My horse had crusty lips a few days ago. We thought it was dry skin. But now, he has lumpy scabs on his chin. They don’t seem to be painful, but slightly itchy. Horse stabled next to him is developing it as well.
I have a text to my vet but haven’t heard back. Plan is to scrub waters. Everyone is acting fine.
I’m thinking it’s viral or fungal?
Could it be an allergic reaction to something they ate? Even if all horses on site are getting the same feed, the affected horses (like yours) could have gotten a few mouthfuls of something that caused a reaction.
I ask only because my mare had something similar, but worse, this summer. I was afraid it was viral/fungal/contagious. Vet ran a bunch of bloodwork and it turned out to be some kind of allergic reaction. It was confined to her lips and muzzle: that’s where she came in contact with the offending weed or grass.
Maybe but the horse that lives next to her had it too. I’m not sure about his paddock mates that he gets turned out with but I’m going to check them tomorrow. And of course I’m at the barn owner know.
Same hay and feed though. We have no grass here at all It’s a dry lot. Although there is a few small weeds that sometimes pop up.
He seems fine though.
Yeah, my mare had no fever, no nothing except blisters that got scabby and icky on her muzzle and lips. They were sore enough that she would barely nibble at hay. I had to make her mushy pellets to slurp.
Hope your horse’s lips are fine soon!
Inside the mouth look ok? Not really the time of year for VS but it has been warm and dry. Any temperature or any other symptoms? Hives?
My first non-serious condition guess would be some kind of contact dermatitis, but with what? Any of his neighbors get pepper spray on their blankets or something?
No fever or any other symptoms have been noted so far. He’s eating as good as ever, as is the horse that lives next to him and has it too.
It first started on Thursday. But like I said my trainer thought it was a mild case of chapped lips or something. And now it’s a little more funky but he’s still acting just as well as he was 5 days ago.
I’ll update my vet ends up thinking!!
Have you dewormed recently?
October?
And the horse next to him has the same thing going on.
Weird… do you have a tank heater? I know ours were drinking some icy water this week because we had not hooked up the heaters yet.
There is one but I don’t think they are being used consistently yet. But still seems weird if it’s just him and the horse next to him.
I’m thinking it’s fungal or something since the other horse has it too.
So weird…
Vet thinks it’s a skin infection, not sure what but not terribly concerned since so far it doesn’t seem to be painful in any way. I’m going to clean the area the best I can and then she’s suggested an antibiotic cream. Fingers crossed.
I’ve had horses get something that looks pretty similar to that. I just dust a bit of yellow sulphur powder on them and it clears up in a few days. Sulphur powder won’t hurt them if they lick any of it off, is quick and easy and it knocks out most kinds of mild fungal/bacterial bugs quickly.
It’s almost all gone! So weird but glad it wasn’t anything major. Thanks for the tip, I’ll keep it in my memory bank if anything like this in the future pops up.
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