Leg sores confusion! Help!

C

Charlie's angel

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Hi there, I'm a new-be to this forum lark!!

I have a big irish draught x who since winter has suffered with what I thought was mud fever, I have treated accordingly. I found Aroma Heel really good at getting the scabs off. However every time I think they are all gone another sore appears and more scabs, he did have a reasonable feather on the back which I have had to cut off, but I am now wondering if maybe its mites?? Although he isn't itching them but they just aren't healing.

So has anyone any thoughts or ideas?? Would be grateful for any suggestions- plus its only on the back legs, one white and one brown .

Thanks :confused:
 
How strange, was getting on here to ask a similar question then saw your post!

I am having the same problem with my Irish Draught. He suffered with mud fever which i have now managed toi clear nut just above the fetlock on his hind leg he has an area of sores that i cannot seem to heal!

I hibiscrub with warm water every morning and have tried creams and even tried just leaving it without cream to "heal naturally" but the sores are still there!

Sorry i have not been of any help but you are not alone so hopefully someone can enlighten us both!!!!
 
Could be either mud fever or mites! Mud fever is when bacteria present on the surface of the skin and in the soil get into the horse's skin through damage from eg mud, being permanently wet etc. Hosing legs in the winter and not drying them thoroughly can also cause mud fever. To treat, you need to first get rid of the bacteria then stop it happening again. The bacteria "hide" under the scabs so to eliminate them you need to carefully soften the scabs and pick them off when they are ready - don't just rip them all off as you might cause even more damage to the skin. There's loads of products that will soften the skin but hibiscrub is the best in my book. Might take some time to heal properly but be persistent and you will succeed. To prevent the condition recurring is harder in the winter. I don't touch my cob's lower legs all winter, except to check occasionally that he's ok. If you keep washing the legs you wash out all the horse's natural defences unless you dry thoroughly and apply a barrier cream. Your horse may have developed mud fever during the winter but unless you get to the root of the problem it will never heal.

If your horse has heavy feathers, it could be mites. They are buggers to get rid of. My cob has the dectomax injection (twice, 10 days apart to zap the eggs too) a couple of times a year and it always does the trick. Not a cheap option though. You can attack mites with Frontline sprayed on the feathers, but you need to work it right down to skin level. Pig oil and sulphur also has many devoted followers but whichever product you use you must repeat it after 10 days or the hatching eggs will just re-infest your horse. Some chronic mite infestations in heavily feathered horses cause very serious damage to the horse's skin and you may need to shave your ned's feathers right down to skin level so that the products you use can reach them as they burrow into the skin. You may need to involve your vet to address any long standing inflammation.
 
def not mud fever, its different from what i treated him for this winter!

I am a bit worried about using the frontline spray (although i am convinced it would work) as he has patchy areas with broken skin and i dont want to make it even worse??
 
If it's not clearing up you probably need your vet to have a little look to see if you need antibiotics. Flamazine cream is excellent for getting rid of MF - it that's what it is .
 
In march 2009 we bought a big irish draft cross mare, she had scabby back legs and I treated them for mud fever, using sudocreme and then flamazine. This went on for a lot of the summer (it was a wet summer) so I still thought it was mud fever.
I started to notice her stamping her back legs and then lying down in the field to bite/itch them. I felt awful as I realised that she had mites not mud fever. I bought some frontline spray and after two applications 10 days apart have had no more scabs or itching. I used pig oil and sulphur on her legs all winter and there have been no problems at all.
 
I had the vet out today and it was confirmed it IS Photosensitisation. The scabby area on my geldings leg was on a white patch and i have been advised to clean daily with hibiscrub and have removed him from the paddock for a few days away from the sunlight. I have been given Fuciden gel to apply and when all the scabs are gone i have to apply high factor sun screen or udder cream ( basically a sun barrier cream) before he goes in the sun!!

I hope yours has not got as bad as my geldings as i was applying mite spray daily and it aggrevated it and it has now become infected. My boy had to have a pain relief jab and is on antibiotics for a week.
Hope you catch it before it gets this far....wish i had!!!!
 
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