What on earth is this??

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SillySausage

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A bit of background. This is my only horse, he is 20 and retired with old arthriticky hocks. Never *touch wood* had any other problems.

He has NEVER had mud fever. This year.... mega bad! He was turned out 24/7 when first retired in August, he then came up with horrendous mud fever around September. He was bought in (overnight to start with then 24/7 when it wasn't shifting) and I tried muddy marvels mud fever kit, vaseline, sudocream and pink steroid cream (can't remember the name!) from the vet. 6 weeks later it had cleared up, we moved yards and I turned him out again.

He was out for a grand total of 4 days (every other day turn out); barrier cream when out and legs washed/towel dried when in. His mud fever flared up again and I decided it just wasn't worth him being out with the fields as they are (he is walkered every day and my plan was to get back on him just to walk out every day tomorrow - typical). He has his legs checked every day and a steroid cream (mixed with E45 cream) from the vets here which I still believe is the only reason it cleared up initially.

Fast forward to a week or so ago. I had to travel home for a few days for a hospital appointment (he was still in 24/7), I come back and take his magnetic wraps off in the morning and his leg is huge. Feel over his legs and his fetlock is like one massive scab. Have been hibiscrubbing, picking scabs and creaming up.

Spoke to someone who said it would be a good idea to put gamgee wraps underneath his magnetic wraps as magnets might have been slowing the healing down. Started doing this last night and this evening his legs are absolutely awful :( Scabs came off easy, but so too has his top layer of skin. Have added photos below for you to see them - clipped his legs out from half way down his cannon bone to the bottom to ensure I could keep on top of scabs so excuse dodgy looking hair! :

SCABS2_zpsf827baf4.jpg

SCABS1_zpsd1b84876.jpg


I'm now really at a loss as to whether this is more than just mud fever. I have left his wraps off tonight just in case, but I have used bandages for years (including on him) and never had an issue. I don't think they were too tight, I double checked before leaving. I did wonder ringworm but the scabs are also purely isolated to his lower hind legs.

I'm totally devestated, I already feel like the boy has the most boring life at the moment not getting to go out, I plan somebody to get back on him (I have broken fingers!) and then this happens.... Help :( !!
 
Looks like cellulitis would suggest dry turnout- school etc and keep him moving a bit may be age related circulation issues? I'm sure someone more intelligent will be along shortly with an answer!
 
Are the scabs kind of oozing? It's just a friend of mine has had some very similar looking scabs come up on her cob mare, also under magnetic boots.

She doesn't normally have mud fever, and has just had a couple of scabs come up on each front leg. They swelled up into a lump then broke out into scab hat was oozing within a few days.

I did have a TB mare with something similar several years ago, I treated as for mud fever, as that's what it looked like and tried everything Under then sun but nothing would shift it. Vet told me it was most likely mites (even on unhairy TB legs) and said to do a 5 day panacur guard. I did and her leg cleared entirely within a couple of weeks. Not saying its that, but may be worth investigating?
 
With the steroid cream it's not for continous use. That and hibiscrub in conjunction may actually be burning his skin. It's brilliant stuff but very strong.
I'd stop throwing lots at him and let him heal a bit with air, not bandages. I'd probably be getting a vet in though
 
SillySausage said:
A bit of background. This is my only horse, he is 20 and retired with old arthriticky hocks. Never *touch wood* had any other problems.

He has NEVER had mud fever. This year.... mega bad! He was turned out 24/7 when first retired in August, he then came up with horrendous mud fever around September. He was bought in (overnight to start with then 24/7 when it wasn't shifting) and I tried muddy marvels mud fever kit, vaseline, sudocream and pink steroid cream (can't remember the name!) from the vet. 6 weeks later it had cleared up, we moved yards and I turned him out again.

He was out for a grand total of 4 days (every other day turn out); barrier cream when out and legs washed/towel dried when in. His mud fever flared up again and I decided it just wasn't worth him being out with the fields as they are (he is walkered every day and my plan was to get back on him just to walk out every day tomorrow - typical). He has his legs checked every day and a steroid cream (mixed with E45 cream) from the vets here which I still believe is the only reason it cleared up initially.

