Pastern leukocytoclastic vasculitis

Yes. My warmblood has it. I've had him for three years and it's taken that long for him to be diagnosed - the vet just kept telling me it was mud fever. He lives out, so how come he can stand ankle deep all winter and not get it, but come summer, it flares up?

Anyway, now I know what it is, I've learnt that different management works for different horses, and I've experimented quite a bit, and found what works for us.

It makes him very photosensitive, but I have no way of bringing him in during the day, so I plaster his white bits in sun cream every day. I'm thinking of getting some boots for him next year, but we'll see how it goes.

If it flares up, which it usually does, I soak in salt water (not always possible - Lui will stand with three of his four feet in buckets if he's got haylage to eat ...) then during the day it's the sun cream, and at night nappy cream (Tesco's own brand actually seems to work very well).

Last year he had it from May to September - this year it cleared up by July. All I need to do know is work out if I can stop it flaring up in the first place.

There are certain foodstuffs that can affect it, such as molasses and soya.
 
F had it. I thought it was mud fever but it really would not clear up, then vet diagnosed it. It cleared up with topical steroids and doesn't seem to have come back so far.
 
I think my boy maybe has this, although it's never been diagnosed formally by a vet (they've looked but not really been much help!). I tried loads of creams on it but he starts reacting to the cream after a few weeks. I eventually tried a UV boot on him and the worst has cleared up - he still has a couple of scabs at the back of his pastern but that's all. I'm going to get some stuff from Pro-Equine which seemed to help too - Aloe and Manuka Gel and Pro-Neem. I only had small pots of them so he didn't have time to sensitise, and I think if I use them sparingly the might continue to work.
Interested to hear what has worked for others.
 
Thankyou for your replies. Did your horses have any other symptoms or changes in behaviour? In particular was their skin any more sensitive in other places other than the legs? Also did they remain sound?
Sorry for so many questions.
 
Lui's been completely sound throughout, but I did give him time off as it was obviously itchy and sore. The rest of his skin wasn't any more sensitive - it's only affected his three white socks and it stops as soon as it reaches the top of the white.

It didn't affect his behaviour at all - he's a very laid back sort anyway and he was really good at putting up with me messing about with him!
 
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