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Deboniks
Platinum Member
 England
3776 Posts |
 Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 7:38:10 PM
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I wondered if anyone can help me? My arab is out all day and in at night. His feild has become very wet recently. I have noticed that his frogs have 'gone'? and his heels have split. I have been drying his feet when he comes in and was told that they were OK. But I am worried as I've never seen this before! I will keep him in all day tommorow while I try to find a barrier cream (any suggestions?)What is this? I thought it was greasy heel but when I looked on the net I decided it wasn't. His pasterns are fine it is just his frogs and heels that are bad. He is not lame. Any suggestions welcome
Cheers 
-'\__~~
/( /( oooOOO
""""""""""" :)debbie@deboniks2.fsnet.co.uk
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t_linington
Gold Member
United Kingdom
815 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 8:32:53 PM
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 Hi Debbie, not heard of this before!
Greasy heel is not like that, it sounds as if his feet have got saturated. Can you turn him out in a different field? Udder cream is a good barrier, as is good old vaseline, but you have to be careful not to over dry the feet! I take it the horse is not shod, matbe it might help, as if the heel collapses you will have much bigger problems!!
Will look up barrier creams for you.
Tina
tina linington |
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Libby Frost
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4711 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 8:35:13 PM
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| could he be developing thrush? are they wet and black looking? do they smell reasonably bad,if they do he probably has developed it. if so you need to disinfect them . Good luck! |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 8:45:41 PM
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Thanks for your replies. No it's not thrush,they are not black in fact I don't think there is anywhere for thrush to live!!! They are well and truly saturated! He is not shod.I have just been talking to a friend who advised me that prolonged ues of vasiline can enduce cancer! She also recommended udder cream and NAF MFM.I will be out first thing to get some sort of barrier cream as he will hate being in!But I will keep him in until Friday to make sure that his feet are really dry before I apply an ointment. Shoes would not help as his feet would get wet no matter what!....Horse wellies would be great!
-'\__~~
/( /( oooOOO
""""""""""" :)debbie@deboniks2.fsnet.co.uk |
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t_linington
Gold Member
United Kingdom
815 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 8:50:50 PM
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Will chuck the vaseline away...didn't know that!
The Naff cream is good, you could also try good old purple sray, i know its used for thrush, and yours has not got it, but try the old thrush cure....stand in on concrete floor and spray feet and heel with pirple/blue sray and leave...it does dry the foot, but it will also kill any bacteria that may be in the skin...then turn out as normal with lashings of msm cream(naff) or udder cream.
Tina.
tina linington |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 8:57:24 PM
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Thanks Tina I have the purple spray! That's exacltly what I will do tommorrow. And if his legs drop off....i will have the first 8 hand Arab!! Sorry, won't be able to put him to stud as he is gelded!
-'\__~~
/( /( oooOOO
""""""""""" :)debbie@deboniks2.fsnet.co.uk |
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t_linington
Gold Member
United Kingdom
815 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 8:59:38 PM
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LOL....could start a new trend!!!!!!
tina linington |
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emma
Gold Member
816 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 9:08:19 PM
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| i find protocon ointment (the yellow stuff) is good as a barrier. |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
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Libby Frost
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4711 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 9:40:27 PM
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| Purple spray! good ole Tina! excellent idea! i have fond menories of trying to spray some on a filly's hind leg who did'nt like it! needless to say she had big squiggles everywhere!! |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 26 Nov 2003 : 10:05:05 PM
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Well being a hairdresser I was quite adventurous in my punky days!!
So I could soon be showing a 8 hand purple Arab......anyone want one??!!!
-'\__~~
/( /( oooOOO
""""""""""" :)debbie@deboniks2.fsnet.co.uk |
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paul_exe
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2022 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 09:05:54 AM
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Have used Protocon in the past too.... Excellent stuff, and very reasonably priced.
Paul |
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Bebely
Gold Member
United Kingdom
813 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 09:48:37 AM
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I use Effol (I think it's got two f's). It helps stop the feet from drying out in the summer but if you put it on when the feet are dry in the morning before they go out it also seems to stop them getting too wet. It is also antiseptic.
 
Bev |
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Wendy Allan
Silver Member
United Kingdom
310 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 11:21:08 AM
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| I use Effol and NAF Hoof and Sole. My 13hh has been sloughing her frogs since late summer and the Hoof and Sole made a big difference. She also had chalky soles. |
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barbara.gregory
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4531 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 11:22:49 AM
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The best thing I have ever found is Flexi Hoof Cream. The UK agents are near me at ****field in Suffolk, telephone 01284 828767. I had a mare who was always getting bad feet and often an abscess. Since I have been using that she has been fine. If the abscess has to be cut out after a couple of days poulticing you can pack the hole with a bit of lint soaked in disinfectant/antibiotics and then slap on loads of the cream and the horse can go out. I just change the dressing once a day and after a few days when you are sure the foot is OK but there is still a big hole just pack the hole with the cream. It seems expensive but the big tub lasts absolutely ages. I found it at the Equine Trade Fair at Newmarket and it is relly fantastic.
Regards
Barbara |
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suyents
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1651 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 3:31:29 PM
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I am really dubious about this claim that links cancer to vaseline....is this because of the petroleum base involved???...must be miniscule...Where did your friend source this information?? My grandmother used vaseline every night for ever, and she lived until she was 95!!!!
suyen. |
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jacki
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1988 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 4:34:03 PM
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hi
i would also add seaweed to his feed to help harden his feet. Make sure they are dry and cover with vasaline. I dont think if it caused cancer or there was a chance of it it would be sold in little tins to but on our lips!
good luck
jacki |
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pat day
Moderator
United Kingdom
5324 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 5:48:14 PM
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This is probably a very silly question,
but have you spoken to your farrier Debbie
Pat |
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Chinook
Gold Member
United Kingdom
646 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 7:34:10 PM
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Just wondering if the frogs have done a natural "shed"? The split heels sounds more ominous though, could range from mud fever to cleft heels, previously mentioned medications would suit for the mud fever and if it is cleft heels... balanced trimming and good farrier would be the answer there.Its so difficult to know as there are so many possibilities without a picture to study.
