Poor Boy, Face Rub - Picture

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Cheshire Chestnut

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I posted yesterday that I thought my horse had lice, mites or ringworm due to rubbing his face until it's re raw. The vet has been this morning because I arrived and it looked even worse and is coming back on Monday too - he doesn't seem to think it's any of them. He's a good vet and I trust his judgement.
I have been told to bathe his face with hibiscrub for the next 4 days and not put anything on it at all, not even Sudocrem and just leave it to see what happens.
My poor boy :-( Has anyone ever had the same? What was it?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/112093906@N08/11464551773/
 
Ah, poor boy. Has it grown or was it like this when you first noticed it? I only ask because is there any chance it could be a chemical burn of some sort?
 
It all started with a tiny mark last Saturday that he's rubbed - about the size of a 5p. I just thought he'd caught himself on his stable or something (he's really clumsy so this wouldn't be the first time). Then I came up the following morning and it was rubbed bigger to about a 50p with it looking sore, so I put wound cream on. He was fine for a bit and then he came in from the field on Tuesday with it looking even worse - I called the vet and asked for over the phone advice but then I came today and it looked like that so I had to vet to come up and see him, he came despite being on annual leave for 3 days! Thought it might have been rain scald so had been putting MTG on it but it's not helped. He just keeps itching it and I feel so helpless, I hate seeing him all frustrated :( I have been told by the vet to just leave it and bathe it in hibiscrub and not put anything else on it incase I'm causing the problem and making it worse. I hope it just goes away on it's own. If only he could speak, poor lamb :(
 
Cheshire Chestnut said:
It all started with a tiny mark last Saturday that he's rubbed - about the size of a 5p. I just thought he'd caught himself on his stable or something (he's really clumsy so this wouldn't be the first time). Then I came up the following morning and it was rubbed bigger to about a 50p with it looking sore, so I put wound cream on. He was fine for a bit and then he came in from the field on Tuesday with it looking even worse - I called the vet and asked for over the phone advice but then I came today and it looked like that so I had to vet to come up and see him, he came despite being on annual leave for 3 days! Thought it might have been rain scald so had been putting MTG on it but it's not helped. He just keeps itching it and I feel so helpless, I hate seeing him all frustrated :( I have been told by the vet to just leave it and bathe it in hibiscrub and not put anything else on it incase I'm causing the problem and making it worse. I hope it just goes away on it's own. If only he could speak, poor lamb :(
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Oh bless him. I kind of agree with the vet....and would always follow my vets advice so hopefully it will just clear up. Will he take a scraping to send off for analysis if no improvement is shown?
 
JingleSmells said:
Oh bless him. I kind of agree with the vet....and would always follow my vets advice so hopefully it will just clear up. Will he take a scraping to send off for analysis if no improvement is shown?
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I think that would be the next step on Monday if there's no improvement. He did say that if it was mites or lice then you'd be able to see them on the bald bits and on his white star on his head (especially mites that stick to the skin). Also there aren't any scabs apart from the one he's caused himself by rubbing. Ring worm causes bobbily scabs and they aren't there so that's pretty much confirmed it's not that either. The more I think about what the vet said, the more I think he's right - he could just have sensitive skin and the things I've been putting on already sore skin might have hurt him further. That makes me feel worse that it could be my fault :(

I've only had him since June so I haven't yet learnt all the things he's good with/not so good with. Just hope it goes away soon.
 
It could have been the MTG its quite strong, its probably irritated a the area and made him scratch it, my Arab has a reaction to most things if put on his skin cant use most fly sprays, he also gets bald patches from his rugs in winter, one thing that does not bring him up that soothes the skin and promotes hair growth is Wonder Gel gold label make it, its only about £7 brilliant stuff.
 
Yeah you might be right as the MTG wasn't meant to be dialuted either (even though I did a bit because I didn't want to put it on full strength) so I think it might have made him sore. Feel like the worst pony mum in the world if I've made him sore :( Will ask the vet about Wonder Gel but I might order some anyway as it's handy to have in the tack box.
 
Baubles said:
I've seen something similar, it turned out to be a gum abscess. Did your vet have a good look inside his mouth?
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No he didn't actually - just a quick feel down both sides and shone a torch in his mouth briefly. Might be something he should do on Monday. I have been doing more reading on MTG just now and there's been some pretty bad reviews about it burning their horses - this might have happened here? Two of the horses at the yard it worked wonders for but maybe he's just allergic to it?
 
