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mouse
Silver Member
 United Kingdom
309 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 4:44:33 PM
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Have any of you who own horses with white legs experienced what my vet now refers to as photosensitivity? It's similar to mud fever with very painful scabbing on the legs/heels but doesn't necessarily coincide with wet, muddy conditions!
I would be interested to hear of your experiences/treatments...
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South Norfolk/Suffolk border |
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erica giles
Gold Member
United Kingdom
767 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 4:58:38 PM
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Yes it was really hard to get rid
of in the end we washed it with warm diluted Hibiscrub, really dried the legs off and then covered in Sudocrem and bandaged. But I felt it was a stress thing a bit like eczema in humans, I tried all sorts but this was the most successful. I also spent pounds and pounds on different potions and lotions at least Hibiscrub and Sudocrem are relatively cheap. Good luck |
erica giles |
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polly
Platinum Member
2183 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 7:06:29 PM
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Ask your vet if it actually Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis, as this is getting more and more common in Arabs. My chestnut mare , 4 white legs, had/has it. The treatment for it is quite different to mud fever treatment. ( in fact the hibiscrub/usual treatment for mud fever will make it worse) this can cause a need for steroids too.And a lot depends on the liver function test coming back normal or not . and whether the photosesetivity is part of the reaction. I would be happy to chat to you about it as I have been researching it for some time now. If you are a member of EGB there is a big piece on there posted by Richard Hill of Delaware Vets, he kindly wrote a " laymans Guide to L.Vasc. for us and posted it under my name. We, after 5 years of treating 4 different arabs here on our yard are now convinced it is a geographical thing. Polly |
   
Photos1and2EricGJones
pollywells@.live.co.uk |
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katherineepea
Gold Member
England
883 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 7:13:06 PM
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we've had it!! i think mud fever is just an umbrella term for lots of things as the vets dont actually know what it is.
anyway, opal had really swollen legs and i thought it was his tendons and then the scabs came a week or so later and they were HORRIBLE. he got a cortisone injection for the swelling and i was told not to wash it or turn him out altho i think its ok now its dry, its just so mud doesnt cause a secondary infection in the scabs. we also got some lard and sulphur so put on which was brilliant but i was charged £11 for it so do make that one yourself! |
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pro1
Bronze Member
Wales
220 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 7:20:37 PM
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| my gray had it on his legs and his nose and we applied a tea tree cream and that cleared it up really well. you should keep a real close eye on the legs, my stallion could hardly walk with it. if your horse is out and its really sunny you could put a high factor sun tan lotion on to protect it. good luck |
   
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Rozy Rider
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4545 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 9:06:09 PM
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| Polly, So can you tell us where to find this article on the EGB forum, please maybe it could be copied to here...Sue |
Sue
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Bebely
Gold Member
United Kingdom
813 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 11:08:22 PM
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I find that Equine America's fungatrol is excellent to treat the scabby patches. It seems to work very quickly and the scabs drop off leaving nice healthy looking skin.
Jameel has been worse with this every year for the past couple of years. I am lucky in that it only affects two white feet and is only his heels as his skin is black above the heel. Last year I bought a pair of neoprene bell boots and put them on as soon as the sunny weather started and he never had a problem at all for the whole summer. |
Bev |
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heatherr
Platinum Member
England
1882 Posts |
Posted - 27 Apr 2007 : 11:16:39 PM
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I have seen photosensitisation be mis-diagnosed for mud fever and be treated as mud fever - scrubbing off scabs etc  I am cringing remembering this. The poor horse concerned was in so much pain but his owner wouldn't listen.... think of when you were last sunburnt and how it might feel if that were scrubbed .
Certain herbs and plants can aggrivate, such as buttercups ( bit early for them yet though) and st johns wort, so worth checking the grazing. Turnout boots one the legs have healed would be a great idea.