I once had a horse pick up what looked like a tiny "hack" or hairline surface crack across his heels at the back of the pastern,(After a competition involving 6 miles of sea and sand!) it looked nothing, but was incredibly painful and an organisim apparently had set up home! I had thought the worse judging by the lame horse and towed unfortunate animal on a Sunday to vets to be X-rayed and 2 vet opinions. After all that it was just a little hack! Like you get on your finger.One embarrased owner and two giggling vets. The infection however was not mud fever but some other invader (Posh name of which evades me at present!) and I had to scrub the area with special disinfectant twice a day and treat with dermobian, it still left a little proud flesh -type scar across the heels
I hope by the time you get this...things have improved, best of luck, all fingers crossed for you!
Karen Williamson-Gouge
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Wendy Allan
Silver Member
United Kingdom
310 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 9:25:57 PM
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Karen,
I can't believe I'm asking this after the past 18 months when my vets almost set up home in my yard due to 2 of mine getting laminitis (different reasons, neither weight related) and being in constant contact with the Eustace clinic -BUT - Tell me about natural shedding of the frog, please - I assumed it was something to do with the blood supply having been compromised, I had no idea that it could be a normal thing.......
Very embarrased but determined to learn. |
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Libby Frost
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4711 Posts |
Posted - 27 Nov 2003 : 9:56:20 PM
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| There is a distinct possibility that's what has happened.The frog ,like skin, has shed its old skin,i have seen this before. |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 12:09:57 AM
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Thanks for all your suggestionsI kept Flame in all day so his feet could dry out. I have applied the purple spray and MFM (NAF). I know I didn't need to apply the cream tonight but I thought it would work into his heels and then tommorow I will have to get up at 6am to cream them again so he can go out. Usually someone lets him out for me, but I can't expect them to do his feet as well!Then I will bring him in about 3pm. I've bought a nice leg wash to clean him up on Sunday.I'm also using a suppliment in his food that should help.I am aware of frogs shedding. He usually has the bare hoof trim done buy a natural horsewoman in our area she was trainned by Dan Guerara but the last time I let a farrier trim him It was a big mistake.I wasn't impressed by the shape of Flames feet.I have been on a barehoof trimming course myself and I am very aware of the angles, and what i concider to be right and wrong. I don't think he contributed to this problem though.I think Flames feet have just been water logged a bit like if you stay in the bath too long!!Hopefully I have caught it in time before it turned into something worse!So I will continue with what I am doing and keep my finger crossed! Also I will definatly get the natural hoof trim done in future.Regarding the vasiline....I to have always used it! It was Amanda Teale who also posts on here who told me about it when I phoned her last night.She has recently attended a herbalist course and was told there? I wouldn't trust any ingredient that was chemical 100%. Did you know that sodium lauryl sulphate can cause cancer to? It is in just about everything we use,shampoo,conditioner.body wash,soap.toothpaste the list is never ending. Some manufacturers are advertising products now 'without it' ! I suppose it's a bit like smoking!....not everyone dies of lung cancer,my grandad always smoked a pipe and it wasn't that that killed him.
One more thing I know i joked about getting wellies for Flame but today one of my customers said you can buy horse wellies!! Is this true?
Thanks again for your help
-'\__~~
/( /( oooOOO
""""""""""" :)debbie@deboniks2.fsnet.co.uk |
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n/a
deleted
16 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 12:27:42 AM
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Debbie, yes you can. They are protective boots, that come off constantly, specially with mud around. We used to put old socks over the hoofs and squeeze them into the bootie to give extra hold.
I know all too well about your problem, I battled it for 10 years,while living "over there".
A couple of tips,
PLEASE get shoes on him
if he does get thrush, use very dilute spray of your normal household bleach, much cheaper and very effective
DO NOT use "tar" on his hoofs, it seals the hoof allright, BUT the bacteria does not need oxygen to flurish and so it will continue to "cook" underneath
can you rotate him and turn him out every other day ?
we always "limed" our hoofs, when they came back in, never had a problem with drying them out, there is always SOME moisture in the stable.
Hope he gets better real soon, keep us up to date ?
Best of luck, Christine - who's looking feverishly for a "spell-check" thing on this site!
christine
Toskhara Arabians |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 7:15:59 PM
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Thanks Christine, but there is NO way Flame will ever wear shoes,I just don't agree with them(I know it's a debatable subject!!)His feet are usually great,I think they just got a bit water logged! Touch wood the treatment I am giving him will work! If it doesn't I'll let you know. I think if i were to put shoes on him this would only make things worse anyway.It was quite nice at the stables this morning watching the sun come up and the way he bombed around in the feild today I would say his feet are fine!! It was ME who paniced
-'\__~~
/( /( oooOOO
""""""""""" :)debbie@deboniks2.fsnet.co.uk |
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n/a
deleted
16 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 9:07:06 PM
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Debbie,
I respect your opinion about shoes,
I'm sharing my experiences during VERY soggy conditions in Leicestershire.
If I had not followed veterinary and farrier advice, when there was little/no frog left, I would have had a couple of horses with very serious injuries and potentially permanent damage and problems.
Since these were older horses, where the cell generation slows down considerable, I too was very worried and was able to take any further pressure off the effected area.
Good luck and hope' he'll be fine, Christine.
christine
Toskhara Arabians |
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Deboniks
Platinum Member
England
3776 Posts |
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