Just an allergic reaction or something worse?

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

Hi guys,

I was just wondering if anyone had ever come across anything similar to what my mare currently has on her legs?

I was bathing her earlier and noticed she had uneven bumps on the front of her hind leg, below the hock. I glanced over to her other leg and there was a 5 inch long and 2 inch wide bald patch but with lots of flakey crusty yellow almost dandruff like material on top. I felt around the area, no heat or swelling but around the edge was little bumps like the one I felt on her other leg. Went back to other leg, lifted up hair on 'bump' and it fell out in my hand, attached to the same yellow flakey stuff.

I called one of the other liveries over to have a look and she suggested that it was an allergic reaction and that it was nothing to worry about and to just put some anti-septic cream on it.

Previous to today I haven't felt anything wrong with her legs, she has been in the same field for a few months, the only new product I have started using on her has been a change of hoof moisturiser which I haven't been putting on her leg!! She's perfectly sound and happy and she didn't flinch or pull faces when we were touching the area but I do worry!! I have pictures on my phone, but no USB cable at the moment.

Thank you

 

[WandaMare]

Is it like rainscald at all? I had a horse which had this on her hind legs when they had been wet after unsettled weather. Sounds like some type of bacterial infection similar to rainscald or maybe from mites? I would gently wash the legs in an antibacterial solution like Hibiscrub, then towel dry and slap on plenty of aloe vera gel. If that doesn't help I would talk to vet.

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

I'm not entirely sure, I mean yes the area is bald like it would be with rainscald but I have never seen rainscald with a yellow flakey covering? I did put hibiscrub over it though and we'll be calling the vet out if it doesn't improve in a week

 

[popularfurball]

My preferences would be:

1) Rain scald/Mud fever type fungal infection

2) Allergic reaction to hoof stuff

3) Allergic reaction to something else

4) Auto immune disease


The first is by far the most likely, but I would probably stop using the hoof stuff at the same time as treating it to be safe.

The third due to location is likely to be a contact based allergy (pollen in gras/plants, ant bites etc) as opposed to an inhaled allergy as usully it would be present elsewhere on body/or more widely spread

The fourth is very very unlikely... but entirely possible. Rule out the others first and this is what you are left with (as I found out!)

 

[horsedreams]

I'm not entirely sure, I mean yes the area is bald like it would be with rainscald but I have never seen rainscald with a yellow flakey covering? I did put hibiscrub over it though and we'll be calling the vet out if it doesn't improve in a week

i maybe totally wrong but we had a mare a few years back who's front legs peeled of in large scabs quite horrific to look at yellow gooey stuff

what had happened was she had grazed herself slightly in the feild and showed no lameness or swelling as such but slightly puffy this was treated as soon as she came in but a few days later it got worse

was diagnosed as a severe cellulitis by vet and antibiotics cleared it up with daily washings of very very mild hibi scrub and put lots of yellow fly cream on after this was done twice a day it took over a month to get right

it may be wise to get vet in sooner rather than later she may need antibiotics if its infected better to be safe than sorry

 

[muff747]

My geldings legs get something like this each spring when he sheds his winter coat. His cannon bones are the last to get new hair and the old comes out in big patchy lumps leaving an almost bald patch. After a few days the new hair is showing and he grows his summer coat.
I just thought it was his old winter coat with lots of grease stuck to the roots next to his skin where it would have been really greasy to keep water out. It never bothered him or felt hot or sore so I left it and it just grew out.
Just a suggestion?

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

Thanks for your opinions guys
horsedreams- Maisie doesn't any broken skin or swelling and the bare skin looks healthy.

We had another experienced livery look at her today. She thinks it's probably mud fever that wasn't noticed until now because there's been an absence of heat and swelling in her legs but obviously the peeling scabs are taking the hair out so now we're noticing it. She suggested the yellow colour of the scabs could be down to the colour of the skin and fur (pink and white) on her legs.
The hair has already started to regrow on some parts as well.
We're not entirely convinced because we brush the mare daily and have never noticed anything unusual. It makes me feel neglient to think she could've been suffering with this without me noticing!!
We hibiscrubbed and dried again today, she's such a sweet mare bless her just standing there whilst we attacked her legs.

 

[muff747]

That suggests to me it is harmless and as I thought. I wouldn't worry or spent a fortune on the vet if she is obviously not bothered and not in any pain or discomfort with it.

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

Thank you She did 26km on it more than happily today so really doesn't seem to be an issue for her. Have some pictures just incase anyone has seen anything similar:

On first discovery:

After hibiscrubbing today:

When dried (other leg but shows the skin is less red than in above pic):

 

[lhotse]

Just a thought, but is she out in a field with lots of buttercups? They can cause skin irritation. Another cause might be boots, with the hot weather and getting sweaty under boots, bacteria can get a hold and cause a mudfever like infection.

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

Just a thought, but is she out in a field with lots of buttercups? They can cause skin irritation. Another cause might be boots, with the hot weather and getting sweaty under boots, bacteria can get a hold and cause a mudfever like infection.

No buttercups, or very few if there are and the only boots I've put on her back legs are travel ones, before yesterday I think the last time she had them on was June 5th!

 

[curran]

yes - completely agree with Ihotse. Boots are very likely to have incubated the infection, trapping moisture and heat and excluding oxygen - the perfect environment for mud fever/rain scald microbes. Keep the wounds really dry - I wouldn't use hibiscrub every day but let it dry off completely for a few days. Wound powder is good as it absorbs serum from the wounds.

 

[MaisieMooandCometToo]

yes - completely agree with Ihotse. Boots are very likely to have incubated the infection, trapping moisture and heat and excluding oxygen - the perfect environment for mud fever/rain scald microbes. Keep the wounds really dry - I wouldn't use hibiscrub every day but let it dry off completely for a few days. Wound powder is good as it absorbs serum from the wounds.

Well that's all very well but she hadn't worn boots since a month before this condition appeared and even then they were only travel boots for a total of an hour!!
Mum's horsey friend has concluded that it is absoloutely not mud fever as they scabs are all wrong. Her hair regrowth has however been incredible, so she no longer has bald patches, just some stubbley areas

 

[curran]

Well that's all very well but she hadn't worn boots since a month before this condition appeared and even then they were only travel boots for a total of an hour!!
Mum's horsey friend has concluded that it is absoloutely not mud fever as they scabs are all wrong. Her hair regrowth has however been incredible, so she no longer has bald patches, just some stubbley areas

Sorry Maisie Moo - didn't notice your earlier reply. have you ever used Biteback sweet relief ointment? it's supposed to be for sweet itch but it's great for all scabby skin jobbies. Hope she continues to improve.