Small scabs on heel

[Lulalin]

My Horse (She's a native type and lives out during summer months) has developed some scabs on her heel on her front hoof, initially I thought that she'd just had a wort and knocked it however another one has appeared slightly higher up. I've been applying sudacreme however It hasn't had much effect. She's 19 years old and shares the feild with a flock of sheep, the field they are in was previously grazed by cows. She's a 14.2 Connemara type, she has 4 white socks and I have only noticed this happening since moving yards.
Thanks x

 

[Scatterbrain]

Have you checked her for ticks? They leave little scabs behind after sucking blood.

 

[Lulalin]

I'd never thought of that, thank you

 

[Tnavas]

Could be the start of Greasy heel, wash with Nizoral shampoo, it can be bought from the chemist. It contains Ketaconisol which knocks Greasy Heel, Mud Fever and Rain Scald on the head really fast.

 

[Gloi]

If her heels are itchy for some reason she could be biting them.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Are the scabs where the fur is thin, on the back of the pastern where the heel bulbs and the pastern form a crease? Are the scabs dark in colour with the hair through them? If 'yes' to both of these and given that your horse has white socks, do consider photosensitivity as the cause. I have found that with photosensitivity, it really is best to leave the scabs alone. Any fiddling, scab removal, washing or cream application made it worse. Things that have helped include getting rid of buttercups and stopping feeding alfalfa. Also applying suncream as a preventative measure.

 

[Tnavas]

This time of year you may have a lot of clover lurking as Faracat says photosensitisation can cause the scabs, if you can avoid grazing on grass with high levels of clover and also stop feeding any Lucerne (alfalfa) products.

 

[Nudibranch]

At this time of year I would be thinking photosensitivity - but if she is 19 and not suffered before, and as the weather isn't super sunny I would be considering heel mites (chorioptes). Especially since she's in with sheep and formerly cattle. My two have just been infected, having moved onto a different field recently. Vet can inject, then use pig oil and sulphur to prevent in future. Selenium sulphide shampoo (from Boots etc) is good for helping calm the skin and remove flakes, crusts, etc. I was convinced it must have been sun/clover/buttercups as one is a pink nosed piebald with 4 white legs, and one is a bay with 4 socks. But a skin scrape confirmed chorioptes.

 

[Lulalin]

Thank you, I'll give this a go!

 

[Lulalin]

At this time of year I would be thinking photosensitivity - but if she is 19 and not suffered before, and as the weather isn't super sunny I would be considering heel mites (chorioptes). Especially since she's in with sheep and formerly cattle. My two have just been infected, having moved onto a different field recently. Vet can inject, then use pig oil and sulphur to prevent in future. Selenium sulphide shampoo (from Boots etc) is good for helping calm the skin and remove flakes, crusts, etc. I was convinced it must have been sun/clover/buttercups as one is a pink nosed piebald with 4 white legs, and one is a bay with 4 socks. But a skin scrape confirmed chorioptes.

We've called the vet as they're going further up the leg but thank you everyone!

 

[Tnavas]

Sounds like it is certainly greasy heel or mudfever as its travelling - these two are initially fungal infections that spread just as mushrooms do by ejecting spores outwards.

Nizoral will clear this up really fast - usually with one good wash.
Dilute with hand hot water in just the same manner as if you were washing your hair. Work well into the hair and well beyond the existing perimeter of the infection. Leave for 10 mins then rinse. Allow to dry before putting on anything else, personally I don't add anything else.

 

[Lulalin]

Done this for the past couple of days, it's worked a treat! Thank you so much