Photosensitivity

[santas_spotty_pony]

Has anybody got any experience with photosensitivity in horses? I’m not entirely sure this is what it is but my boy gets very sensitive in the pink skin in his neck where the rug has rubbed out the hair - his neck has to be covered at all times as he burns if the sun so much as comes out! Interestingly he also had a pink nose that never burns and I never have to put suncream on?!

anyway, he has really itchy hind fetlocks but keeps making them sore by itching one with the other - there are scabs on the front of the fetlock/coronet area now but I think they may have been caused by itching. His heels are completely fine and there are no scabs anywhere else but he does enjoy them being scratched.
I have treated for mites and also changed from straw to shavings but still haven’t got to the bottom of it - Vet wasn’t too concerned when I asked her on the last visit but he hadn’t got the scabs on the front so I will be asking the Vet - does anybody think it could be photosensitivity? He did have it the winter a bit though too… wondering whether to try some UV fly leg wraps?

Any advice much appreciated

 

[olop]

Photosensitivity is the first warning sign for mine when I need to get his liver checked. I would be getting vet to run bloods for liver if it is photosensitivity.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Photosensitivity is the first warning sign for mine when I need to get his liver checked. I would be getting vet to run bloods for liver if it is photosensitivity.

Do your horse’s legs itch when they get like it? What is the treatment usually when the bloods are done?

 

[SEL]

My Appy is on a very basic diet because she had flare ups when she was younger. No legumes, linseed or balancers. She would gouge holes in herself itching. No flare ups for a while but I do keep a pot of piriton just in case.

But definitely get bloods run because liver problems can be an issue in which case Trinity's L94 might be an option depending on results.

 

[ycbm]

My appy got photosensitive on legumes.
.

 

[olop]

Do your horse’s legs itch when they get like it? What is the treatment usually when the bloods are done?

He generally gets itchy all over not just the legs when he has got the photo spots. Treatment depends on what the levels are like I’ve got mine on maintenance dose of milk thistle which keeps his levels normal. If they are high it’s usually a steroid course but it depends what is causing it in the first place.

 

[nutjob]

It was a liver problem which caused mine to be photosensitive and also reactive to fly spray.

 

[HJJ]

Just a thought but could he have eaten giant hogweed? It looks very similar to cow parsley but bigger and causes photosensitivity in horse's and humans.

 

[Billabongchick]

Does he have white legs?

 

[Hackback]

One of mine had what the vets thought was photosensitivity last summer. It only affected his three white legs, started off as a little scab like the start of mud fever and developed into vasculitis. It was horrible, his legs were very painful and he had goodness knows how many courses of antibiotics and a couple of courses of steroids, but it kept coming back. I got some L94 after seeing it recommended on here and it cleared up, although the vet thought it was due to the change in seasons rather than the L94. They also suspected liver problems but all his blood tests were ok.

This year I started putting his UV boots on in spring (couldn't use them last year because his legs were so sore) but they started to rub the hair at the front of his pasterns so he hasn't been wearing them and so far so good (touch wood). At the first sign of a scab he'll be back on the L94.

 

[Equi]

My lad took a bout of this. It went away with a uv fly rug and an emollient my vet makes which has a mild steroid in it.

 

[lamlyn2012]

Just a thought but could he have eaten giant hogweed? It looks very similar to cow parsley but bigger and causes photosensitivity in horse's and humans.

I think you mean cow parsnip, not cow parsley.
Cow parsnip is Common Hogweed and has the same properties as Giant Hogweed.
Common Hogweed can grow up to 5feet tall and can be mistaken for Giant Hogweed. Common Hogweed in its early stages may not cause a problem but best avoided.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I think you mean cow parsnip, not cow parsley.
Cow parsnip is Common Hogweed and has the same properties as Giant Hogweed.
Common Hogweed can grow up to 5feet tall and can be mistaken for Giant Hogweed. Common Hogweed in its early stages may not cause a problem but best avoided.

Yes, Giant Hogweed really is giant. Ordinary hogweed can get very big but not on the same scale as Giant. Once seen never forgotten.

 

[HJJ]

I think you mean cow parsnip, not cow parsley.

No, I meant cow parsley.

How to grow cow parsley

Find out all you need to know about growing cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris, in this practical Grow Guide.

www.gardenersworld.com

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Does he have white legs?

yes. he is appaloosa and has pink skin almost everywhere.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

definitely no giant hogweed in his field. there is some clover but it’s never been a problem before. I have had him on milk thistle before actually as a precaution so it might be worth me starting him on that again. I will ring Vets in the morning to see if they suggest anything. He is 25 and I am well aware he could be experiencing ‘age related’ conditions potentially liver related. I have looked at the ‘horses with liver disease’ facebook page and scared myself.

 

[lamlyn2012]

No, I meant cow parsley.

How to grow cow parsley

Find out all you need to know about growing cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris, in this practical Grow Guide.

www.gardenersworld.com

Ah, the leaves of the two look very different, although the umbells are similar.
Cow parsnip , or Common Hogweed, is like a mini Giant Hogweed.(Heracleum sphondylium).
Cow parsley has more of a fern like leaf and is OK for horses.

