scabby armpits

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kittyb

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Recently my horse has developed little scabby patches under his armpits. They arent sore or itchy as far as I can tell and he doesnt seemed bothered by them at all but they are bothering me!

He gets sweaty quite a lot as he is an active boy and I think this may be making the scabs worse or even be the cause.

I have been trying to resist itching the scabs but some are close to his girth sometimes and sometimes I just cant resist.

The scabs are all small and various shapes but the most stubborn seem to be long and thin and follow the flaps of his skin!

Any ideas how to help them shift?

He is a 17yr old warmblood and his skin is generally quite sensitive but has a very healthy shiny coat
 
I have not seen yours but one of mine had this - at first I thought oh no sarcoids developing but I scrubbed it with hibiscrub and plastered it with aloe vera gel and it disappeared within a week. I still dont know what it was. She is a bit over weight and I wondered if it was sweat in the rolls in her armpit or caused by flies. I dunno - but it has gone now.
 
My new boy has this. Spotted on his vetting. Vet said it is due to front hoof rubbing when he lies down. Doesn't bother him. Vet said nothing to worry about x
 
I've had this in 2 skinny horses. One had pemphigus, so I think that was what caused it - he looked a bit like he had ringworm, poor soul. The other horse is absolutely riddled with sarcoids, so in her case it's where past treatments have scarred her skin. I've found that aloe vera/sudocrem seems to help a bit.

P.s, I'm sure it's just a bit of dandruff or hoof rubbing with your horse - didn't mean to sound all doom and gloom!!
 
When I have seen this in my own horses and others on the yard it's been what samsbilly said - horse catching himself with hinds while lying down. Is there a rough patch anywhere on a hind foot? If so, over reach boots when stabled might help until the farrier can sort the hinds out. And a gentle wash and a spot of sudocrem never hurt anyone!
 
My pony gets scabby armpits because when he gets hot or irritated by flies he sticks his head between his front legs and scrapes the skin with his teeth, the more he scrapes the more damage is done and it becomes a cycle

I use handfuls of udder or aqueous cream so his teeth slide and there is little friction

Everything heals up in a few days
 
My horse has this too, sometimes they disappear and then they come back? He only has the on one side as well but I always put it down to him getting sweaty?
 
My horse gets this in both pits during the summer. The near side worse than the off side.

I have always put it down to sweat, despite regular grooming, though the back leg and head between legs to get flies explanations would also make sense

I got him when he was 13, he is now 28/29. It does not develop into sarcoids

If you don't mind the mess put sudocrem or udder cream on it, other wise, just leave it be
 
OP, do mean scabby or just large flakey dandruff? My mare used to have this behind her elbow just on one leg. I used to brush out the flakes gently and put a bit of Keratex mudfever powder on - cured. Keratex is a very useful product for alot of skin conditions, not just mudfever as it contains a mild disinfectant. I used it on minor abrasions too.
 
I never thought of hoof rubbing as my horse has been known to cut his hind cannons when laid down or rolling if I don't rasp of any sharp bits on his front hooves (barefoot ridden so has roof toes). I put it down to flies as only noticed it during fly season he gets attacked in his armpits and groin region as hes pink skinned and delicate if I don't smother his bits and groin area / armpits in sudocream or fly cream he comes in scabby and bleeding. Patch test with citronella as I have found when its really hot the fly cream isn't thick enough and sweats off so mixed citronella oil into sudocream and slathered this on and worked a treat
 
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