Scab on legs - mud fever, mites or something else?

coby

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I have recently bought a Clydesdale x TB, and on one of his back legs, almost hidden by his feathers, he has a small scabby patch, halfway up his cannon bone. I have had him for a couple of months now, and this problem has not cleared up. It doesn't look like mud fever. Could it be mites, or could it be someting else? If it is mites, what is the best product to treat it with?
 
Well, I'd be tempted to clip the hair off the area affected, wash once only with a mild solution of hibiscrub and then start applying Flamazine ointment (which can be obtained from the vets). That should clear it up pretty quickly.


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I have a cylde x and has terrible scabs half way up his leg, the only thing that cleared it was aloe vera shampoo and cream, after 2 weeks of rigerous cleaning it did clear up but cam back as soon as I stopped. Hibi scrub is quite harsh so wouldn;t use it too much x
 
Sounds like its a case of 'scratches' which is common in feathered horses specially on white legs and can be genetic in some draft horses, basically its a form of dermatitis, like mud fever or greasy heal etc and therefore you need to treat it the same or at least prevent it the same way, it has nothing to do with mud or overly wet conditions. You need to loosen the scabs and dead skin, have a right good pick and go through it with fine comb, get all the clumps out and then clip the the hair off and keep washing with an antibacterial shampoo/t-tree and hibiscrub and keep the area clean and dry so the skin can breath, if yoru horse is prone to sweating or the legs getting too warm this can also cause it, so you either have to clip or be prepared to rinse down and wash every time your horse is worked and then dry off. Try to supplement your horses diet with something that will improve the condition of the skin like garlic and seaweed, this will also help.
 
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