Thin skinned horse is miserable

[DawningDreams]

After getting the owners to change their feeding regimen, Lucky is looking so much better- fat (well, lean is a better word) shiny, and happy. He’s been utterly miserable recently with heaves, ERU, and skin cruds.

The owners and I are at a loss for what to do. He comes in from the pasture (6acres that are walked twice daily) with cuts, scrapes, and gashes on his back, withers, hips, etc. that swell up and have to be treated with hydrotherapy, antibiotics, and topical silver cream. He also got a Guardian Mask about two weeks ago and he has deep sores from it rubbing that seem to show up overnight.

I have no idea how to help him! He’s miserable! He’s currently getting daily chlorhexidine baths for his chest/neck skin crud and canon keratosis. Any suggestions on how to help him?

[CindyCRNA]

While I am not a vet, I would question daily chlorhex scrubs all over. Sounds like he needs less irritation. I have been using a shampoo for my sensitive creature fighting scratches with a shampoo with cholorhexadine, ketoconazole and hydracortisone. Unfortunately it comes from the vet, is pricey for a small bottle that we use mostly for his legs. Sounds like this guy needs a quick vet visit and maybe a round of steroids to calm his skin.

[CindyCRNA]

Consider Equiderma for the canon crud. Smear it on 2 hours later wipe off, crud gone. No scrubbing. Also fly spray irritation?

[DawningDreams]

He is currently on Dex for heaves and the chlorhexidine is per the vet’s instructions. The skin crud is slowly clearing up and he seems more comfortable with it.

I’m trying to figure out ways to keep him from getting cut up as well as everything rubbing his face raw. Would a fly sheet help? The Guardian mask has literally rubbed ulcers on his face and he’s miserable.

[Marla_100]

I’d stop using the Guardian Mask for now. I once retro-fitted a regular Cashel flymask by hand sewing pieces of sponge rubber around certain areas above eyes, so that mask did not rub on injured eye. You might try same thing on the
Guardian where the rubs/ulcers are.Heck, if you have great glue, like gorilla glue you could probably use that. It did a great job for my purpose.

Is this horse getting beat up by other horses? If so, separate them. Poor guy.

[Uncorked]

I would get a flysheet - it will protect help protect him from getting scratched - it could be that he is getting the cuts/scratches from trying to get the flies off so I would cover him as much as possible. I would also try a different brand of fly mask. My oldest was getting rubbed from the Smartpak flymask with ears - I traded his with my other guy which was a Crusader. The older guy doesn’t get rubs from the Crusader and the younger guy seems fine in the Smartpak brand.

My older guy is much more sensitive and gets horrible “scratches” and welts from bugs. So this year I put him on Garlic flakes and Smartbreath Ultra - he doesn’t have breathing issues but this supplement also helps with allergies. He also wears fly boots outside. I have to say so far this year he has very few bug welts and the ones he does have are much smaller, he hasn’t gotten any scratches to speak of either. Another item I use on this guy is I put Amway’s Basic H in his rinse water - helps with skin and bugs - started using this back in the '80s just a little in the rinse bucket as it suds up and you don’t rinse it off.

My younger guy does have breathing issues - diagnosed 5 years ago with Inflammatory Airway Disease. He has been on Smartbreath Ultra and is doing great - he used to be on Tri-Hist until they stopped making it (thanks meth makers). I am just very careful working him in really hot/humid conditions and he lives out most of the time. He isn’t sensitive to much as far as skin goes

[Nestor]

This sounds like a lot more than just “thin skin”… any chance the horse could have HERDA?

Barring that, I’d turn him out away from other horses, in case he’s getting beat up. I second the Equiderma, chlorhexidine is VERY abrasive and should be used sparingly, let alone daily. No idea why your vet would tell you to use this daily for an extended period of time.

[DawningDreams]

Any suggestions on fly sheets? We’re in a super hot area and I don’t want him to be miserable.

I’ve ordered foam and moleskin for the mask and he’s wearing his crusader mask for now.

[Simkie]

Duct tape might be better for the mask. Moleskin or the like will quickly build up with dirt and sweat and rub worse. A nice smooth run of duct tape will glide over the skin.

HERDA is a good thing to rule out. Has he been saddled and ridden, or is he just a pasture pet? Usually it’s identified when the horse is started under saddle, IIRC.

[DawningDreams]

Duct tape is a great idea! We’ll try that!

He has been ridden - not much and not often. He does tend to get sores in the saddle area (not sure it if is from riding or just getting scraped up). All he does under saddle currently is walking and probably 75% of that is actually bareback and only for 10-20 minutes. I’ll suggest to the owners about ruling out HERDA.

[SonnysMom]

I like the soft pull on nylon fly masks. They stay on reasonably well, don’t seem to rub and stay away from the eyes.

Fly sheet will probably help with the various cuts. I would stop the daily bathes and just spot treat. I love Equiderma. I have used chlorahexine for bad scratches but then switch to Equiderma after a few days.

[TrailRides4Fun]

How about night time turn out with a flysheet?
My super sensitive horse does best in summer with N/T turn out and a Rambo flysheet.

[SuzieQNutter]

You can cover with permoxin daily if you can get it where you are. It stops the scratch which stops the itch which stops the scratch. If down to blood start with 3 times a day. Cover the whole horse including mane and dock. We put on shade cloth rugs with neck rugs in the heat here. It has holes in it but stops the insects

[DawningDreams]

He’s not particularly itchy and doesn’t have sweet itch symptoms that my mare displayed. I just can’t figure out how he’s cutting himself up so badly so often. Owner agreed to test for HERDA and then go from there.

[CindyCRNA]

@TrailRides4Fun

How about night time turn out with a flysheet?
My super sensitive horse does best in summer with N/T turn out and a Rambo flysheet.

Are the bugs actually less at night? I watch Naked And Afraid and those folks get eaten alive at night!

[DawningDreams]

Here are pictures of some of the most recent ones (not as deep as they usually are).

[warriorhorse]

Before you have owner spend money on testing for HERDA. Look it up online. Its a problem in AQHA cutting horse bloodlines. And shows up when started undersaddle as 2 or 3 year olds.

[DawningDreams]

@warriorhorse He is a rescue with no known history - he was bought sight unseen. He’s always had various cuts, scrapes, and abrasions since arriving here. His wounds are similar to mild/moderate cases that I’ve found online and the owners and I want to rule it out just to be safe. Honestly, not much would surprise me with him. He has a heart of gold so there must have been significant reasons why he was in a kill pen (besides, perhaps, ERU and heaves).

[warriorhorse]

@DawningDreams

@warriorhorse He is a rescue with no known history - he was bought sight unseen. He’s always had various cuts, scrapes, and abrasions since arriving here. His wounds are similar to mild/moderate cases that I’ve found online and the owners and I want to rule it out just to be safe. Honestly, not much would surprise me with him. He has a heart of gold so there must have been significant reasons why he was in a kill pen (besides, perhaps, ERU and heaves).

I thought he was TB. Then testings a good idea to be sure. Poor boy he sure has a lot of problems.

[DawningDreams]

The rescue group thinks he’s most likely a Quarter horse, despite his build. The person at the kill pen said that his brands (one on each hip) makes them think that he was bred to be a ranch/working/cow horse.