Armchair vets needed: help with scratches

[Real_Rush]

A couple months ago I moved one of my mares over to a neighbor’s pasture because their old horse finally passed and they wanted another buddy for the remaining horse. A win-win situation for both of us. Now I’ve got a problem with scratches on my mare. What to do with a horse that has 4 high white legs, is out on pasture 24/7 (and I live in GA, so the constant summer humidity tends to create a very heavy morning dew), and the only water source is a large creek?

I go over and scrub her legs, but the constant source of moisture is making the effort almost worthless. Any suggestions? If I can’t come up with something to get rid of the scabbies and keep her legs somewhat dryer, I’m just going to have to bring her home. Hate to leave the other mare by herself, but gotta look out for my own horse’s well being first.

[IPEsq]

http://www.fenwickfarm.com/products/products.aspx?id=28

It’s basically Furazone and Desitin. The Desitin helps keep the medication on even in wet conditions. I’ve used this specific product forever, but many on COTH have mix your own recipes.

[crimsonsky]

i’ve found that by clipping the legs, washing/scrubbing with microtek shampoo, drying the legs and covering them in Corona ointment (or something of the sort - high lanolin content has been my best friend) solved my issue. i live in the PNW and it’s wet and muddy here so i get it. good luck!

[JB]

Increase the copper and zinc in the diet to help prevent future recurrences.

For the existing stuff, yes, stop washing. You can make a cheap mix of Desitin (40% zinc oxide, not 10), Neosporin ointment, and cortisone cream. All generics are fine. Mix, apply liberally, wipe (not wash!) before reapplying 2 times a day.

If the grass is tall, keep it mowed shorter - better for it anyway.

[fordtraktor]

I like the stuff that JB suggested above, but I like to spray with a Chlorhexadine solution before putting it on. you can also get a hibiclens shampoo from many pharmacies that is a chlorhex shampoo, or Nolvasan wash, same thing.

but for repeated applications, I like the spray. You don’t want to keep scrubbing off the new skin.

[SaratogaTB]

There is a product that can clear this up very quickly (about 2 days generally) called Equiderma lotion. You can google it and find their website, or, if you happen to live in Maryland it just started being carried there. PM me if you want details.

I find that using the lotion once or twice a week keeps it from coming back. This also works on “cannon crud” which my OTTB had for a while until my event coach turned me on to this.

[One_Two_Three]

The cocktail JB mentioned is a good one. My current favorite is athletes foot cream mixed with triple antibiotic ointment. Apply, and then smear diaper rash cream over top (helps repel moisture). Close to the same as JB’s, but I use athletes foot cream instead of cortisone cream.

Cleared up both cases of scratches I had in a couple days. Also, you can find all ingredients at the dollar tree or Walmart, so it’s a cheap fix.

[Equibrit]

All you need is Nolvasan cream.

[asterix]

I had a horse with four high white socks living out 24/7 and drinking from a creek every day. I did the chlorahex (or cortisoothe from my vet) shampoo, but like others said, not too often. Then the athlete’s foot, triple antibiotic, desitin mix. Reapply at least once a day.

[Ghazzu]

Nolvasan cream or generic gentamicin-betamethasone spray.

[chipper2128]

I wash with diluted chlorohexidine…just use a paper towel soaked in it and dab it on. Then I use Equiheal ointment. It stays on for several days before having to reapply. I have also used Equiderma Lotion as one of the other posters had mentioned. The Equiderma Lotion is great for just about any skin crud.

[purplnurpl]

I had some scratches I could not get rid of.
OMG.

I used those mixes suggested above. We are talking it went on for 2 months.

My friend told me that straight furazone works great.
I just hap haphazardly slapped it on my horse…
cleared up in 3-6 days.
Will work best if it’s wrapped–but no one has time for that BS. lol.

[Lori_T]

Hilton Herbs Mud Defender.
The supplement for chronic cases of scratches and rain rot.
The lotion for those isolated cases.

[lintesia]

[QUOTE=Equibrit;8150989]
All you need is Nolvasan cream.[/QUOTE]

Where can you get Nolvasan cream? I love this stuff but haven’t seen it available for years and years!

[Texarkana]

After years of battling scratches with horses in my care, I now take a more holistic approach.

Any/all of the suggestions above will work to clear up scratches, but the scratches will potentially keep recurring until you find the “real” problem making your horse susceptible. Healthy horses don’t get scratches for no reason, not even horses with white socks in tall, dewey grass. Maybe it’s the stress of being in a new location. Quite often it is a nutritional deficiency, imbalance, or intolerance. Sometimes it’s another underlying health issue. Address the issue and clearing up/preventing scratches will become a million times easier.

[yourcolorfuladdictio]

I’d suggest getting a couple sets of those horse sox thingies and waterproofing them and and rotating them to prevent a recurrence. I’d also suggest NOT clipping your mare’s legs, your horse’s long guard hairs are there to protect the sensitive pink skin from the elements and irritants. You might consider making baby powder your new friend if she’s is insistent about getting crud, think what they do for those big clydesdales to keep their white legs fungus free and furry!

[Lori_T]

[QUOTE=Texarkana;8151596]
After years of battling scratches with horses in my care, I now take a more holistic approach.

Any/all of the suggestions above will work to clear up scratches, but the scratches will potentially keep recurring until you find the “real” problem making your horse susceptible. Healthy horses don’t get scratches for no reason, not even horses with white socks in tall, dewey grass. Maybe it’s the stress of being in a new location. Quite often it is a nutritional deficiency, imbalance, or intolerance. Sometimes it’s another underlying health issue. Address the issue and clearing up/preventing scratches will become a million times easier.[/QUOTE]

Which is why Hilton Herbs came up with the Mud Defender supplement. It is the bacteria in the soil that is penetrating the skin. Most likely, there is an immunity issue that causes this bacteria to penetrate one horse and not another. The supplement is for the chronic cases that get it every year. When Hilary trialed the product in the US and UK, every horse on the trial saw an improvement, in that they either did not develop or if so, it was much milder.
I am seeing huge results with the lotion alone for all skin issues. It is shrinking my guy’s summer sore from hell and I have heard it works well on the crud on the front of the back legs. It is good for skin issues in dogs as well.

[Laurierace]

If it is photosensitivity all the goop in the world isn’t going to fix it so you need to rule that out first.

[Jeito]

[QUOTE=lintesia;8151462]
Where can you get Nolvasan cream? I love this stuff but haven’t seen it available for years and years![/QUOTE]

Google Chlorhexidine Ointment 2%

Scratches is caused by many various things, so different remedies will work depending on what’s going on. My 27 year old mare has lived in many different farms in different states with different environments. I’ve had her since she was 2, so that’s a lot of time together. She’s gone for years without scratches, and has twice had it so bad it would recur no matter what I used. The only thing that would permanently cure it was changing her environment - that is, moving her. I learned that by trial and error. I wouldn’t necessarily move a horse because of scratches. It just turns out that when I did move her it cleared up.

[Angela_Freda]

Another solution if you can have her in part time is to do a sauerkraut wrap. Just use the drained pulp, and a standing wrap over… that will get all the plaques off, then use the combo mentioned here to heal it and keep it from getting wet.

I also like to add on a pro/prebiotic, because IMO, as someone else mentioned something’s up that they are getting this in the first place… and at the very least it can’t hurt.