Injuries & Summer sores

[S093702]

Hello,
I own a mare for more than a year. When she came, she had two wounds. One on the coronary band of the right foreleg, and the other on the long pastern of the right hind leg, and in the summer these wounds get worse. I consulted a vet, and he said I should use "Aluspary", "Blue Spray", "honey", and inject "Penicillin G". But this didn't work well. Does anyone have any advice that can help, please?

 

[AmyMay]

Has the vet seen the wounds since the initial consultation?

Is she sound?

 

[S093702]

Has the vet seen the wounds since the initial consultation?

Is she sound?

Yes, the vet kept tracking the wounds since the beginning.
Yes, she's good, she can walk straight without limping.

 

[AmyMay]

Yes, the vet kept tracking the wounds since the beginning.
Yes, she's good, she can walk straight without limping.

So what diagnosis have they come up with, and what’s the explanation for the lack of healing?

 

[S093702]

So what diagnosis have they come up with, and what’s the explanation for the lack of healing?

They didn't explain anything. They just said if that treatment didn't heal the wounds, it would never heal. That's why I've posted here.

 

[AmyMay]

What part of the UK are you in?

 

[Reacher]

How is the horse’s health in general and how is her diet?
Here is a link to an article about non-healing wounds - I hope it helps
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/equusmagazine.com/.amp/horse-care/wounds-dont-heal-54495

Edit to add - I know this wasn’t the question but I would recommend finding a good farrier as her as her feet look long in the toe - I hope you don’t mind me mentioning it

 

[S093702]

How is the horse’s health in general and how is her diet?
Here is a link to an article about non-healing wounds - I hope it helps
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/equusmagazine.com/.amp/horse-care/wounds-dont-heal-54495

Edit to add - I know this wasn’t the question but I would recommend finding a good farrier as her as her feet look long in the toe - I hope you don’t mind me mentioning it

Thank you!

 

[S093702]

What part of the UK are you in?

I'm not in the UK, I'm in Africa right now.

 

[S093702]

How is the horse’s health in general and how is her diet?
Here is a link to an article about non-healing wounds - I hope it helps
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/equusmagazine.com/.amp/horse-care/wounds-dont-heal-54495

Edit to add - I know this wasn’t the question but I would recommend finding a good farrier as her as her feet look long in the toe - I hope you don’t mind me mentioning it

About her diet, she doesn't eat much and often leaves a residue.

 

[ester]

so summer sores is usually the term used for habronema fly larvae under the skin (we don't have habronema in the UK but we do have other flies that will give a similar presenation). Is this what you meant by using the term?

Are you able to use a different vet/ship to one. This seems to have just got significantly worse with the current one and in the top pic like you might have excess granulation tissue that would need removing (which can be an issue with using honey)

 

[Pinkvboots]

It might be that she is lacking vital minerals and vitamins so her immune system with be low this can effect the healing process.

How is her weight? What and how much is she fed?

 

[S093702]

It might be that she is lacking vital minerals and vitamins so her immune system with be low this can effect the healing process.

How is her weight? What and how much is she fed?

She weighs about 350kg, which is less than normal. I give her 6 kilos a day, but she eats the equivalent of 4 kilos.

 

[S093702]

so summer sores is usually the term used for habronema fly larvae under the skin (we don't have habronema in the UK but we do have other flies that will give a similar presenation). Is this what you meant by using the term?

Are you able to use a different vet/ship to one. This seems to have just got significantly worse with the current one and in the top pic like you might have excess granulation tissue that would need removing (which can be an issue with using honey)

About the term of summer sores, I used it because I didn't know exactly the name of this type of wound. Also, I consulted different vets, and they all gave the same treatment listed above. Concerning the granulation tissue, can it be removed with a specific treatment? or should the vet remove it?


Thank you.

 

[maddielove]

There is a product from the US called PF WonderSalve that is supposed to be good for stubborn to heal wounds and proud flesh, I haven't used it myself but have looked at it when my mare had a large laceration on her leg a few years ago. They have a website and are also on Facebook with lots of testimonials.

Having recently delt with a coronary injury it healed quickly by being kept in a moist, dressed environment whilst on box rest, though it was a little closer to the hoof.

 

[S093702]

There is a product from the US called PF WonderSalve that is supposed to be good for stubborn to heal wounds and proud flesh, I haven't used it myself but have looked at it when my mare had a large laceration on her leg a few years ago. They have a website and are also on Facebook with lots of testimonials.

