Scabby knees

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RachelB

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The little coloured cob I'm looking after has scabby bits in her (copious amounts of) feathers, round the backs of her knees (where the knee creases). There are bits of old dead scabby skin in the ends of the feathers, and down near the skin, which is pink but not raw or sore, it's all white and flaky. Any suggestions as to what it could be? It doesn't bother her at all so I assume it isn't a problem, but reassurance and treatment advice if any would be greatly appreciated!
 
I've see n a few feathered horses with this kind of thing. When my dales pony had it I combed the backs of her knees with na flea comb to get all the scurf out then rubbed in E45 cream for a few days. Hers never came back. Is the cob stamping it's feet as well? If so it could be a mite infestation. I think in my pony's case it was just a build up of dead scurfy skin.
 
jojoba - she stamps her back feet (one in particular) but not her fronts. I can't find any scabs on her back feet at all. The other feathered cob she lives with also stamps his back feet and scratches them on eachother, but I haven't thought of checking his legs to see if they're scabby too. I'll see if I can clean them off. I don't have any E45 but I do have some Sudocrem, do you think that'd work (I have no idea what they both are though lol)?
 
Hi Silmarillion!

Stamping the feet is a classic sign of mites. I'm pretty sure you need to clip off the feathers and a vet to prescribe a wash for them to clear it. If you have a nice vet I would ask for telephone advice. I used the E45 because it's water soluble so easier after the fact. I think sudocrem might be a bit heavy. Holly needed moisturising more than anything. So E45 or Diprobase would be best. You can get both in bargain sizes from the pharmacy. But of course if it is mites the moisturising won't work.

Good luck

Jo x
 
for mites,buy frontline flea spray in a pump bottle and treat once then two weeks later.you may have to clip some feather off to get at the skin.
buy it from the vets and say it is for dog cos its not licenced for equine use.
my mare used to stamp her back feet when i first got her and since treating with this has never done it since.
 
[ QUOTE ]
for mites,buy frontline flea spray in a pump bottle and treat once then two weeks later.you may have to clip some feather off to get at the skin.
buy it from the vets and say it is for dog cos its not licenced for equine use.
my mare used to stamp her back feet when i first got her and since treating with this has never done it since.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's handy info!
 
Hi
I have a very hairy cob with the same problem. She doesn't stamp her feet but has the scabs at the back of her knees. I have cut her feathers off and the hair on her knees. Tries hibby scub but it made the skin bleed, also been putting on sudocrem but no improvement. Thought it might be fungle, then she had to go on antibiotics for something entirly separate and yes, the scabs dropped and the skin started healing. Although it doesn't seem but be causing her any pain I will be inclined to get the vet out if it becomes bad again.
 
Thanks everyone, owner is coming back at the weekend so I'll advise her to get some E45 cream and we'll try that before any drastic feather-chopping commences!
smile.gif
 
i keep my cobs feathers clipped.after they are done i put baby oil on to maintain waterproofness for a few days untill the hair grows a little.
never have any probs.
 
Hiya I have just recently received en e-mail from Virkon manufacturers. I have a mare with a skin problem atm. i am enclosing a quote from the e-mail cos it might be of help.

Hi Lel - just buy which ever packaging of it you want - or more to the point - the quantity that you want. It is recommended that you use it as a shampoo and rub it well in, and then rinse it off after 10 minutes.. However having given you the manufacturers recommendations - lots of people find that having got the condition under control they can then use it as a topical application and don't bother with the rinsing - really depends whether you detect your horse's skin reacting to it. Some horses do - but it is very uncommon. Whichever packaging you go for it will need to be made up to a 1% solution (10gm in 1lt) or 5gm in 500ml. The thing about Virkon is that it will kill what ever is causing the problem. Often these situations arise because something damages the skin to start with - mechanical such as wire, brambles, bites (insect etc), and the skin has to repair this, and before it has managed this job a bacterial or viral infection sets in - causing further skin abuse. Virkon will rid the area of viral, fungal and bacterial problems, leaving the skin to repair itself from the initial damage.
Also great on mud fever and rain scald. We have certainly heard some spectacular stories about its use to sort out problems that the vets had not found an answer to. I would suggest that you use it once or twice a day - really it is a case of following your instinct and doing what you can with the time you have available! Good Luck, and do keep me posted with how you get on.

Sue
www.sphsupplies.co.uk
01869 323995

Superior Pet Health, Direct to Your Door

Once you have killed the mites, perhaps a quick wash with the Virkon will sort out anything else underlying. Love Lel
 
I use Virkon aswell- it clears up any mudfever/ cracked heels really well and a sachet is cheap! Its also worked on a ringworm infection as i used it to wash rugs/numnahs/brushes etc.
 
If you send me a PM I will send you a very long PM back about how to look after hairy horses' legs with pig oil and sulphur - where to get it, how to apply it and other tips to have a gypsy or heavy horse with healthy legs and wonderful long feather.

No need to clip out unless sores are really bad, ie bleeding and infected.
 
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