I think the filtabac is also a sun block, which is kind of the point if it is photosensitivity that you're dealing with. Expensive though
Yeah maybe but my horse didn't have this in summer he got it in late September when it was dewy grass so I thought that what triggered it.
Zinc oxide also works as a sun block.
I was looking at silver whinnies a few days ago.
can you get them in the UK?
Mine started in November as we changed to winter balancer and then the following November, some idiot climbed our newly erected fencing to give her a mince-pie. That could have been disastrous, she caught the chest buckle of her rug on the inner electric fence and dragged it off the wooden posts. Fortunately apart from some bent offsets there was no real harm done. She had a bit of burned feather, which didn't need treatment but a couple of days later her skin problem broke out again.
I wondered about this but it’s such a localised reaction if it is!
Thats weird because at the start of the summer Arabi did exactly the same with my fence, his trigger clip at the front wasn't closing properly I obviously missed it that night and he got it caught on the fence and broke the wooden posts and the fence was on the floor.
I think just one place stocks them over here.
I've just been looking at these, well the pastern wraps, following the recommendation above. They look easy to put on and don't seem to have rubbing seams (the UV boots I tried before rubbed in the crease between heels and pastern). Not sure they would be suitable for turn out though - the website isn't very informative.
They’re not for turn out, they’re stable wraps. They don’t rub. Even when your horse kindly removes the bottom strap.
Yes that is where I got to. Vet advised to use sunblock rather than boots since the boots were rubbing and I saw Filtabac recommended on here. Sadly you don't seem to be able to get it any longer. I have an arsenal of Lincoln sunblock, silver ointment and the vets own antibiotic and steroid cream.
That’s irritating re the filtabac I wonder why it’s out of stock everywhere. It might be bacterial but aggravated by sunlight. I had psoriasis on my face earlier this year and I honestly wanted to claw my skin off. Typically a cream I was using for something else was the worst thing for that so
I have a horse that has had a bout most of the summer but eventually got on top of it by lots of sudocream slathered on daily and working it in a bit. I don’t shave as don’t think it helps as removes natural hair protection. It was both hinds which are white socks. I’ve had horse 16 years and he’s had mild mud fever before a couple of year but never in summer.Hi all,
One of mine (TBxWB bay mare, white socks) presented with what I initially thought was a patch of mud fever on the outside of one pastern earlier in the year. The vet had a look and diagnosed UV sensitivity, and gave me steroid cream to clear it up.
For the last 3-4 months, as instructed, I’ve been keeping the area clipped tight and scab free, and applying the steroid cream twice daily, and the patch has reduced to something that is basically like a large ‘C’ shape, about an inch or so. However, it isn’t getting any better than this and hasn’t changed in the last month or so.
Even leaving it for a day or so will start the scabbing / oozing process and irritate the skin around the ‘C’.
The vet saw her again a couple of weeks back and mentioned it can take months and months to clear it, and gave me another tube of steroid cream, but I wondered if any of you had any experience or advice in clearing it up more quickly? He didn’t seem inclined to run any liver function tests.
Diet-wise she has Alfa A, Baileys Ease&Excel, Topspec Lite balancer, biotin and a joint supplement and ad lib hay, and she’s turned out with my other 3, all of whom are on pretty much the same routine and none of which have anything similar. Other than this issues, she’s a healthy horse who maintains her weight with a nice shiny coat - the only thing of note may be the fact she doesn’t grow good feet (thin walls and soles), but which have improved a lot in the last 3 years.
The area is protected from the sun when she’s turned out with fluffy-topped over reach boots, which are clean and dry, but any advice or experience you might have would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance
I was just coming to suggest a food allergy. My old share horse had a sugar intolerance. The only sign was itchy scabby back legs. We struggled with it for years and it always followed a pattern - flared up in the autumn, remained at a certain level all winter, went mad in the spring and died down in the summer. We tried all sorts of creams and potions and had skin scrapes and blood tests done but could never get to the bottom of it. One autumn he'd been on box rest and he was porky so we didn't start feeding him and we noticed his rash didn't flare up.
Really interesting, thanks. I removed alfalfa too (for his general itchiness rather than his legs) but it made no difference. Both years it started in August and we've been scratching our heads to think of what could be happening in August to cause it. Physio suggested buttercups, but we don't have them. No change in what I feed him either. The allergy test is going to cost about £300 and if they find out what it is and he needs treatment (something about blood, antibodies and injecting small amounts of the allergen back in) it will be about £200 per year for a monthly injection that I administer myself. I worked out that the antihistamine tablets he's on come to £1.08 per day so IF the test results in finding a cure I won't be out of pocket.
Is that the Arturvetrin injection? We did it with our oldie for sweet itch and a few other allergies and it fixed her completely. They say if you don't get results in a few months, it's not going to work. I gave the injections for a full year, then just through the midgey period for another couple of years while I slowly tapered off, then I stopped altogether. It was worth it for her, and I would probably do it again, although complete cures are in the minority.
Oh that's interesting. I don't know much about it to be honest. The vet that came out to his legs talked to me about it but she didn't have the detailed knowledge that this specialist vet has. He only does one day a month so I've had quite a wait.
My small animal vet doesn't offer it anymore. They'll do it on request, but they haven't had the results they'd like in order to keep it as an option generally. Horse vet was a bit more positive, but did say it's only about 75% successful, and that's just for some positive effect, not a complete cure. It's like anything though, what works for some, won't work for others and there isn't much risk in trying - the main thing being the cost. If it does work, then happy horse, happy owner and fewer ongoing costs from chasing the problem.