scabby legs and ringworm!!!!! photos

[TaffyJay]

Ive got a heavy weight cob who is doing a pretty good job at baffling the vets!!!! He has got a greasy heel type condition which he had when i bought him, thinking i could treat it and manage him but it had got so bad by the time i bought him he had growths on both hocks of rock hard scabs!!!:(

I have had various vet opinions from mite damage to mudfever. and tried everything possible including mite vaccinations, frontline, malasab shampoo, hibbiscrub varied creams and the list goes on!!!! nothing has worked and his leg eventually got infected so skin biobsys were taken, skin scrapings and hair samples which came bk normal!!!:confused:

However after christmas he had more done which showed he had ringworm-no typical leisions and did not spread anywhere else! totally disenfected yard and treated all three horses to my horror 6 weeks later tests show he still has it even though i did everything by the book!!!!:mad: so more shampooing and disenfecting.

My poor boy is now being referred to a skin specialist (at last:) had to take these photos earlier so thought i would share them with the new rider lot!!! i know greasy heel and similar conditions are common in heavy breeds but i really need to find something that clears my poor boys legs up!!!! hope the specialist can help:(


my boy
http://www.newrider.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27063&stc=1&d=1177095466

Back of his front leg
http://www.newrider.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27060&stc=1&d=1177095508

Back hock
http://www.newrider.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27061&stc=1&d=1177095508

other hock
http://www.newrider.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27062&stc=1&d=1177095508

Hope you enjoyed my gruesome pictures and keep your fingers crossed for my boy!!!!

[magicalmac]

I have a very old veterinary book and they have a section on grease. Apparently common in heavyweight horses bred from draft mares.It says a cause can be to much food in relationto exercise and follows attacks of lymphangitis.The treatment suggested is cut out all food especially nuts and linseed feed only good hay and get the horse into regular work. If infection is present an antibiotic spray containing chloramphenicol and gentian violet is the best dressing. To prevent reoccurence feed strictly to work done and never keep horse standing idle in a stable for long. Any help?

[TaffyJay]

thanks for the reply antibiotic spray might help but he is not getting any hard feed and is in work but does get worse when stabled over night during winter so that makes sense! its just so frustrating that whatever i do it does not get better and the vets arent sure what treatment can help!!!! really starting to get to me because in all other respects he is a happy healthy horse and is an absolute gentelan!:( feel so sorry for him as he has got to the point that he really doesnt want his legs messed with!!!

[magicalmac]

Heavy breeds are not something I know much about but I do find my little vet book is a real bible it covers everything . sometimes the remedies are a little old fashioned but if often sets me on the right path to take towards a course of action.

[TaffyJay]

This is the first heavy horse i have owned so its all new to me, most people have never seen this problem to such a degree!!!! really should not have bought him but it was love at 1st sight and he has regained my confidence after a bad fall off my other horse so cant fault him really. just hope the specialist can help as this has been going on since i bought him a year ago if not im willing to try any remedy possible!!!! annoying thing is that owners told me that they just put sudocrem on if it got bad and scabs came away (i think not) and vet at vetting said as long as they are keep clean they should clear up (wrong again):mad:

[magicalmac]

That interesting about the sudocrem as my book says never treat GREASE with a product containing grease, dont know if sudocrem does or not. Sounds to me as though the original owners didnt try to hard so maybe infection has got a good hold and thats way its being so stubborn to clear. Do post when youve heard from the specialist it would be interesting to know their thoughts.

[TaffyJay]

Definatly agree with you that his old owners didnt do much to treat it, dont get me wrong they really seemed to care about him but they had quite a few so think he got turned out in the field and forgotten about for quite some time!!! will definatly let you know when i have news off the specialist and thanks again for the reply:)

[NoviceNic]

The sudocreme doesnt get rid of it...it softens the scabs up and then I would imagine the owners picked or scrubbed it off. Possibly why he is so grumpy when you go near his legs....Scabs are very painful when picked off.

Have to say that is very nasty on his legs and no wonder he is not letting you touch his legs...Initially Captain just had the scabs and grease on his heels but now it has spread to behind his front knee. And is getting worse.

Have you tried Heel to Hood Barrier creme?? This will definately soften the scabs encouraging them to drop off?? How long is it before you can arrange the for the specialist to have a look at them?? Please keep us updated...

[TaffyJay]

Stopped using the sudocrem as was just making legs gunky, barrier cream works on front legs but not the scabby growths as scabs are so big nothing works through them enough to soften them up:(

Dropped photos to vet earlier and she is going to send them off plus case history and all results from tests monday so hopefully it wont be long as they are getting worse by the day and the ringworm will persist if i cant remove the scabs. hope your having better luck with captain, have you tried the oil yet?