Persistent skin infection - we may be winning! And a vasculitis question.

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soloequestrian

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The skin infection finally seems to be clearing up!! Many, many thanks to everyone who responded to my posts, most especially to Tarrsteps! I don't know why I didn't ask on here months and months ago - 1.5 years of listening to the vets had got us nowhere....

The diagnosis is leukocytoclastic vasculitis, which I have translated to myself as vasculitis induced by the action of UV light on the skin, possibly with an underlying trigger factor. I was wondering how people cope with this in the wet and mud. At the moment we have 6 inches of snow on the ground, so everything is very clean. The horse is wearing rubber bell boots on both feet, with a UV boot on his white leg, during the day, and nothing at night. He is out 24/7. He gets the Tarrsteps cream on at night. His skin is intact, other than the scabs on the biopsy holes, but it still looks pink and sensitive.

I'm getting worried about the impending sea of mud with the thaw that is forecast for this weekend - they can get out of the mud easily, but do have to walk through it to get to and from the field. I can bring him in again if necessary, but have to sedate for that so would rather avoid.

Anyone else have experience of this?
 
Haven't experienced exactly what your horse has but my sister's horse becomes very sensitive to sunlight in the summer and we find the global herbs detox supplement works really well - might be worth a try
 
Having posted on here about how our lad has had a long period of no issue having reset his immune system with a whole year UV free he is now back on box rest having been triggered by the snow. Between evening check and no problem he has managed to get 4 filled legs with big scabs so back to sudacrem wraps. What about sacrifice boots for him? Keep a pair just to get to and from the field then change him into his day boots.
 
*waves* :)

By "mud" what do you mean? Is he standing in wet mud a lot of the time? Is it just that he passes through muddy areas? Does the mud dry on his legs during the day?

Otherwise, you've heard all my suggestions! :D
 
The setup is that the gate is hardcore, and if they turn right when they go through it, there is a hardcore area with walls but no roof - this is where the haylage ring is. If they go left, they go to the main bit of the field and there is a strip of wet, muddy stuff where the field seems to have decided to put in a new drainage channel for itself this year. So to get between the field and the haylage they walk through mud. It's not particularly deep, but would come to over the coronet band. The field is damp but not boggy.
I'm thinking about putting down some of the discarded haylage across the drain bit - at least then it should keep them out of the mud even though it would be wet. They stay surprisingly clean. I think I will probably play it by ear - he can easily come back in if things start to reverse but it's so much easier and healthier for him generally to be out. I think his immune system is generally okay - he had an overreach injury a few months ago which I just cleaned twice, and which healed beautifully despite the mud.
I might try using vinegar and baby oil again as well as the Tarrsteps cream - used it ages ago and he didn't react to it.....
Still interested in suggestions and experiences!
 
I'm going with wiping/brushing the mud off and applying more goo for now. I find it looks a bit grim as the dirt sticks to the surface a bit, but the skin underneath looks okay, I find when I rub the goo on the build up from the day before comes off easily and, if I think it's starting to build up, I "wash" with either the iodine wash or the mouthwash mixture, scrubbing gently if necessary but I prefer to just wipe with the hair if I can.

Re baby oil, quite a lot of horses that aren't all that sensitive react to it - I would still be more inclined to go with an oil other than a mineral oil and certainly not anything with fragrances etc.
 
I've given in and brought him in for the night - will probably keep doing that until everything is more healed/ outside is less wet. I'll try putting the mix straight on, though at the moment I have a desperate need to inspect everything in minute detail just in case it is getting worse again......
 
I know the feeling!

As I said, I have found the lesions go through a very predictable cycle so I'm less inclined to panic now if I think they aren't healing fast enough. They certainly takes longer to heal initially than a regular cut but then I find once the process is well underway, the hair grows back faster. Go figure.
 
Hi my horse also suffers with Pastern Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis (PLV) & thankfully I have found a solution that works. This wasn't diagnosed the first 2 winters she had it, as the vets just thought it was mud fever, but she got it mid september every year and when that happened the 3rd year on the trot when in dry conditions I got a different vet out and finally a correct diagnosis.

Firstly IMO you shouldn't be using any creams, lotions potions etc if this is what you are dealing with, this will soften the scabs but they are better dealt with in a dry environment. Also these creams are likely to contain oils etc which will make the legs more photosensitive. Secondly you should not attempt to forcibly remove scabs as they will simply return very quickly & you will make the horse sore and you can then introduce secondary infections. Also it's really important to note that any rubbing or stimulation of the area will encourage more scabbing so it is counter productive.

The only treatment I can recommend that worked for me is Cortavance - this is a steriod spray but it does not enter the bloodstream so it's not dangerous like steriods that you inject. If you let the scabs dry up (as you would a normal scab) you will find that you can really gently flick away at the edges of the scabs, if there is any sign of blood stop ! I would only do this once a week, you need to be really patient but this will pay dividends in the end. Then use the Cortavance spray on the area, this a POM so you will need to get it from the vet but this was recommended to be by Derek Knottenbelt at Liverpool University he is a very well known skin specialist so if you mention this to the vet hopefully you won't have a problem getting it. Derek does recommend scab removal under cling film wraps before treating in this way, but this didn't work for my mare any better than any other method I had tried previously. Leaving the scabs did.... It is very hard not to over fiddle I almost have to sit on my hands but it does work.

The only problem I have had is using boots to ride in which were rubbing the scabs and this was making it worse, but I switched to bandages & that solved that one.

Re the mud I would use turnout boots the close contact boot by Equilibrum are the best IMO. I would turn out in these, which also protects against the winter sun, bring in overnight removing the boots. As they are soft and close fitting they will not rub or cause more scabs to form. Although the legs can get quite warm in them I have not known this to be an issue. Mud & wet will not make the scabs worse (this is not like mud fever) but it will not help in attempts to keep the area dry and if it is very wet & sore initially you could also get secondary infections like mud fever in addition to the PLV.

Now that I know at the first signs of trouble not to attempt to remove the scabs the problem goes away within a couple of weeks and usually no treatment is required.

PM me your email address if you would like me to send you photos of the legs at the begining and during the stages of healing. Best of luck :)
 
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