There have been threads I know.
Horse in a boarding barn has scunge (fungus? ) on the fronts of the cannon bones. We are not humid up here, the horse is not kept in a muddy paddock,
does not have scratches, etc.
What is it and how does it get cured. She has tried different shampoos, creams, etc. Would scratches cream work? Betadine scrub? Nizoral ?
It is called cannon keratitis…or, I call it “lackacurrycomb-itis”
It is kinda greasy - and not from lack of brushing, as they are quite meticulous. I’m way more casual.
What to do?
Panalog cream works great. MTG stinks but is good for this crap when used correctly. Sometimes a course of SMZs hits it from the inside. Some people swear by Desinex diaper rash cream while others have custom concoctions.
Its usually a combination of fungus and bacteria, kind of like diaper rash. Don’t pick the scabby stuff off, making it bleed doesn’t help get rid of it but might get you kicked. Keep it clean and dry. Might help to clip the leg hair real close-that seems to really help with both treatment and keeping it gone once clear. Clean and disinfect anything that touches the horse like boots, wraps, brushes and let them dry in the sun.
Vets will tell you it can be a combination of several things and often not related to mud. Ours used to come home from certain barns at a certain show grounds with it every year ( I’ll never tell but starts with a K). Something in the footing or stalls maybe. My mare got it every darn year we went there and got those particular barns. Never had it since she retired.
At any rate, it does NOT always mean bad horse keeping.
Yep, soft(ish) curry takes it off pretty well, and keep currying every few days to get the rest. I may have started the process during a bath with regular shampoo but I don’t think it’s strictly necessary. I think it’s just built up skin oils & dirt, yummy.
I didnt mean to insinuate bad care…some horses get it no matter what you do. As usual F-8 has great advice!
We call it fungus in South Florida and use iodine scrub and Muck Itch. Flea combs used downward with the hair helps to remove it before treating.
LetItBe
I use the clinical term “cannon crud”. My gelding gets it every spring, and a little extra currying attention for a few days resolves it. The first time he had it, I tried a salicylic acid acne wash. It worked OK, but I just stick with the grooming now.
It is oily/waxy and I’ve had one coach suggest that it comes along with a nice shiny coat.
with the exception of traveling to shows and different footings etc, our vet pointed out that it’s only with geldings here…it’s where their pee splashes on them and gathers dirt. I wasn’t so sure, but I’ve noticed several of them with “splash spots” right after peeing and sure enough, those are the ones that have the crud. No wonder that no matter how much we curry and wash his legs that it comes right back!
It is just the one horse. I know what you mean about coming back from a certain showground, esp. with a horse with white socks.
I think also, taking the case of my dog, that OVER shampooing can be as bad, and that it has to be rinsed off very carefully or it can burn.
Wonder if they should enquire about SMZ’s.
I use a shampoo with Ketakonzole in it, and may suggest Nizoral…not my horse, just looking for suggestions from good ole COTH.
It’s keratosis like mroades said, which is basically just overly greasy skin. If the grunge is bad it should be softened with something to help get it off, otherwise it will bleed if you just pick at it. Vaseline, Neosporin, etc work fairly well, but sometimes I have sweated the leg to get really crusted scabs off. I think sometimes you do get secondary things growing in there and need something antibacterial or antifungal, but it usually isn’t a primarily bacterial or fungal problem and often you just need to get the scabs loose and gently work them off, and then keep the area curried fairly well. Drying shampoos like those with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid can help get and keep it cleared up.
I have a mare with it and the only thing I have found that manages it easily is ISP Wonder Ointment. Anything with sulphur or coal tar does pretty good it’s justa little more work.
Over active sebaceous glands. May be seasonal and a good wash with a chlorhexidine based shampoo should clean it up in one or two applications.
I do a wash with betadine scrub. Follow the next day with a soft curry and that takes care of it.
[QUOTE=cada931;7680929]
I use the clinical term “cannon crud”. My gelding gets it every spring, and a little extra currying attention for a few days resolves it. The first time he had it, I tried a salicylic acid acne wash. It worked OK, but I just stick with the grooming now.
It is oily/waxy and I’ve had one coach suggest that it comes along with a nice shiny coat.[/QUOTE]
I also call it “crud” and usually a few good, but gentle, scrubbings in the wash rack with whatever shampoo takes care of it for me. I use one of these, usually with betadine/aloe shampoo. Use it gently, but it seems to be the only thing that will actually get the stuff off. Never had it break the skin, though I have had that happen by trying to curry it off with a regular curry comb.
http://www.doversaddlery.com/sarvis-curry-comb/p/X1-1009/
I’ve used betadine scrub for fungal stuff under my horse’s belly after a hunt
(we must have galloped over something) which worked well.
There are so many options, but in this case I think after she has used a pharmacy of stuff, it should be looked at professionally. Down south where it is humid, I think these things are more common.
Should she clip it — once it’s clipped, it can’t go back on.
If it’s past the point of a couple days worth of shampooing and currying, then scratches medicine or just furazone helps to soften it up and treat the scabby factor. I was surprised to see so much of this crud after moving out west. Don’t think it has to do with moisture like rain rot, although rain rot looks similar.
are you in BC by chance? I had never experienced the scourge of this stuff more than in WA.
But I usually smear it in desitin, which softens/holds all the loose hairs together more for less of a mess, and then a day or two later scrape all the loose crap off. Then scrub with betadine to kill any nasties, and it’ll stay away for a month or two.
I find it pops up no matter how much I scrub the area, or don’t, and my mare gets it on her cheek bones as well.
Yes, I am in B.C., but this horse is kept dry, brushed, clean, indoor, etc.
My COTH buddy e-mailed me and suggested Listerine, and that has come up several time in the past - no harm trying with the small guns first - and going up from there.
I think they need to jump on it sooner rather than later.
What about clipping the leg?
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