Having recently delt with a coronary injury it healed quickly by being kept in a moist, dressed environment whilst on box rest, though it was a little closer to the hoof.

Thank you for recommending the product to me. I have a question, If I dressed the leg, it will not become infected over time? because of the temperature, and the mare keep touching it with her mouth.

 

[Reacher]

She weighs about 350kg, which is less than normal. I give her 6 kilos a day, but she eats the equivalent of 4 kilos.

I think you need to discuss with the vet the fact that she is underweight and not eating all her feed.

What sort of feed are you feeding?

Horses need approximately 1.5% to 2.5% of their body mass per day in forage (grass, hay etc) . If she is only eating 4 kilos it does not sound like she will put on weight.

If she is underweight and possible lacking vital minerals she will find it harder to heal.

There is information about feeding an underweight horse on the Internet eg here

https://extension.umn.edu/horse-health/caring-underweight-horse

 

[S093702]

I think you need to discuss with the vet the fact that she is underweight and not eating all her feed.

What sort of feed are you feeding?

Horses need approximately 1.5% to 2.5% of their body mass per day in forage (grass, hay etc) . If she is only eating 4 kilos it does not sound like she will put on weight.

If she is underweight and possible lacking vital minerals she will find it harder to heal.

There is information about feeding an underweight horse on the Internet eg here

https://extension.umn.edu/horse-health/caring-underweight-horse

I usually give her a mixture of oats, barley, corn, and bran. With hay and forage. About the lack of the vital mineral, should I give her some product with the feed?

 

[Pinkvboots]

She weighs about 350kg, which is less than normal. I give her 6 kilos a day, but she eats the equivalent of 4 kilos.

I think you need to feed more hay or haylage than bucket feed and that will help put more weight on, what is the forage like there I literally have no idea!

 

[Pinkvboots]

Is that 6 kilos hay and feed?

How much hay haylage in weight?

 

[Reacher]

Nowadays we don't tend to feed bran very much as it doesn't much nutritional value and has a high phosphorus to calcium ratio (whereas horses need roughly double calcium to phosphorus).

It's difficult to suggest what vitamin/mineral supplement to give since they are best used to balance the deficiencies in your forage and feed which may be different to what we experience in this country. Also I don't know whether the products we have over here are available in your country. Sorry that's not very helpful. A mineral supplement called Equimins Advance Complete is very good.

Echo the above post, how much hay/grass/ forage do you feed?

 

[Gloi]

Has the vet rasped her teeth recently, that might be why she isn't eating as much as she should. Are there flies going on the wounds stopping them healing in summer? If so you might be able to find a salve which also repels flies and tastes bad so she doesn't lick it either.

 

[Reacher]

Also do you use a dewormer ? If she carries a high worm burden this would cause weight loss.

 

[S093702]

Is that 6 kilos hay and feed?

How much hay haylage in weight?

I give her almost 3 kilos a day.

 

[S093702]

I think you need to feed more hay or haylage than bucket feed and that will help put more weight on, what is the forage like there I literally have no idea!

Forage is like hay but has more benefits.

 

[S093702]

Has the vet rasped her teeth recently, that might be why she isn't eating as much as she should. Are there flies going on the wounds stopping them healing in summer? If so you might be able to find a salve which also repels flies and tastes bad so she doesn't lick it either.

Yes, the vet rasped her teeth. And I'll try to find a salve that tastes bad. Thank you

 

[S093702]

Also do you use a dewormer ? If she carries a high worm burden this would cause weight loss.

Yes, I use Eqvalan Duo.

 

[Reacher]

I give her almost 3 kilos a day.

That sounds too small. Can you increase her hay/forage intake a lot.

From an article:
“Now to the important question: How much nutrition can be derived from pasture? First, a few nutritional basics. Mature horses generally consume 2-2.5% of their body weight in feed each day (on a dry matter, DM, basis). For example, a 1,000-pound (454-kg) horse fed hay plus grain concentrate (feeds that are about 90% DM) should consume about 20-25 pounds (9.1-11.3 kg) of feed daily.”

https://thehorse.com/151332/pasture-grass-the-healthy-choice/

What height is your horse? (measured to the withers - the highest point at her shoulders when she has her head down to graze)

 

[Gloi]

Has the vet confirmed they are not sarcoids?

 

[doodle]

Increase forage/hay significantly. Give her as much as she will eat. The sores look like sarcoids to me.