Need help/advice/suggestions and vibes for nasty skin on legs *pics (also in vet)

RuthnMeg

RuthnMeg

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Poor Juno. She is 24, and has this skin infection type thing. Only effects her white leg markings, stops where white meets black and is not present on her only 1 black leg. She is sore and yesterday NH was swollen for the first time.
I have applied creams, bandaged, polticed and hibbi-scrubbed and am now at at slight loss what to do next.
She is now on 1 satchet bute per day, which may be taking off some of the pain as it is painful. She is also arthriticy anyway due to her age.
When cleaned the skin looks lovely and healthy, but within 12 hours, the horrible pussy yellow scabs are back. Remove the scabs and it takes the hair away, but leaving them on, they breed, and get matted within her hair.
I feel I am not winning, so am asking anyones advice on here, what I can do next to beat this. It has been going on for about 3 weeks now, got worse within the last few days.
Off fore;
2011-05-29112741.jpg

Hinds;
2011-05-29112751.jpg

Off hind;
2011-05-29112734.jpg

Inside of OH;
2011-05-29112725.jpg

Near Hind;
2011-05-29112713.jpg



All help very welcome with thanks.
 
sound like mud fever as it only affects white bits but i would be inclined to get vet to do some skin scrapes. i would leave it clean and opne to the air rather than bandage. when my gelding had mud fever badly we used pink gel which comes in a gold tub. great stuff. also keratex powder for mud fever is good too. in the end we had to keep him in on really clean bed while it healed although i aprpeciate you might want to keep her moving if she is arthritic.
 
i would gt your vet to make you up a pot of mudfever cream (aqueous cream with antibiotic and steroid mixed through) and apply twice daily. i wouldnt wash with hibi more than about once a week and make sure it is the correct dilution as it can be very harsh. it looks like you have a photosensitive reaction going on. has your horse been eating hedge/bushes in the field? this loads the liver and makes white areas react to sunligyht.
 
ofcourseyoucan said:
i would gt your vet to make you up a pot of mudfever cream (aqueous cream with antibiotic and steroid mixed through) and apply twice daily. i wouldnt wash with hibi more than about once a week and make sure it is the correct dilution as it can be very harsh. it looks like you have a photosensitive reaction going on. has your horse been eating hedge/bushes in the field? this loads the liver and makes white areas react to sunligyht.
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I never knew about the eating bushes.... she browses the hedge quite often. Thanks for your input.
 
It would only apply to certain bushes, and in a field surrounded by various bushes, my lot have never experienced this.
After 3 weeks I'd be inclined to get the vet in.
If I wasn't getting the vet in, I personally would stop washing, just wipe clean-ish gently with a soft cloth, and use Heel to Hoof liberally every day, without picking off scabs. I can take up to two weeks to see results, but it shouldn't get worse. If it does then leave off the Heel to Hoof and definitely call the vet. http://www.barrier-biotech.com/product.php?pid=HH I have had amazing results with Heel to Hoof on not only mud fever, but also a range of cuts and wounds that were slow to heal.
If it gets puffy and hot then definitely get the vet in, because it could turn to cellulitis.
 
One stop cleaning it. get vet out and he will give you antibiotics. Then just leave it for it to scab over and i mean scab up. Your making it worse cleaning it and taken scabs off. Get some muddy marvel http://www.nettex-supplies.co.uk/prod_desc_4143.html?sno=298. then sort it out . do it twice a week with muddy marvel. My girl got it just like yours and vet told me i was over doing it cleaning it all time now leave it to scab up and then start again. It worked for me so i hope it works for you. good luck.
 
I had a very similar problem and I had vet several times and was given penicillin injectiosn (5 days), 6 days sachets and maleseb shampoo. Did nothing and was getting worse. In desperation I washed thoroughly and removed all the scabs. I dried it with a hairdryer so it really was dry and applied manuka honey thickly. No scabs the following day! This was unheard of!! I applied it twice a day and used water only to wash it off every 2nd day and dried again with a hairdryer. Within a couple of weeks no sign at all! And this was after several months of it going on. £10 for a jar from tesco. Worth a try!
 
Sorry if this has been said, haven't read all the posts.

