We may explore that option or similar. I admit I’m hesitant to go around poking his jugular though. But if that turns out to be the only way, that’s what we will do.
i kept a mustang in a corral that had a muddy waterflow going through about a third of it. He got scratches. I stopped the waterflow and eventually the scratches dried up. Couldn’t put anything topical on him because at that time i couldn’t get near his feet. Now, a year later, i have him in a half-mud (spring in the midwest) corral and am anticipating scratches again. These desert horses just seem to get it pretty easily in nasty muddy conditions. If it ever stops raining i’ll get into those corrals with a tractor and dig them out and put in a lot of rock and build them back up. Until then, i’m watchful with this guy. I’ll order some flowers of sulphur and have it onhand to mix w/mineral oil to apply if he succumbs.
Fair point! And an interesting theory as well with the friction helping remove the scabs, so they get air and make it harder for the bacteria to thrive AND make it easier for incidental silver contact to help
I honestly don’t know, sorry!
I hear you! A couple years ago I had stopped the cu/zn supplementation, and it wasn’t long before 2 of mine developed some bit of rain rot. The 19yo gelding had never had rr since he was a yearling, before I started cu/zn supplementation, and the 17yo mare had never had it since I got her a thin, under-nourished 3yo, so nobody could say that was just coincidental.
i just ordered neem oil, mineral oil and flowers of sulphur from Amazon. I’m ready for the scratches should they come. also have manuka honey on hand…has that ever been tried for scratches? or doesn’t it work for fungus…?
Scratches is rarely primarily fungal.
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right. i know. here is the rest of my question for reference:
I expect it’s been tried.
I generally try to avoid using topicals that cause debris to stick to the affected area, but you may have exhausted the non-gooey or sticky options.
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sulphur and mineral oil is what i’m planning on using next outbreak. The mineral oil, i suppose, is what you use to get the sulphur to stick on.
FYI I think California Trace polysaccharide copper is basically the exact same thing, and even a bit cheaper. (It’s what I use now 
)
Yes, most things are cheaper than Uckele LOL Uckele also adds some kelp to theirs, which makes the smell and flavor off-putting to a lot of horses. HorseTech cu/zn is also cheaper, without the kelp, same as the CT minerals.
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Probably not the same thing, but my Friesian x has feathers and can get moist shabby junk if not attended to. A friend said her vet recommended this concoction:
1 tube Monistat or other anti-fungal
1 tube Neosporin
1 tube hydrocortisone cream
1 tube Preparation H
Mix all together and apply on affected areas.
This worked for my horse. Now if her feathers get wet I use a blow dryer and Coat Defense powder. They haven’t come back.
Update on my guy!
My farrier has volunteered to come assist me with doing the IV abx. Vet clinic is getting the stuff together now and I’ll go pick up this afternoon hopefully.
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Update again
It took a bit to coordinate pickup of drugs and schedule of farrier, but we are on day 3 of 7 of the abx. It’s a lot; 45 mL.
Topically, I’m scrubbing with iodine 2X per day. I had 98% of the scabs off before starting the abx.
Now (day 3) I’m getting a lot of peeling skin on the affected areas. It’s interesting bc it’s not like scabs but very thin peelings and bc it hasn’t peeled like this before. At any rate, we think it’s a hopeful sign.
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My mare does not have white legs but she gets occasional scratches like stuff on her feet and legs. I just put her on the Uckele poly copper and poly zinc last Fall to see if it would make a difference. And she also gets sores on her legs when she gets up and down from sleeping. She only sleeps outside ( her idea) so more bedding won’t help. Having tall wet grass makes her skin wet and more fragile.
I just got the pasture mowed yesterday as it had gotten tall from last Fall when it was mowed last. I am curious to see if the copper and zinc help with this condition. She won’t eat a full dose of that stuff because it smells awful and I suppose tastes awful too. I mix it in her ground flax but she doesn’t get very much to eat because she is an air fern. It is a cheap experiment but I hope it helps with the $$$ spent on elasticon and Raplast all summer. The goal is prevention, not treatment.
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Which company are you using, and how much did you add?
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Uckele. I have her up to about 1/4 of the scoops inside the container. I think that is half a dose. I stopped feeding her supper until she loses some weight so I can’t give her another dose at night.
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Uckele is usually the worst, as they add kelp to the product, which smells and tastes awful
Horsetech, California Trace, Custom Equine Nutrition, none of them add things.
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Update on my chronic scratches boy. Sent him to a rehab facility while I was away. He had salt chamber and PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) therapy on alternating days. Daily turnout (both wet and dry conditions) with washing and drying when he came in along with a little desitin. After one week the scratches are gone. He had just finished a course of SMZs and dex before going to the facility, which had settled down the infection, but the scabs had turned dark and tight. As you said the scabs began slowing peeling off as they were healing and the tissue turned pink and healthy looking. He can’t live at the rehab facility indefinitely - NOW WHAT?!
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That’s super to hear his legs are all clean now! Yay!
I’m really unsure about what’s next! How do we prevent this mess from happening again?!?!
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I really don’t know what to do. I keep him at a boarding barn. I do have a small farm with a couple of retirees, but nowhere to ride. I’m afraid to take him back to the boarding barn, but he still has too much to offer to retire. HELP
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