Hyperkeratosis / Mallanders

Merrylegs9322

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My cob has got the most horrendous hyperkeratosis (a.k.a mallanders) on the back of his front legs. It has gone from being a small crusty patch to now spreading almost the whole way down the back of his legs.
I have had several vets come and look at him. All have said it is hyperkeratosis.
He has had the dectomax injections for mites, steroid creams have been used, pig oil, diet change, lime sulphur wash, baby oil, clipping, not clipping and nothing seems to be helping him. I am seriously at my wits end with it!! He is very twitchy when I touch his legs and will stamp his legs or walk off which is making it quite difficult to treat.
Just wondering if anyone else has experience with this horrible skin condition and has got any ideas that I can try or supplements to suggest?!

Please help!!!
 

palterwell

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My cob was very sensitive to cream from the vet but I’m using baby lotion now. It has worked really well, the crusty bits just comb out leaving healthy skin.
 

Bertolie

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I use udder cream on my mare's mallanders....slap it on, leave to soften the scabs and then comb out. I also keep her legs clipped to allow the air to get to them.
 

Merrylegs9322

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Udder cream! I haven't tried that before :) I am a bit worried about clipping his legs because it really is quite severe and he doesn't like me touching his legs so I am not sure how I would clip them without pulling at the scabs and causing more problems :/
 

SEL

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I had to sedate to clip and even then he fought it - squished the vet. Feather removal is the most helpful for us tho.

There's a FB page where quite a few of them have had good results excluding biotin from the diet - it's in a lot of balancers. Might be worth a read.
 

palterwell

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Sorry I’m late replying , yes I put baby lotion on every night and comb through every few days. He’s a Traditional with very silky feather.
 

fabbydo

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I use head and shoulders shampoo to lift the worst of it and then Boots own brand Derma cream everyday. I can't miss a day and twice a day is best.
I don't think you can cure it. It's more a case of finding something that keeps it under control.
 

hairycob

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I've found a little daily linseed helps. I use one of the 50ml scoops you get with supplements heaped. I oil weekly with a mix of pig oil and neem oil. I add sulphur if the skin isn't broken, having felt how it stings when my hand was scratched I understand my horses objection to it.
 

hollyandivy123

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Linseed and a multi vit....
Iodine surgical scrub, will help a bit, soak gamgee or paper towel, wrap round and bandage on, leave about an hour and hose off, will help with the infection.
 

Shay

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For me - linseed and udder cream. And being clipped out. I'd love to keep my boy traditional but it would be cruel. He not only has hyerkeratosis but is also prone to mud fever so I need to be able to see and treat every bit of his legs. Yes - he is difficult to clip his legs. We've got into a routine though. I used to sedate, twitch etc and I just got to the point where I was making both of us miserable. So I clip everything I can (he hates his face being done too). The over 4 or 5 days I clip a difficult bit until he says he's had enough and I stop. It used to be like the Forth bridge - I was clipping almost every day but over time he has got to accept that I will stop when he says so and allows me to do more and more without being frightened that I will make him do soemthing when it hurts. Yes we have our bad days (and udder cream isn't that great on clipper blades either!) but mostly it is confined to a tiny patches and has been for some years now.
 

HBB

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I have a pony that suffered badly from Mallanders, I managed it the best I could with malaseb and flamazine.
I also had him on a vit/mineral supplement which had quite a high daily dose of magnesium (10g). He had been on it for 3 years. I took him off it due to unexplained anxious behaviour. Within 2 months I noticed the mallanders clearing up, that was a year ago and he no longer suffers from the condition.
I changed nothing else apart from taking him off the supplement. And his anxious/nervous behaviour also improved.
I'm not sure if it was a coincidence or not?
 
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