Vasculitis - Immune mediated - scabby legs due to sunlight

[karenfordyce57]

My 8year old arab mare has just come back from vet college at Potters Bar after referral to investigate scabby legs. The diagnosis is immune mediated vasculitis probably triggered by sunlight. Vet has advised an intensive course of steroids combined with another drug from America for 3 months to clear scabs. He then hopes horse will be managed by stabling in day. I am worried as 6 months of steroids have already made my mare thin, loss of muscle tone and now bald patches appearing randomly on coat. Or maybe bald patches a symptom of the disorder?

Has anyone had experience of this condition? Could there be an alternative treatment i.e. anti bacterial cream or similar?

 

[Hippona]

I only know that in humans vasculitis is an inflammatory problem - hence the steroids to calm down the inflammation.

Antibiotic cream wont help the vascultis itself, unless there is a secondary bacterial infection superimposed....

Personally, if it were my horse I would go with the steroids ....you can always work on her condition and muscle tone when the vasculitis is sorted out.

Good luck....blimmin' horses eh?

 

[MontyandZoom]

My friend's pony has this and I have to agree and go with the steroids for now. He got massive scepticaemia from a secondary infection and was really ill so it def needs clearing up.

Now he is managed by wearing 'socks' in the field in summer and it hasn't flared up.

 

[JLD]

my boy had this last year after nasty fly bite- it is immune mediated and causes inflammation of the blood vessels, which then get leaky and leak fluid (and can bleed easily) into tissue and organs. steroids decrease the inflammation and risks of the illness. mine swelled up massively anywhere there was gravity - legs sheath belly nose and got anaemic and was really sick for a week or so but the steroids really helped and he was fine within 6 weeks.