Photosensitivity

welshiewhiskers

welshiewhiskers

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I think that my friend's horse may have developed photosensitivity recently and was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about it as I am not that clued up on it!!

Any information would be very helpful!!
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I think this is an abnomal reaction to the sun, like a more extreme version of sunburn that might affect white socks and the face, instead of just a pink or white nose that will get burnt if sunblock isn't used. It will show up like really nasty scabby blisters. My horse gets sunburn as he's got a pink nose so I use Boots suncream with a 50+ factor, his has still gone a bit red though.
 
Cant help you a great deal am afraid,but i believe buttercups can cause this???correct me if i am wrong guys!!
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Am sure somebody on here will be able to help you!
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Internet great place for this sort of info!!
 
Yep...jusy looked it up,buttercups and certain flysprays and clover can cause photosensitivity and it is very like dermatitis
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yep one of mine gets it, i think it is buttercups as we have had an epedemic of them. He also gets sunburn. i slap on sudacreme and a full nose flymask and he seems to be ok at the mo. any other suggestions would be most welcome.
 
Hi, my horse Fred (hence my online name!) had a bad bout of photosensitivity about two years ago. Looked exactly like mud fever, crusty scabs etc. Called the vet as I was dumbfounded and thought sure it couldn't be mud fever in the summer, and he said it was photosensitivity, probably caused by eating st johns wort or buttercups.

He had an anti-inflam jab and vet said it prob wouldn't happen again, as immune system would fight it next time. It hasn't happened since.
 
i am currently going through this with two of mine. any manner of things can cause it i beleive, eating things they shouldnt like st johns etc as mentioned, to much nitrogen in the soil, other kinds of plants etc etc etc. my vet says buttercups tend to cause ulcers around/in the mouth rather than full on photosensitivity. i have had to (twice a day ) scrub there legs with hibiscrub then put flamazine cream on and pick off scabs when they get soft, keep them out of the sun for a week or until the scabs start to heal up. put sunblock on and then turn them out at night. all affected areas are white socks and white/pink areas on the nose. one of mine is fine now but the other got a secondary infection and has spent 3 weeks in his stable. the vet also took blood from both to test the liver function to see if that was affected. mine both now wear sun boots when out in the field. heres some pics of what the pony's leg looked like
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If anyone has a horse that suddenly develops photosensitivity, I'd strongly recommend getting a blood test done for liver function. One of the first signs of ragwort poisoning (in the summer) is acute photosensitivity. And don't be fooled by thinking that you have owned your ned for ages and he hasn't had access to ragwort so it can't be that...the ragwort poisoning could have happened years and years ago but only shows up when the liver is stressed by a "final straw". If you act fast with ragwort poisoning, you can do a lot to help. Leave it too late and it's a death sentence.
 
My coloured horse took a turn of photosensitivity when he was about 15 - have known him since a 3 year old and he'd never had any problems. It presented itself in all his white bits swelling up which looked really strange! The vet said if he'd not seen it on a cow before he'd have been baffled - he'd never seen a case as 'black and white' as that before. Seemingly the swelling was caused by a reaction of something that had gotten into his bloodstream with the sunlight, he ended up in a darkened stable for two weeks, had cortizone (?) injections etc. Ever since then his skin has been a little sensitive, but he always wore a UV filter rug after that and has been fine since - fingers crossed it was a one off due to something he's eaten. I think if it gets really bad all the skin falls off, looks a bit kind of sweet itchy - not nice! Hope horsey in question is ok x
 
Do the boots which protect horses legs from UV rays actually work? has anyone tried the Cashel Crusader ones or the equilibrium sun chaps??
 
equilibrium sun chaps are the ones i have bought and so far so good, they stay in place very well and only slip a tiny bit if they go hooning round the field. i think they block out 70% of the uv rays.
 
what box of frogs says is spot on i had a horse that started to burn suddenly so i had bloods done the following sunday i had to put her to sleep!
 
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