Fast forward to a week or so ago. I had to travel home for a few days for a hospital appointment (he was still in 24/7), I come back and take his magnetic wraps off in the morning and his leg is huge. Feel over his legs and his fetlock is like one massive scab. Have been hibiscrubbing, picking scabs and creaming up.

Spoke to someone who said it would be a good idea to put gamgee wraps underneath his magnetic wraps as magnets might have been slowing the healing down. Started doing this last night and this evening his legs are absolutely awful :( Scabs came off easy, but so too has his top layer of skin. Have added photos below for you to see them - clipped his legs out from half way down his cannon bone to the bottom to ensure I could keep on top of scabs so excuse dodgy looking hair! :

SCABS2_zpsf827baf4.jpg

SCABS1_zpsd1b84876.jpg


I'm now really at a loss as to whether this is more than just mud fever. I have left his wraps off tonight just in case, but I have used bandages for years (including on him) and never had an issue. I don't think they were too tight, I double checked before leaving. I did wonder ringworm but the scabs are also purely isolated to his lower hind legs.

I'm totally devestated, I already feel like the boy has the most boring life at the moment not getting to go out, I plan somebody to get back on him (I have broken fingers!) and then this happens.... Help :( !!
Click to expand...

I think if it were me I would get the vet to do a skin scrape.

I just did on on my donkey would looks like this
diamond002_zps6b861408.jpg
 
widget said:
Looks like cellulitis would suggest dry turnout- school etc and keep him moving a bit may be age related circulation issues? I'm sure someone more intelligent will be along shortly with an answer!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately dry turnout isn't a possibility, flooding is horrendous here. There is a 'loose school' so maybe I will let him have a potter around in there as well as going on the walker (which he loves!)
 
Abbeygale said:
Are the scabs kind of oozing? It's just a friend of mine has had some very similar looking scabs come up on her cob mare, also under magnetic boots.

She doesn't normally have mud fever, and has just had a couple of scabs come up on each front leg. They swelled up into a lump then broke out into scab hat was oozing within a few days.

I did have a TB mare with something similar several years ago, I treated as for mud fever, as that's what it looked like and tried everything Under then sun but nothing would shift it. Vet told me it was most likely mites (even on unhairy TB legs) and said to do a 5 day panacur guard. I did and her leg cleared entirely within a couple of weeks. Not saying its that, but may be worth investigating?
Click to expand...

No not oozing... A little bit of liquid when they came off but no pus etc.
 
PandorasJar said:
With the steroid cream it's not for continous use. That and hibiscrub in conjunction may actually be burning his skin. It's brilliant stuff but very strong.
I'd stop throwing lots at him and let him heal a bit with air, not bandages. I'd probably be getting a vet in though
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't make myself very clear. I don't hibiscrub every day as I read on here that it is quite aggressive. I massage the cream in about every other day, perhaps this is too much :/
 
My OH (the Guru-es!) says that she too thinks that it could be cellulitis, as it often follows mud fever. She also says that that she thinks that it needs antibiotics, in some form, NOT steroid cream, and DON'T bandage.

Me? I really don't think that it's mud fever, it's weeping, and in your shoes, I'd apply A/Bs, specifically Oxytetracyclin (Aerosol/Purple spray ;)), and give it a chance to dry up. Oxytet tends to dehydrate the surface, when applied. It's brilliant stuff!

I most certainly wouldn't apply any permanent dressing, or bandaging, without professional advice. It will be interesting to hear what your vet says.

Alec.
 
I_shot_Santa said:
My OH (the Guru-es!) says that she too thinks that it could be cellulitis, as it often follows mud fever. She also says that that she thinks that it needs antibiotics, in some form, NOT steroid cream, and DON'T bandage.

Me? I really don't think that it's mud fever, it's weeping, and in your shoes, I'd apply A/Bs, specifically Oxytetracyclin (Aerosol/Purple spray ;)), and give it a chance to dry up. Oxytet tends to dehydrate the surface, when applied. It's brilliant stuff!

I most certainly wouldn't apply any permanent dressing, or bandaging, without professional advice. It will be interesting to hear what your vet says.

Alec.
Click to expand...

