Hi, do you think thèse are scratches? I have this only on hind heels of both my white legged horses, they came out on summer and thé scabs are really tough to get rid of. Tia
This looks more like photosensitivity than traditional scratches, especially since it’s only affecting your white legged horses.
Coming from someone who owns a bald faced mare with big white socks on all 4, I’d be doing this:
- Cleansing thoroughly using a gentle, grease cutting soap like Castille soap. Do not forcibly remove the scabs, do not scrub them off. Let them fall off on their own.
- Treat using a properly mixed chlorhexidine solution.
- Let dry completely in a clean area, either tied or in fresh bedding.
- Once completely dry, cover the area in Desitin Extra Strength, or A+D with Dimethicone + Zinc Oxide.
- Canvas your paddocks and pastures. Look for weeds that can contribute to photosensitivity and cellulitis, like Buttercup.
- Clean all your boots and wraps. Use scalding hot water, and leave to dry where they will dry quickly. Bleach what you can.
- Keep them out of the dewy morning grass if you can. If you’re unable, you’ll need to create a barrier between that moisture and the horse’s skin. I use A+D with Dimethicone and Zinc Oxide daily when my horse is turned out to avoid sunburns mostly, but saw a huge decrease in cannon crud, and dew poisoning as well.
Repeat steps 1-4 every 2-3 days, but reapply the barrier ointment every 12-24 hours to maintain the barrier. If you can’t reapply that often, you’ll need to reclean, treat and let it dry fully each time. You don’t want to seal in bacteria by accident.
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that looks 100% like scratches, especially since it’s on pink skin, and especially since it’s limited to that area.
I’ve never seen photosensitivity limit itself to just this area.
There are a bunch of DIY scratches remedies. My preferred one is a tube each of Desitin (40% zinc oxide, not 10%), cortisone cream, neosporin ointment (or Triple B), mix well, apply 1-2 times a day. Just wipe off the old, put on new.
That will start to soften the scabs which will start coming off when you wipe. It keeps moisture out. It soothes and helps heal the broken skin. Keep applying daily unitl there’s enough hair covering it.
Then look at the diet and see if there’s REALLY enough copper and zinc. Often there’s not.
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Those look like the scratches my gray horse got years ago. Desitin was enough to clear it up. If that doesn’t work there is a long thread I started I think last year with a lot of suggestions when I couldn’t get scratches cleared up on my chest it’s white legs.
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I’ve never heard of the link between cellulitis and buttercups. I have a boarder horse who struggles with cellulitis and we do have buttercups in the field. Do you know where I can find more info about this?
Well, it s interesting thé photosensibility because both horses have it only on thé back heels and not in front as i put Bell boots on thé front when turning out so no Sun on thé front heels. And i have it only on summer time
Most strains of Buttercup contain ranunculin, which is toxic to horses. When they eat it, nose around in it, crush it etc, it can cause all sorts of issues, including blisters, sores and swelling of the lips and face. At an old boarding barn, the pastures were overrun with buttercup due to poor management. The horses with white legs always had issues, mine included. One horse had chronic cellulitis ever summer, and out vet said the buttercup was the cause. Once the horse was removed, it wasn’t an issue anymore. Once my chromed up mare was removed from the property, no more scratches, hot swollen legs, no more photosensitivity.
The sun can be so damaging. Sunburned skin is compromised skin, meaning it’s far more susceptible to infection or a contact allergy.
scratches is usually a combination of some sort of moisture and sun exposure, so bell boots grealty reduce sunlight, and to a degree reduce moisture on the back of the feet. I’m assuming the front legs are also white/pink skin?
And generally, it’s a summertime issue, often due to taller grass
This is interesting, thanks! I thought buttercup was only a problem if it was ingested.
Do you do this for scratches too? My new guy came with scratches on his back white leg and I’m trying to get rid of them with little success. It’s hard to find any tips for getting rid of them since everything is talking about keeping them dry. It’s summer here and there is no mud or wet anywhere. They are kept very dry. I have been using “Hey, Where’s that Blue Stuff” to try to seal and treat them, but maybe I need to step up the baths. I have Malaseb shampoo that I could use as my chlorhexidine solution to clean them every 2-3 days and then use the Desitin Extra Strength as you suggest. I just wasn’t sure if this would work on scratches or just photosensitivity.