My old girl had something very similar to this, and it was an infection due to decreased liver efficiency. 3 days of injected antibiotics cleared it up, and she then had Milk Thistle to help the liver regenerate, and never had an infection like that again.

Hope that helps :)
 
Looks like infected you need to get Vet to sort out. The serum is because their is inflammation(stating obvious). Scabby bits look ?? mitey?? How long has she had this??

Dilute some hibiscrub(it may sting a bit) but let vet see it so be careful that you dont plaster it up and watch flies etc Dont go scrubbing it though. Antibiotics probably
 
bakedbean said:
It look like Mange to me.
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If it was mange, it would affect the skin no matter what colour it was, so I very much doubt it.
It looks like photosensitisation to me, and I do think you need to get the vet out. A blood test should be taken to establish liver function, especially since the horse is 24. It could well be due to eating something in the paddock, hedge, or even contact with buttercups. If you can get to the root of the cause, then you'll be able to treat it a lot quicker. It doesn't look like mudfever to me.
 
I had something similar on my mare, it occured everytime she went out in a certain area of the farm. Tried all sorts, including vet swabs, hibiscrub etc. Finally tried a tube of Hc45 cream from the chemist - cleared it within a week. I now keep one handy and if it every starts again I treat it with that. Good luck
 
Looks like LEUCOCYTOCLASTIC VASCULITIS [ I hope i've spelt that correctly]. It looks like mud fever but tends to be caused by exposure to sunlight. It is painful. I would advise calling your vet and having a chat about it. Can you bring the mare in side for a couple of days onto soft bedding? The vet can perscribe anti biotics and anti imflamitries an pain killers to east the condition for her. ETA does the mare have any alfalfa [lucerne] products in her feed,for example as a chaff ? I have known LV be caused by horses eating this,particulaly arabians,
 
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Just to say thankyou for all your inputs. The vet is coming out this week again anyway. I have a horrid suspicion that buttercups are to blame. We have quite a bit of them in our field, and Penny's nose has been effected by them it seems, although that is only cosmetic and isn't painful. I have asked LL to top our field, but being the difficult person he is, that could not happen for some time yet.
I am a huge believer in Manuka Honey, and am going to try that next. I have been using Muddy Marvel, and an antibotic shampoo that the vet suggested last time. I am convinced that the old girl isn't as efficiant as she was, and probably has an underlaying liver problem, as things seem to point to that. I have discussed with my mum (who owns Juno, rather than the pony totally in my care) that after the last 2 harsh winters, Juno's loss of condition, her dull coat, sore legs, tired eyes and her general lack of mobility , that we will call it time after the summer months. It is very sad, but we have always said, right from the start back in 1991 that Juno wouldn't make old bones.
I have even noticed that Penny, who dotes on the mare, has been more distant from her in recent weeks, and surprising us by pairing up with Meg. Maybe they know too?

ETS, this mare can not live in, she would get too stressed. I also like her to keep moving, to help her stop getting stiff.
 
Wort plants also cause photosensitivity.

Mud fever doesn't only happen on white skin, it happens on dark too, I bought a horse in January with a pretty bad patch and he has no white on him.
 
My youngsetr got something like this last year - people said it was mud fever but I wasn't convinced as it was very dry at the time. Vet came and suggested it may be due to change in diet (they'd just started on hay as coming in to winter) and the change in carbs/proteins and this was the body's way of getting rid of the excess toxins - it comes out of the legs as that is where the weight is being put. Mine only suffered really badly on his whiter parts but his hind legs swelled up really badly. He was given bute but we were basically told to leave it alone (he hated us trying to touch them anyway) and just try hosing off the scabs when we could. It eventually disappeared and we have decided to introduce the hay earlier on this year in small quantities and will see if the problem arises again.

So, i would say it's quite likely to be a food/liver related issue and I wouldn't scrub at the scabs too much but I would get the vet out to suggest what creams you can put on if any.
 
