horse scabby armpits. help?!!?!

[kerryflower]

Hey all

Has anyone ever experienced the above? My chestnut gelding who is very very sensitive recently had a nast infection in his jaw after a tick latche donto him (yuk). Had to have vet out and he was put on anti biotics and bute. Then I noticed another tick right in his right armpit (front leg). Left it alone as told by vet and when I checked again tick body gone but hard lump where it was so guessing head may still be there? Anyway as the days have passed the area around the bite has gotten very scabby. Well. the skin is kind of flaking off and very uneven to feel. Have tried just trying to clean with warm water but its getting worse not better. Whereas before he wasn't bothered about me touching it now he is trying to kick my head off (he is such a softy and not nasty AT ALL so very unmlike him). He is a bit scabby behind left armpit (sorry not v technical) but nowhere near as bad.

Do you reckon it could be due to the tick or like sweat rash?? It's really odd but the skin underneath is starting to look a bit red. Th elump where tick was is also very sore to touch and hard but can't see any pus?

ANy advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I wonder why on earth the vet dealt with the first tick but advised you to ignore the 2nd one? It certainly could be that the head is still buried in the skin by your horse's elbow and that it has led to an infection. The problem is that the area of the horse's elbow can be prone to skin problems because the skin and tissue there is constantly getting sweaty, being rubbed and being stretched and relaxed. Some horses (my old lad Sullivan was one) get scabby, thickened skin in that area as a result of the constant wear and tear. It's possible to keep on top of it by rigorous attention to cleanliness, thorough drying, moisturisers etc but it can be a challenge. So the way I see it, if the tick's head is still buried in that area then it is likely to be worse than if it was on a different place on his body and so very easy for an infection to set in. He's already telling you it's very sore, rather than healing more and more every day as it should be if the tick isn't there. I'd get back onto your vet. You may need them to come and give a local anaesthetic so they can dig the tick's head out and let the skin heal.

 

[danielledanielle]

Sounds like it could possibly be the start of sarcoids... Watch the hard lump because if it continues to grow you need to have it removed sooner rather than later for a biopsy.

Chestnuts and greys are especially prone to sarcoids. I would get the vet to do a little test if I were you as they can be cancerous.

Just a thought, could possibly not be right but I thought I would throw it out there xxx Good luck

 

[dozzie]

Hey all

Has anyone ever experienced the above? My chestnut gelding who is very very sensitive recently had a nast infection in his jaw after a tick latche donto him (yuk). Had to have vet out and he was put on anti biotics and bute. Then I noticed another tick right in his right armpit (front leg). Left it alone as told by vet and when I checked again tick body gone but hard lump where it was so guessing head may still be there? Anyway as the days have passed the area around the bite has gotten very scabby. Well. the skin is kind of flaking off and very uneven to feel. Have tried just trying to clean with warm water but its getting worse not better. Whereas before he wasn't bothered about me touching it now he is trying to kick my head off (he is such a softy and not nasty AT ALL so very unmlike him). He is a bit scabby behind left armpit (sorry not v technical) but nowhere near as bad.

Do you reckon it could be due to the tick or like sweat rash?? It's really odd but the skin underneath is starting to look a bit red. Th elump where tick was is also very sore to touch and hard but can't see any pus?

ANy advice greatly appreciated!

Under the armpits could be sweat rash. My sensitive chestnut mare gets it all the time in the summer. I use white powder as a sort of talc!Plus always wash off the area if she has sweated.

 

[kickandshout]

ticks drop off when they are full of blood they don't leave thier heads behind !!!
that is unless your horse horse thought he would be helpful and has tried to remove the tick himself and not removed it all.
if you see another tick cover it in Vaseline this will suffocate it and it will drop off.

my first thought would be a sweat rash maybe try giving the area a wash with a gentle solution of hibiscrub.

 

[kerryflower]

thanks all for ur replies:
box of frogs : vet came to first one as his whole jaw had swollen up massively and i had images of strangles but was just infection. Have since rung again for advice and as the lump is no bigger or oozing she thinks it is probably just where the skin has reacted to the bite. If tick head is still in there due to horse rubbing off body or whatever then she said it will probably get expelled by his body. If it swells up or starts oozing then they would need to check it out :-s But the scabbyness she thinks is down to sweat rash and fact he has uber sensitive skin so has prescribed some flamazine cream? and said to wash every other day with hibiscrub. phew. will def keep an eye on lump for infection tho


danielle and dozzie: yep i think he is just a wussy chestnut sensitive muppet lol. Don't think is sarcoid as he had similar reaction to a bite before.Will keep an eye tho.

kick n shout : yep vet has prescribed hibiscrub every other day and some flamazine cream. i think he may have tried to roughly persuade mr tick to budge which is rather unhelpful but vet has said to try not to worry as body will expel it. it prob would have been infected by now and oozy as its been just over a week.

thankyou all for ur advice xx