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Veteran
Posts: 225
 
Location: Urbana,MD | My horse has scratches on the back of her pastern ,anyone have good advice on clearing it up,and /or preventing it?
I have been putting an antibotic/steriod cream on it from the vet seems to have helped,but it still is not 100% cleared up yet. |
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Newport News, VA | YIKES! It IS that time of year. We have had an explosive run of scratches at my barn just over the past week. My 4 yo Oldenburg has a tendancy to get scratches and skin infections on her back white feet. I am always vigilent for the first scab. People at my barn have been having great luck with applying Nitrofurazone to the scabby areas, covering with Saran Wrap and bandaging for a day. You need to change the wrap every 12 hours. After about a day, the scabs are soft and wash off easily and painlessly, so you can get to the "root" of the problem with your treatment. I use a prescription shampoo, from my vet, called Malaseb, then I dry the legs thoroughly, and apply a mixture of Desitin (the tube kind, not the creamy kind), triple antibiotic ointment, and cortisone ointment. My vet said he thought the key ingredient was the cortisone ointment. All these are the same ones you may have in your first aid kit. I inspect my horse's legs very carefully, because they can literally explode with painful scabs overnight. I saw two small scabs the other day and have begun treating. Good luck! Keeping my fingers crossed that I have a better year with it this year, then the past two. |
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Expert
Posts: 1989
 
Location: South Central OK | A good scrubbing with iodine shampoo should help clear them up but clipping the hair in the problem area will keep the area dry and less likely for them to return. Good luck! |
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Veteran
Posts: 192
Location: Hutto, TX | A few years ago, my 3 year old came back from the trainer (GRRR) with a terrible case of scratches. I used Iodine scrub and a generic Desitin and it cleared up quickly without antibiotics. Now I scrub and put the Desitin on at the first sign of redness. The horse is now 7 and I've never had another bad problem so prevention seems to be the key. Good luck. |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Urbana,MD | My warmbloods leg that has the scratches is her one white leg also.It's strange how the white leg is more prone.Hers also exploded over night.I have owned her since birth and she has never had this before.I went away for a few days and when I came back I had seen she had a scab on the back of her pastern.I just didn't thik too much of it.I cleaned it off and applyed a dressing.Didn't think too much more of it.She had never had this before.Then all of a sudden it was all over her pastern.Very cracked and nasty looking.I have been keeping it clean and applying the antibotic /steriod cream.It is doing somewhat better.maybe I need to add desitin also. |
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Veteran
Posts: 192
Location: Hutto, TX | Somehow the Desitin keeps it soothed and waterproof. I also use it on the tips of the white noses in the summer as it has more Zinc Oxide in it than the tubes of Zinc Oxide do! Keeps them from getting sunburned on their noses. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368
Location: Georgia | Keep a good watch for any additional swelling of the leg (I know you will.) Scratches can progress into cellulitis and that is no fun for horse or owner. I doubt it will happen if you follow all of the good advice posted, but just thought I would mention it. Good Luck. |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Urbana,MD | Her leg did swell.In fact that is how I noticed it.After 2 days of using the antibiotic/steroid cream it went down,and the redness went away.I have now switched to desitin and it looks alot better. |
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Veteran
Posts: 243
Location: Maine | www.Muckitch.com - Stuff works great for scratches, dew poisoning, rain rot, etc. |
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Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Urbana,MD | Hey I have some muck itch! I have used it before for rain rot and such.Never thought of using it for scratches.I'll have to give it a try.Thanks! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: washington | my horse had them bad once. I soaked and washed them in warm antibiotic soapy water and got the scabs all off, then used Tinactin, the same stuff guys use for athlete's foot. It cleared them up over the course of a week. The tinactin stung a little but worked. |
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scratches