I too would suggest a visit from your vet to get a definate diagnosis. My gelding has suffered from Pastern leukocytoclastic vasculitis for the last 3 years and ony ever gets this on his white legs. It is treated differently to mud fever and in some cases needs steriods.The legs swell and become very painful for the horse. It takes careful management but can be managed. Interestingly my gelding hasnt suffered from it this year (touch wood) and the only difference this year is tha the is now in a field with no buttercups. Good luck - hope it clears up soon
 
It looks like sunburn/photosensitisation to me. If she were mine, I would not wash/wet it at all and smother it in a zinc oxide cream. This goes on best if warmed up, I keep a pot in the yard so it is warmed by the sun or in the car is a good place. It's a thick and waterproof total sunblock, you only need put it on every couple of days.

I'd do nothing else for about 2 weeks, unless, of course, it gets worse in the meantime. I would expect a big improvement in that time.

It could be a sign of liver damage, a blood sample would be the next step for me.
 
elderlycoupleindevon said:
It looks like sunburn/photosensitisation to me. If she were mine, I would not wash/wet it at all and smother it in a zinc oxide cream. This goes on best if warmed up, I keep a pot in the yard so it is warmed by the sun or in the car is a good place. It's a thick and waterproof total sunblock, you only need put it on every couple of days.

I'd do nothing else for about 2 weeks, unless, of course, it gets worse in the meantime. I would expect a big improvement in that time.

It could be a sign of liver damage, a blood sample would be the next step for me.
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/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ agree.

My mare had photosensitision (sp?) many years ago.
I kept her in during the day and out at night.Also gave her something to boost the liver.
 
It could be one of many things, it is very difficult to tell from a photo. It certainly looks very sore.
You say it has been going on for about three weeks and is getting worse, the horse is 24.
The obvious next step IMO is to get the vet, who will be able to take skin scrapes if necessary, prescribe the best medication to clear it up and hopefully to make the horse more comfortable in the meantime.
I'm not really sure why you needed to ask.
 
get some graphites 30 c from the chemist, its so cheap but for skin conditions like this, sticky scabby sore weepy skin, it works from the inside

i would not wash it at all, i find that is fatal, what's happening is the bug that causes this is retreating under the scabs, when you put on cream etc, treat the scabs, the only thing i found that worked was the dermobion or equivelent as its now no longer avalable but there is other similar things i believe, you need the cream someone mentioned which also contains antibiotic

let the hair grow, when healed use keratex powder as a preventative or mud guard boots to keep the legs dry, avoid all wet including damp grass

i"ve seen this condition start up in summer it does'nt need mud to start i think the organisime that causes it lives in the soil
 
ok here are a couple of suggestion and observations from over the years.

i have a mare which effectively can have "mud fever" all year round even in the summer where i have found the dew in long grass can set it off.

1. stop with the hibiscrub, the best thing i have found is to use povidone iodine surgical scrub (with out alcohol) and then wash the legs, once with that and dry i normally thatch with bandages.

2. i have a mix which i have made from udder cream (from country wide last 2 kilo tub cost £11) and sulphur (just a small amount so the udder cream looks like a very pale yellow).

3. when the leg is dry then apply the cream massaging in and leave.

4. the next day a soak some cotton wool and apply this to the area, but making sure it doesn't get too wet and then dry and i then apply more cream. after this i only apply the cream

5. she is stripped grassed so there are no long grass for her to be agrivated with.

6. once it has cleared up, i continue using the cream 2-3 times a week, seems to keep most at bay.

the povidone iodine surgical scrub, is the stuff that they use in theates before surgery but any chemist can order it for you and the bigger boots tends to have it in stock anyway. the sulpur and iodine are anti-microbial in action

with the older horse i have found that using energy-G or pro-cell really helps with condition etc i also feed a bit of linseed and rose hip

but from experience keep away from the hibiscrub as this agrivates if used to much

i have thought of trying the honey, but what i do works for the mare so loathed to swap

hope you find a solution

:
 
Just to mention that Hibiscrub is a skin cleanser for intact skin. I used it when nursing between patients and to scrub up in theatre. It took the skin off my arms up to the elbow and I had to use iodine instead. Its far too harsh for broken skin. I am surprised that vets encourage its use for non - intact skin.

I echo the others- the horse needs a proper diagnosis but in the meantime I wouldn't aggravate it by cleaning other than with some warm salt water unter you have had it checked out. And I reckon antibiotics will be needed.
 
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