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Heather
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mazey
Gold Member
England
501 Posts |
Posted - 28 Apr 2007 : 7:29:16 PM
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| My youngster had really bad photosensitisation last y ear (from eating cow parsley /hogweed we think) His back legs swelled up and ended up covered in splits and scabs. I couldn't get near them as he would kick out if I tried to touch his legs - they were so sore. I had to stuff a rubber glove and tie it onto a stick and lag it with comfrey ointment from my vet and then quickly wipe it on his legs as he went round in circles at the end of the lead rope. It took about 6-8 weeks to clear up. i don't know if the comfrey helped or it cleared up itself eventually. |
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azeer
Silver Member
373 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2007 : 11:26:55 AM
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| I have read this thread with interest. My stallion suffered badly last year with Photosenitisation. I read many reseearch papers about the subject - it can be very prevalent in sheep! It is often caused as a result of the liver and kidney functions not processing the toxins out of the body and the result is scabby, swollen legs. I read a number of remedies and then went on a search! You have to be careful what to give them because many are banned substances. Hepaphyt Gold liquid (contains Milk Thistle seed, Dandelion root, Burdock root, Cleaver herb, Nettle leaf, Liquorice root, Dandelion leaf with Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey). Since I have fed this the scabs cleared within a few days/ 1 week and we havent looked back since. Sun cream is OK but it wont stop the photosensitisation that will happen anyway it is just made worse by the sunlight. Hepahpyt Gold can be bought from Hilton Herbs. The only downside I can see is theie droppings are a little potent! Calendula cream is also good to put on the scabs and helps heal them very quickly. I am not saying this will work for all but it certainly did for me so maybe worth a try. |
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NUTTER
Platinum Member
England
2452 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2007 : 12:31:58 PM
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Caria suffers severly with it,however i have now found and used for the last 2 years a product called sun off, its about £12 a tub i use 2 tubs or less and they take me through the whole summer, i put it on once a day on all 4 socks and her blaze, it does not come of whilst grazing, eating, drinking and now she does not suffer at all with it, the downside of this product is that it sets like solid clay!!!and if you have a show its not easy to wash of, however without it my mare had bleeding raw scabby bald legs and face, its brilliant.
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Edited by - NUTTER on 29 Apr 2007 12:34:43 PM |
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Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2007 : 12:36:26 PM
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Nutter: where does one buy Sunoff? Amelia isn't photosensitive (touch wood)but does get sunburned on her poor little pink nose. I use a mixure of aloe vera gel and high factor sunlotion to protect it but of course it comes off so easily (mainly on me when she rubs her face down me). Something that sets on her sounds like a good idea!
Grey Girl |
 Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE"  |
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polly
Platinum Member
2183 Posts |
Posted - 29 Apr 2007 : 7:46:15 PM
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Hi, Sue...if you search on EGB "Veterinary" from last year , under Leukocytaclastic Vasculitis, you will find the article written by Richard Hill under my ID. What people need to remember is that just as we can have a rash on your arm that could be anything from Flea bites, nettle Rash, sunburn, allergy to penicillin, reaction to ANy drug, blood poisoning Liver failure ... its the same with horses . We all assume it is Mud Fever , but that is simply a description of a set of symptoms. Often it has a different cause, nothing to do with Mud introducing bacteria to softened epidermis, but the way we treat it can make it worse, especially if it IS L.Vasc. and we treat it like Mud Fever with hibiscrub etc etc. My Vet was certain this was what my Mare had ( even thought the Vets at Potters Bar and Bristol said it couldn,t be ) and he was right.!!We have now had several different horses with it ( none as bad as Tallimah thank God!) We did have to use a lot of steroids with her, but now use Iodine in an alcohol base AS SOON as we see the tiniest break in her skin. She now belongs to a friend who is very experienced, ever watchfull and on different ground to us.We are watchful of the other horses here, I am sure one day we will get one with straight forward Mud Fever ( as we turn out all winter) and we will go into overdrive looking for Vasculitis.
If you cant find it on EGB let me know......Ill see if I can get a copy . Good luck .Polly |
Photos1and2EricGJones
pollywells@.live.co.uk |
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mouse
Silver Member
United Kingdom
309 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 4:43:55 PM
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Polly: I would be interested to read the article, but unfortunately can't find it. The first time my mare suffered badly with this the vet report did state 'not Vasculitis' but also not a lot of other long names! The second time the vet tested for liver damage, mites, ring worm (I think), mud fever and possibly some others but again they were all negative. It was treated quite succesfully with steriods and a steriod based cream, but some sores have lingered on. They are not scabby but look more like a graze that is yet to heal over.
The vet seems to think it is photosensitivity triggered by an unknown factor.
In the past she has also suffered terrible scabs on her white nose but thank goodness not at the same time as her legs. |
South Norfolk/Suffolk border |
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polly
Platinum Member
2183 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 8:10:10 PM
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| Ok I will try to get a copy and post it here. ( off on holiday in a few days so it may not appear till I return in a couple of weeks ) Polly |
Photos1and2EricGJones
pollywells@.live.co.uk |
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polly
Platinum Member
2183 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 8:44:36 PM
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OK Guys, just checked EGB site ,go to members forum,- Veterinary- page 5 ....L.vasc/white legged horses. Theres lots of info Plus the article written by Richard Hill. I don,t know how to copy it to here. ( please do if you know how ) and lots of other peoples experiences too. Good luck.