 

[HJJ]

Ah, the leaves of the two look very different, although the umbells are similar.
Cow parsnip , or Common Hogweed, is like a mini Giant Hogweed.(Heracleum sphondylium).
Cow parsley has more of a fern like leaf and is OK for horses.

That's why I mentioned it - cow parsley is fine, hogweed isn't, and the flowers look similar.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

This is what it looks like - it is a bit greasy because I put some cream on it to soften the scabs but it is oozing a little bit. he doesn’t mind be touching it because it itches him so I can treat it easily. I had thought about clipping round it but I don’t want him getting burnt either… and he is terrible to clip so I might be taking my life into my own hands too.

 

[Gloi]

I don't think anyone could mistake giant hogweed. There a lot on riverbanks round here and it often gets unwary people.
There is also unfortunately hemlock water dropwort spreading in ditches at a great rate
The first year I had my pony he got burnt on his white fetlocks and I coated him in filtabac. Fortunately he never got it again so I suspect he ate something in his previous field.

 

[Billabongchick]

yes. he is appaloosa and has pink skin almost everywhere.

It could be Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis. Triggered by yellow plants and it’s an immune disorder where the immune system attacks itself and causes lesions on the white legs. People mistake it for mud fever.

If so you need to keep the white legs covered from UV light at all times (and even after the lesions appear to have cleared up) as the cells will still absorb UV light and mutate if they haven’t completely died off (which will happen some time after the lesions clear up). Feed high level of zinc, avoid alfalfa and grazing around buttercups/ragwort.

I used fleece bandages down to coronet to cover whilst in stable or ridden. Use soft turnout boots once lesions allow and silver based cream. The silver lined boots are excellent for helping the lesions clear up. Silver Whinny socks for horses or EquiMed Ag. Don’t need to use silver cream then.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

It could be Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis. Triggered by yellow plants and it’s an immune disorder where the immune system attacks itself and causes lesions on the white legs. People mistake it for mud fever.

If so you need to keep the white legs covered from UV light at all times (and even after the lesions appear to have cleared up) as the cells will still absorb UV light and mutate if they haven’t completely died off (which will happen some time after the lesions clear up). Feed high level of zinc, avoid alfalfa and grazing around buttercups/ragwort.

I used fleece bandages down to coronet to cover whilst in stable or ridden. Use soft turnout boots once lesions allow and silver based cream. The silver lined boots are excellent for helping the lesions clear up. Silver Whinny socks for horses or EquiMed Ag. Don’t need to use silver cream then.

Do the legs have to be covered all of the time then even when in? I will be bearing this in mind if the blood tests he has had today don’t show anything. He has had blood tests for liver function and Cushings today so I will get results by the end of the week. The scabs are clearing up slowly with the help of me applying some cream but his fetlocks are still really itchy.

 

[Gloi]

Keeping them covered in filtabac helps a lot. Then you shouldn't need the boots indoors.

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

Keeping them covered in filtabac helps a lot. Then you shouldn't need the boots indoors.

does your horse’s legs get itchy from it?

 

[Nonjumper]

I had a welsh Cob x who had a blaze and three white socks that would all burn really badly in any sunshine. We found out that he had liver damage and the vet said it was probably from consuming St. John's Wort in either hay or poor grazing before we got him. It affected his gut too, so I had to feed him a bran mash every day just to keep him regular or he'd become badly constipated (grass made it worse!). The vet mentioned 'free radicals' at the time but this was yeas ago so I don't really remember the full details.

I had a canvas "yashmak" made for his headcollar so he could go out and graze but his muzzle would remain sunburn free. He got so used to having this put on that it got to the point I'd hold the headcollar up and say "nose" and he'd drop his head into it. I slathered pink udder cream all over his white socks to prevent those from burning too. Generally if we kept his nose burn free, his legs stayed clear too. I'm sure he knew it helped, even if he did look a little silly. I wish I had taken a photo of him all 'togged up', but alas sadly I didn't.

 

[Gloi]

does your horse’s legs get itchy from it?

I've never had that problem.

 

[Billabongchick]

Do the legs have to be covered all of the time then even when in? I will be bearing this in mind if the blood tests he has had today don’t show anything. He has had blood tests for liver function and Cushings today so I will get results by the end of the week. The scabs are clearing up slowly with the help of me applying some cream but his fetlocks are still really itchy.

Hi; yes even sunlight over a stable door can cause the UV reaction. To break the cycle of cells absorbing the light and mutating keeping the legs covered as much as possible is best

 

[santas_spotty_pony]

UPDATE: Had the blood test results back and they are all normal. All liver function and bile levels are normal and Cushing level was 19 which is well within the normal range! I’m so recovered and pleased but obviously that doesn’t solve the issue. I mentioned to the Vet about it being possibly an autoimmune disease and she said it’s possible but I’ll need to wait until the skin flares up again and then they could do a skin scrape. She mentioned immunotherapy but said it’s not always that effective in horses and for now to keep using the cream and agreed I should get him some UV boots so we have a bit of a plan. He’s going to stay on the milk thistle as it’s good for the skin anyway and he seems less itchy since he started it anyway (that may be coincidence though or the fact the weather hasn’t been so sunny since) and I will see how he goes. I also had his heart checked on Tuesday and the heart murmur has gone too! I feel like a weight has been lifted but I am glad I got
him checked just to be on the safe side!