Baubles said:
I've seen something similar, it turned out to be a gum abscess. Did your vet have a good look inside his mouth?
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I was going to suggest something in his mouth or jaw.

Whats MTG? Allergies are often associated with swelling especially if the area is rubbed ime.
 
amandap said:
I was going to suggest something in his mouth or jaw.

Whats MTG? Allergies are often associated with swelling especially if the area is rubbed ime.
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It's a solution for rain scald, fungas, infections, rubs and sores. Does a bit of everything - we've used it on horses for years with good results so I didn't think twice on using it on him. His skin mustn't like it though. It's certainly put me off using it again even though it might not be that. There's no signs of blistering or anything so it hasn't burnt him I don't think. The vet never said it looked like a burn either. I hope he gets better and his hair grows back :( He hates not being ridden but I really don't want his bridle touching it, might give him Xmas off to recover.
 
Shysmum said:
Hypocare spray will probably help it a lot. Let us know when you find out what it is ?
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I diluted the hibiscrub quite a lot - there was a lot of water vs the amount of hibiscrub, didn't want to risk hurting him even more. I will let you know what the vet says on Monday. Does anyone know how long it takes for their hair to grow back on their face once it's better?
 
YO has said it looks pretty much the same tonight as it did this morning (I'm stuck at work). That's good that he hasn't rubbed it again I suppose. Dreading seeing it again tomorrow morning as he usually rubs it in his stable overnight :(
 
In the meantime,can you not give him some antihistamine to stop the itch? (Preferably orally-because it is currently so sore,a topical cream may be a bit harsh until it improves somewhat.)

A horse on our yard got a horsefly in his fly mask a couple of summers ago & rubbed the bites raw and oozing. Vet confirmed fly bites and recommended 7 human antihistamine tablets (piriton,piriteze etc) twice a day (ie up to 14 per day-horse is about 450kg). They started to work virtually immediately & gave the poor lad enough relief that he stopped rubbing them,so that they could start to heal &cream (can't remember what) was put on to speed healing. Hope he feels better soon,bless him!
 
Venevidivici said:
In the meantime,can you not give him some antihistamine to stop the itch? (Preferably orally-because it is currently so sore,a topical cream may be a bit harsh until it improves somewhat.)

A horse on our yard got a horsefly in his fly mask a couple of summers ago & rubbed the bites raw and oozing. Vet confirmed fly bites and recommended 7 human antihistamine tablets (piriton,piriteze etc) twice a day (ie up to 14 per day-horse is about 450kg). They started to work virtually immediately & gave the poor lad enough relief that he stopped rubbing them,so that they could start to heal &cream (can't remember what) was put on to speed healing. Hope he feels better soon,bless him!
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Thank you, me too - I hate seeing him in discomfort. I have put some Piriton in his tea last night and some this morning/for tonight. I went up this morning (far too early but I was just waking up through the night worrying and waiting for an 'acceptable time' to go up and see him) and all the redness has gone, his skin has returned to it's natural dark colour and it looks a lot drier rather than wet & weepy. Skin was a bit flaky like it was shedding a bit but he seemed much happier and content. There were no signs of obvious new rubs so that's a step in the right direction at least :) Makes me think even more that it was the gel/wound cream I was putting on it to start with that he's allgeric too. Poor baby.
 
**UPDATE PHOTO**

Although it's still all bald, it's looking better and not red, weepy and sore anymore. Just did what the vet said and bathed it in then left it alone with nothing on it, not even cream. So I'm happy and he seems a lot happier - back to his cheeky self again :) Vet still coming back tomorrow so I will see what he thinks.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/112093906@N08/11495109953/
 
Tiddlypom said:
That looks a lot better! I was a bit :eek3: that the vet recommended bathing in diluted hibiscrub only, as it's quite harsh, but it's clearly doing the job.
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Thank you - I'm made up!

I know, me too - kind of went against everything I thought but then again he's a good vet and I trust him so I just did it. And it's worked :D Possibly because he's done 7 years at vet school and I haven't lol - he's knows best and I'm chuffed, my boy is on the mend :)
 
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