
 
Welshie95 said:
Thanks! He is currently on a well grazed summer paddock and hay when he comes in to be ridden with a treat to let me catch him. Currently trawling my way through the minefield of lo-cal balancers :O he feels and looks amazing at the moment, he is an ideal weight with plenty of energy and stamina and his fitness has improved plenty as has his attitude (less spooky and stressy) so don't want to add anything that could compromise this!
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Well, maybe think pure mineral rather than lo-cal if you're weight watching. Try a powder based one. There's many, D&H do them with sensible levels of minerals but specialist ones like Progressive Earth or Forageplus do good ones. I quite liked the Equimins pellets if you do need pelleted form though. I think it was called hoof mender.
 
Just a thought - what are you feeding him - I remember from years back that my boss always took horses off grains when they were recovering from a wound - something to do with the structure of the grain affecting the healing.
 
Tnavas said:
Just a thought - what are you feeding him - I remember from years back that my boss always took horses off grains when they were recovering from a wound - something to do with the structure of the grain affecting the healing.
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It'll be the WSC structures or sugar. High sugar is well known to affect wound healing in humans too e.g. diabetes. Oddly though, applying honey direct works miracles!
 
tallyho! said:
It'll be the WSC structures or sugar. High sugar is well known to affect wound healing in humans too e.g. diabetes. Oddly though, applying honey direct works miracles!
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Thanks for that information, funny how something you learn many moons ago just pops back into your head.

I think honey has a different sugar structure and its the antibiotic properties of honey that help with healing
 
Welshie95 said:
Update! Cushings test clear and urine test clear for infection.
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Tbh I would retest in September, my vet suggested testing our 20 yr old then, at the end of the free test period as she says the result is more accurate. My Cushing's made was OK in August(?) but when retested in October reading was 135.
 
tallyho! said:
Well, maybe think pure mineral rather than lo-cal if you're weight watching. Try a powder based one. There's many, D&H do them with sensible levels of minerals but specialist ones like Progressive Earth or Forageplus do good ones. I quite liked the Equimins pellets if you do need pelleted form though. I think it was called hoof mender.
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I'll take a look at these, thanks so much! I'm (nor he) not fused between powder and pellet, it will probably be mixed in with a handful of soaked grass nuts for taste.
 
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