Scabby horse - getting desperate!

Troggy

Troggy

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4 February 2003
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Hi all,

About 18 months ago, Toffee developed some scabs on the left side of her face, which the vet originally assumed were fly bites when she was out for something else. A few weeks later they were still there, so we tried some cream (can't remember what it was now) and this didn't work. The scabs then increased and spread but always only on the left side of her body, with a few on her shoulders. She went into the vets to have some biopsies taken, which weren't conclusive but it was decided to try steroids. These were injected at a low dose around each scab, and initially cleared up. However not long afterwards, they came back, and were even more of them. The vet was reluctant to give more steroids due to laminitis risk and she was referred to a dermatology expert for further tests and biopsies. This found that she had a hyper sensitive reaction to something, possibly harvest mites, but couldn't be definite, and to try a steroid spray. This seemed to keep on top of them, coming up to now, however she now appears to have even more, along her back, shoulder, leg and rump, all on the left side. Within the last few weeks, she has moved yards, which I thought might help, but if anything, they have increased. Also have tried various supplements and feed changes but nothing has helped.

She seems happy in herself, however she still hasn't completely shed her winter coat and is slightly over weight, although on very restricted grazing.
When the lumps are forming they don't seem to bother her, but they get a bit itchy once they are scabs.

Does anyone have any ideas that I can try before it's back to the vet? Insurance claim used up...

Sorry for long one!
 
While she has been scabby she has been on th following:
Happy Hoof
Speedibeet
Lo-Cal
Fast Fibre (currently on)

And the following supplements
Extraflex
Superflex (currently on)
Itch Free
Feedmark C-Plus (just started)
Feedmark Veteranaid

I'm pretty sure it's not feed linked but willing to try others. She's never had laminitis (touch wood) but treated as so she has as very good do-er

thanks :)
 
Sorry I should have also added, we thought rainscald and tried every single anti fungal shampoo and cream available (over winter at this point, which wasn't fun, had to use hair dryer to dry her!!) and nothing worked.
They start off like lumps under the skin, then go scabby, but seem to bleed rather than be pus if picked.
Thanks for your help so far:)
 
ok, so not fungal or infection type thing then,
I was thinking maybe some sort of Alfalfa intollerance but as she is now on FF and still happening kinda rules out.

How about common things - try and think about when this happens or flares up, is it temperature, dry or wet weather, does she wear a mask or snuggy hud etc, you see what I am getting at. :)
 
Ask your vet to test for phemphigus. Stress can make it worse and it would explain why the steroids helped.
 
is she the chestnut?
my chestnut welshie can be a prone to random scabbiness in odd places and at odd times, skin scraped and nothing came back. I think sometimes they are caused by fly bites, sometimes from him getting too warm.

They start as small lumps under the skin then develop a crust that sometimes is a bit yellow and then I pick them off, though never pussy, they are hard to see sometimes I do make sure I regularly run my hands over him.

I actually think he is a bit sensitive and tends to get a low grade bacterial infection triggered by fly bites/sweat/scratches.. he gets them on his legs but only if we have been hunting through rough stuff that sets him off.

Sometimes they are super itchy for him, other times they arent! If I leave them completeyl alone they do spread, if I catch them early when I can only feel not really see them they go away pretty quick!

I keep him clipped as much as possible, he is now 18 so doesn't loose his coat that well for summer anyway.

From trial and error the best thing to put on them with him is sudocreme with some sulphur powder mixed in :) I would definitely suggest trying it with your girl.
 
Thank you! Funnily enough she is chestnut, and part Welsh! She's also 21 which is what I put the slowing moulting down too. Will definitely try the Sudocrem mixture, your pony's scabs do sound similar, thank you :)
 
fatpiggy said:
Ask your vet to test for phemphigus. Stress can make it worse and it would explain why the steroids helped.
Click to expand...

This was the skin specialists first thought, she was convinced it would be, but she tested negative for this, which is good but at the same time frustrating!
 
aimeetb said:
ok, so not fungal or infection type thing then,
I was thinking maybe some sort of Alfalfa intollerance but as she is now on FF and still happening kinda rules out.

How about common things - try and think about when this happens or flares up, is it temperature, dry or wet weather, does she wear a mask or snuggy hud etc, you see what I am getting at. :)
Click to expand...

It's been pretty consistant over the year although worse in spring and autumn, she did have a mask on but she rubs her head which makes the scabs sore. Did consider a Boett type rug butnshe hates wearing rugs:confused:
 
I thought she looked a bit welsh ;). Chestnuts do seem to be very prone to being sensitive skinned, there are lots on here anyway!

It seems to have worked really well this year I clipped frank about 4 weeks ago, when all but his butt had moulted and he now just looks like he has a proper summer coat.

The only trouble with the mix is he ends up with fluorescent yellow spots for a bit!
 
Are there many buttercups where she grazed?

My Perlino has a buttercup allergy that sounds similar to your horses problem :confused:
 
It might be worth asking for a retest though - I recently heard of a horse that until very recently was in a wretched state with skin problems and its temperature going up and down. The first test was negative but it has now been confirmed as pemphigus.
 
I had this problem with my boy quite a few years ago. Tried cattle wash and steroid creams and injections which helped but I didn't like the idea of being on steroids for evermore. Like you had moved yards in the middle of it, made no difference.

I tried all sorts of preparations no change. In the end someone suggested Naff Detox. I was very sceptible (can't spell), cleared it up inside a month and never returned.

He had had the scabs for about 18 months. Never found out what caused them.

Hope you find a cure soon.

Jane
 
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