Actually more than irritation: it straight up burned the hair right off my horse’s hind legs. I noticed a few days ago that he was getting the gelding crud, so I put a bit of Fungasol ointment on both legs. Somehow, it is now100x worse and the hair is just gone in spots. Now both legs look like the worst rain rot I have ever seen 
So mad at myself for doing this to him. I washed his legs yesterday with Microtek shampoo and put some microtek gel on his legs. What else can I do? I also started him on SMZ because I am worried about cellulitis now too.
I’ve had this happen with Microtek spray after using it for years - scalded the flank and you could see exactly where it had dripped down the skin.
I put on scratches ointment usually since it’s pretty soothing and protective - equal parts zinc oxide, hydrocortisone, triple antibiotic ointment, and an anti-fungal ointment.
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Me, too, with Microtek. I will never use any of their products again.
I’d wash any product off, allow it to dry, and apply a barrier cream like Desitin instead. It will provide moisture, protection and UV blocking protection too.
I think it’s really important to make sure the area has been thoroughly cleaned, and treated before adding any ointment or cream as they all act like a barrier of some kind. Sounds like the ick may have been trapped under the ointment, which may have contributed.
Also, Fungasol contains Tea Tree Oil which is very caustic, and it can burn! Even with a carrier oil or in an ointment or cream. I would highly suggest taking it out of your medicine cabinet both in the barn and in your home.
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So what can we use if not Microtek and Fungasol? I hate hate hate MTG please don’t say that 
I’m really at wit’s end here because every. single. time. that I have tried to clean up the funk it has somehow made it worse. Two different times washing with Microtek shampoo resulted in cellulitis.
His legs are hot to the touch now so I guess we’re headed back down that path again
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I like Equiderma skin lotion.
Ooo, I have Equiderma, forgot about that one!
I’ve had good luck with Malasab shampoo for cannon crud. Wash, let the suds sit for 10 mins, rinse thoroughly, dry with towel. Once every other week or so keeps my gelding’s cannon crud at 0. YMMV
*less effective on his chronic scratches but that’s another ball of wax
I wouldn’t put anything on it now. Wait until it isn’t so raw.
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I’d put some Destin (diaper crème) or something to protect and sooth the skin if raw.
I second Equiderma. It works great, I haven’t had any issues with skin irritation with it.
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I’ve had good luck with the Hilton Herbs Mud Defender lotion. It’s a bit pricey, but it has been gentle and effective on a mild case of scabbiness on the lower hind legs.
The other thing that I’ve used if the scabs are mostly healing and the skin just needs protection is either Corona ointment, A&D ointment or Aloe Heal. These are emollient and provide a barrier against further irritation.
The vet is coming out as I wanted him to look at how the unrelated wound on his front leg is healing. (I have been dealing with that for 6+ weeks already - omg. I was thinking about Desitin on the raw areas because I’ve been using that to keep the front ankle soft too. Sigh. I’m tired.
I squirt betadine on the hind legs, let it sit maybe 10 minutes, add water and curry it off. I then rinse it off. Hope this helps.
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Do you have fly leggings on his back legs? I’ve found that those do more than just protect against flies. They also protect the legs from dewy grass and weeds that can irritate the skin. I haven’t had irritated legs since I started using the leggings.
I also agree with others that Desitin and Malaseb shampoo are good to use. I also like Biozide gel, which is basically betadine in gel form.
Interesting about the dewy grass/weeds - when the vet came out he said that my gelding’s legs are blistered, and the vet also suggested it could be from high grass.
BUT it can’t be from that, I am certain it is from the fungasol because I have had this guy on reduced turnout in a manicured paddock for a while now because of the forever-to-heal wound on his front ankle.
He’s on doxycycline now because of the cellulitis - his legs are very weepy 
At least the vet said the front ankle is looking ok and said the hind legs should heal soon. I’m going to be right back to being afraid to even TOUCH his hind legs after this as it seems just about everything sets them off in a weird way.
I have used Equate ( wal-mart brand) Athletes foot cream with excellent results.
Yes, the Fungasol caused the blistering. But, you put Fungasol on his legs because they had some kind of crud on them, and the crud may have been caused by moist grass, weeds, urine splashes, etc. I’m only suggesting that fly leggings may help prevent whatever caused the original problem. One of my horses gets cruddy back legs even though his pasture grass is short, and I’m not sure whether he’s sensitive to something in the pasture or if he pees on his legs or if it’s something else entirely. I only know he doesn’t have this problem when he’s wearing his leggings. It’s a relatively cheap thing to try–won’t hurt, might help. And even if leggings don’t prevent the crud they will at least keep the flies off his legs.
I’ve also had chlorhexidine burn the snot out of them, so the equiderma stuff isn’t a sure thing, either.
If “gelding crud” is just cannon keratosis, it doesn’t need much more than regular currying.
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I had a horse react like cellulitis (except no fever) after a scrub and joint injections. The vets are now too nervous to use chlorhexidine scrub for this horse to prep for injections because of that reaction and just use betadine. This is the same horse that tolerated MicroTek spray for years until one day, he didn’t.
Because of the horse I mention, I pretty much just leave legs alone except for clipping long fetlock hairs. I don’t clip, scrub/shampoo, or heavily treat anything, even scratches. I’ll spray some alushield on scrapes and dry wounds and any “funk” gets treated with the scratches ointment I mentioned above.
I have the same experience. Cannon keratosis is simply a build up of excess skin cells and oils. The currying frees the excess skin cells, allowing them to be brushed off. If there’s a build up it can take a few days to clear down to healthy skin. After that a quick curry at every grooming is enough to stop it building up again.
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