scabby heals

[meemzul]

Can anyone please tell me what they think this is?

My friend went to view this horse at the weekend and would like to know what this is, the vet will be looking at it soon but would like your opinions!

Many thanks.

There is no heat etc.

 

[Flame_]

Not sure if this will help but one of my driving ponies has something similar. His is just above his heels in all four feet. The vets have taken repeated swabs and, if I remember rightly, its a bacterial skin infection caused by the same bacteria as the hospital superbug MRSA. He's been treated twice with anti-biotics which the bacteria are supposed to be sensitive to but they didn't clear it up. In the end we just gave up and he lives with it. Sometimes they do get really sore looking though if he's been in damp conditions, then I just slap mud fever cream or sudocrem on.

 

[Kenzo]

From looking at the photo, it looks like mud fever (slang name for a bacteria infection that lives in the skin basically, cant remember the correct technical name for it off hand) and it needs attending to asap before it gets any worse..... spreads up the leg, pusses, bleeds, cracks, flys attack the area, gets infected further, lameness may occur and totally swells the leg right up to the top (worse case scenario) and basically will be extremely painful for the horse to put weight on and walk.

I would recommend that this person seeks vetinary attention to confirm exactly what it is, and depending on how bad it is or can get, the vet will no doubt tell the owner to wash it twice a day with a antibacterial wash like hibiscrub, soften the scabs to help remomove them, let air around the wounds, keep dry, some type of cream will be prescribed for them to apply twice a day an possibly ant inflammatory drugs etc

Horses don't need to be kept in muddy fields to get this, some horses are prone to it, the bacteria can live under the skin for ages until it breaks out. Feathery types, white legs are common for getting it.

It is preventable but you have to keep on top of it and check daily for the early signs, cleaning of the legs daily with an antifungal shampoo and preventing the heals from wet, dirty or even sweaty conditions is the key.

EDT...to say flys attack the area not flies attack ..durh

 

[billyslad]

Mud fever or it could be that there is a high clover content in the grazing, easily treatable

 

[kellyeaton]

i would say summer mud fever!

 

[Kallibear]

Yep, I'd go for mud fever too, or photosensitivity (in which case you want to have liver function checked out)

 

[lhotse]

Bovine ringworm, have posted on the EW too, she says it's painless. All her legs seem to be affected and the other horsse in the field had it too.

 

[kickandshout]

high clover content ??
please explain.