Thank you Alec. He is without any form of bandages/wraps tonight as I guessed they may be negatively affecting them.

Will give the vets a ring in the morning once I see how they look having been to air tonight. Looks like this could be a VERY expensive christmas :(
 
Have been to the yard and washed all of the cream off his legs, dried them and left him in a big straw bed. Will be taking him to the vets first thing in the morning.

He's letting me touch them and they're not unusually swollen so fingers crossed it's not as serious as it looks...
 
I would get the vet to assess and also take blood to check for Cushing's.

Is he on any molassed feeds or anything with a combined sugar and starch level over 10%?

Is he getting adequate zinc in his diet (it commonly comes up short in UK grazing).

I'm not keen on straw with horses with skin conditions to the legs.....but that's just me ;)
 
people often forget that mud fever is a bacterial infection and all brushes,clipper blades, wraps and bandages need to be disinfected after a bout of mud fever, also the skin can get very fragile with all the scrubbing and rubbing we do as soon as we see any scabs- so i think its very wise to give the legs a break and just keep them dry,:) if that doesnt help in a day or 2 id get the vet:)
 
OberBaubles said:
I would get the vet to assess and also take blood to check for Cushing's.

Is he on any molassed feeds or anything with a combined sugar and starch level over 10%?

Is he getting adequate zinc in his diet (it commonly comes up short in UK grazing).

I'm not keen on straw with horses with skin conditions to the legs.....but that's just me ;)
Click to expand...

All he gets is a scoop of alfa twice a day.

I have been considering changing him to shavings, but the yard have just given me a brand new bale so he's just ended up in that :)

Took him to the vets this morning and she thinks it's just really bad mud fever, with a secondary infection and very mild cellulitis.

He's now on trimed and bute for 5 days, got to ring and send email with pictures to vet on Monday to see how he is progressing. Today he had to have lots of steroid cream with cling film and bandages on, then nothing to let them settle.

Thanks everyone for your help!
 
Only seen this this evening but we had 2 horses at our yard with mud fever that presented like that on their both legs - some of the scabs were high up like yours - both of them very fine (Arab and a TB) and skin under hair went very pink, scabs and some oozing from them. The older one has had to have antibiotics to try and help. They've both struggled to get it cleared up as just re-flares if turned out for many days. Hope yours improves soon. I've got a native cob cross with thick hair and good feathers and he never had mud fever significantly until this year - dreadful year for it :(
 
Looks similar to these hot spots:
IMAG0826.jpg


I used vet powder or athletes foot powder and they were dried up in 2 days. I also used ABs, Synolux in case it was a recurring skin infection. Have to add thisis my dog! The spots look really similar to your horse, tho!
 
Had something similar on my horse. A blood test showed up a liver problem which once medicated the scabs healed with sudocream cling film and bandages!!
 
My TB had sores like those when he suffered a bad case of mud fever. After I bathed and got most of the extensive scabs off, the hair came off and left sores like that. It was a really wet year and I'd been having lessons in an arena with a sand surface. The worst scabs appeared where the wet sand had splashed onto his legs, like front of his hind cannon bones, front of his gaskins and even some patches on his belly. Vet had a look and agreed it was mud fever but didn't require antibiotics unless it got more out of control.
I tried everything, but finally the method that worked was, I didn't wet the scabs at all. I covered them on an evening with udder cream, then picked them off in the morning when they had softened. Of course, I had to keep him in until it was under control.
I agree with Oberbaubles that there is a good possibility of Cushings - skin problems are one of the signs unfortunately :(
 
I thought you couldn't use manetic wraps on wounds which is basically what mud fever is as the magnets draw more blood to the area thus casusing more scabs etc, if it doesnt clear up with antibiotics and normal mud fever i would get ur vet to investigate further, only speaking from experiance my horse had 'mudfever' the vet didnt realised the severity it was actually cellulitis and due to improper diagnosis turned into vasculitis resulting in liver problems, dont want to be the bringer of doom but if mudfever carries on too long then the body will be affected, especially in and older horse (mine is only 5) and he had problems! Try liquid paraffin to soften scabs and also just plain old vaseline/petroleum jelly if you are turning out!
 
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