crusty scabs on two legs - not mud fever

[piebaldcob]

Hello,

My coloured traditional chunky cob has two crusty scabs on his front and back legs which appeared at first like dried crusty skin but has since turned sore and scabby.The vet looked at them recently and said it almost looked like mud fever but said that it wasn't. I have tried bathing with salt water and then applying vaseline, sudocream and purple spray (not all the same time). The scabs are not spreading but do not appear to be healing. Does anyone have any suggestions. One of them is behind the front leg while the other one is on the front of his back leg.

Many thanks

[Bay Horse]

Has he been stamping?

It does sound like mites to me.

[NoviceNic]

Pig oil and sulphur.......Dont try anything else until you have tried this....You can get it from your tack shop....:)

[*Grey Gelding*]

this may sound stupid haha.....but could it just be over-reaching? lol.
My friends horse used to over-reach a lot and would clip its front hoof with its hind, and create a sore both behind the front hoof and at the front of the back hoof.
Oh wait is it actually on your horses leg?? or just above the hooves??

[eventerbabe]

mites was my first incling. You can get an ivomectin-based injection from your vets to help. My cobby boy had a serise of 2 of these injections and they really helped. Wash the legs with Carr Cay&Martin lice killing wash then soften up the scabs with sudocreme.

[Mehitabel]

almost definitely mites. i wouldn't bother with topical creams etc, TBH, as if it is mites they will do nothing. frontline on the area often works, or the dectomax injection that eventerbabe mentions above.

[chunky monkey]

Do you have any pictures of this. I have a very similar sounding thing on mine. I saw the vet last week and he said he thought it was mange mites. Not actual mange though. He has suggested that I get some Ivomectin wormer. Can't remember how to spell it but its something like Equvalan, available from countrywide stores. I got some at the weekend. He told me to give him two syringes. As one just agrivates them, two doses should kill it but he did say he would get worse before he gets better. But reckoned it should improve in a couple of weeks.
He did also suggest front line lice and flee spray if the wormer didn't work. If neither helps then I would have to shave off all his feathers and use a mange shampoo. But not the one for cats and dogs as its toxic to horses.

I only gave the wormer on saturday so its too early to tell if its having any effect yet.

[Mehitabel]

yes, the mites are chorioptes mites, also known as chorioptic mange.

[demonbug]

Shapely's MTG is a sulfer based product no barn should be without when it comes to skin conditions.

[peas-in-a-pod]

my horse used to has the exact same problem and he is a hairy cob . i asked my vet about it and he gave him an injection which didnt seem to make any difference. i hav also tried all the creams and washes in the book but not with any success . i have learned just to live with it and when i am showing i cover it with talcom powder lol sounds weird but it works and it doesnt seem to effect him !!

[TaffyJay]

would definatly treat for mites dectomax injections and regular frontline. keep area as clean as possible so that infection doesnt set in and see if that helps. clipping the area i find helps too. Mine has had exact same problem but was ignored by previous owners and became a serious problem so keeping on top of it now is best, unfortunatly lots of heavy cob types tend to have this problem and vets seem to be undecided on how to treat! hope that helps:)

[Nickynoodles]

I have had the exact same problems as you - No one seems to have talked about it!!!:eek: My vet said it was Photosensitivity:

for photosensitivity you should not be drying it out with powders etc or applying any moisturiser, you need to be towel drying it then applying an anti bacterial cream. Make sure it's a cream and not a lotion! it needs to be totally absorbed into the skin. You will also need to keep the horse off the grass when it is dewy if at all possible. You could also try adding some extra oil to the feed, this will come through in the coat and will make the coat slightly more waterproof (not talking waxed here!) But it will help the horse to repel water more effectively.

Hope this helps a bit - it worked almost immediately for me;)