Polly |
Photos1and2EricGJones
pollywells@.live.co.uk |
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Moira
Gold Member
Scotland
503 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 8:59:25 PM
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| My pal's horse has Equilibrium Sun Chaps toprotect her legs. |
  
***Zak******Zhaazeer*****Gremlin |
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sunny
Silver Member
252 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 9:28:19 PM
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My mare gets it too in the summer, i use creams already mentioned but i think last year was better for me than the year before, as i let her have full access to the field shelter for shade, she spent alot of time in there during the summer of her own will. Oh i hope it doesn't come back again this year |
South Lincolnshire |
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Dazzler
Silver Member
United Kingdom
290 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 10:33:50 PM
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Dont waste you tiem with hibiscrub or creams and potions just use aloe vera and aloe vera spray. This doesnt happen if you put them out at night and in in daylight or when sun is shining high. Simple cures are the best
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NUTTER
Platinum Member
England
2452 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 11:01:57 PM
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GREY GIRL
I buy it from my local feed supplier, however tomorrow will look to see who it is made by so as you could get your local supplier to order it in for you if he does not already have it, it is a total sun block, as regards to aloe vera when my mare was bad aloe vera did not touch it, i found washing her legs with hibiscrub made it worse,seriously worse, but just kept putting on sudacrem and that cleared it up and i have no choice but stable her in the day now, with this sun cream she could stay out permanantly however becouse shes like a fat whale on thin air at the mo!!! has to be stabled day at presant and am turning her out at night, see i just cant win!!!!
POLLY
Yes i have also been as yourself looking into it, as the previous problem i have had , there is also a full page write up in horse and hound putting it in easy reading terms.just put in photosensitivity and you will get the pages in easy to understand reading.!!!! |
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Edited by - NUTTER on 30 Apr 2007 11:12:44 PM |
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leezee26
Gold Member
England
1123 Posts |
Posted - 30 Apr 2007 : 11:33:43 PM
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Hi My chestnut girl with white legs and blaze got it badly several years ago. It transpired after much investigation that she had been fed st Johns Wort by someone chucking their garden weeds into my horses field and Cassi had a bad reaction to it. I found that I could give her any Alfaalfa based feed as this started the reaction off again! For treatment at the time, I had to keep her in a darkened barn during those first few days when she was so bad, then i absolutely slapped this cream onto the affected areas, and it was called Axis cream-water based.
As she was funny about me putting it on her face, i ripped up old t-shirts and sewed them so that I could attach it to her headcollar with the inside covered with the cream. It also protected her littl epink nose from the sun.
It might be worth looking into the feed side, as it made a huge difference once Id erradicated the afla-a and cerials that I fed at the time. I also put her on a liver detox remedy(Homoeopathic) Hope it soon clears up!
Leighx |
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2007 : 10:48:19 AM
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My TB mare gets this on her face even though she is dark bay and doesn't have any white hair/pink skin. Her skin is very sensitive though. The first summer it happened it took me ages to find out what it was and I tried just about everything applied topically but everything seemed to aggravate it. It was awful, she was losing hair from her face and it was red hot to touch.
Then I tried Restore from Global Herbs and have never looked back. Every year I start feeding it at a low dose from the New Year onwards and this stops the problem from ever starting. My girls is caused by clover. |
Heléna
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ACGODFREY
Silver Member
United Kingdom
440 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2007 : 1:36:19 PM
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My friends black TB mare with white socks on her back legs has suffered very badly from this for a few years. The only way to deal with it is prevention, rather than cure, as once the sores/scabs start, there is nothing that can be done. Basically she has her back legs bandaged every day to cover the white areas. Friend did try the turnout chaps, but they irritated her skin, so soft gamgee pads and polo bandages are used. This seems to work and is nicer for the horse. One year she had to stay in whenever the sun shone and we really felt for her as she is neurotic without her pals |
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spyros
Bronze Member
England
210 Posts |
Posted - 01 May 2007 : 3:07:18 PM
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Photosensertiation happened to one of our horses due to Buttercups.
After lots of treatment and guidance given by Professor Knottenbelt Spud has fully recovered.
The Buttercups have been sprayed 2 weeks ago and the fields will be reseeded shortly. We used a specific treatment which will not kill the grass only the nasty buttercups. Buttercups can cause liver damage if eaten in large quantities. Nasty weed for Horses.
If someone knows how to put a piccy on this website I do have a good photographic example of Spuds poorly leg. |
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mouse
Silver Member
United Kingdom
309 Posts |
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Eeyore
Gold Member
1181 Posts |
Posted - 04 May 2007 : 12:55:42 PM
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Only just seen this Mouse -
My vet suggested it was clover because the first year it happened she also had a swollen udder. Clover is oestrogenic (sp?) so was having this effect on her too. According to the vet several TB mares in the area were showing the same symptoms that year, so because they had seen several cases they established a link.
I've got a lot of clover in my fields but know I have no other plants that could cause photosensitization. I suppose it affects her face because the skin there is so sensitive, like I say she has no white fur so is not your typical case. The Restore works by improving liver function and her liver is compromised because before she was my horse she nearly killed herself by eating loads of acorns
If you phone Global Herbs they give you free advice on the phone and on their website I think there is an article on photosensitization on the Q&A section.
Hope you find something that works for your horse |
Heléna
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