Some of FarmVet’s best Cross Ties and Lead Ropes include:

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Some of FarmVet’s best Western Products include:

 Thank you to livestrong for this week’s Video Spotlight.

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To learn more about Judith Falk and Second Wind Equine Sports Massage, visit Judith’s WEBSITE: www.SecondWindESM.com BLOG: www.secondwindesm.blogspot.com/ and FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/SecondWindEquineSportsMassage/

Keep checking back here for Judith’s next Equine Massage Video.

“Rain Rot”, “Scratches”, “Dew Poisoning”, “Skin Scurf”, “Pastern Dermatitis”, “Greasy Heel”, “Mud Fever”…all of these terms will cause horse owners to groan, shudder, exude sympathy for the person treating it, and silently pray that their horse isn’t the next victim!  This condition is caused by fungus-like bacteria called Dermatophilus congolensis.  It typically affects the lower limbs first, with white legs and light colored horses more susceptible.

Most of the time, this skin disease can be controlled with good stable management and grooming techniques.  Unfortunately, there are some common misconceptions out there in what constitutes good stable management for prevention.  While horses living outside full-time in rainy conditions with long hair coats and infrequent grooming are affected with this condition, there are also many, many show horses who are groomed every day, body clipped, and rarely turned out that have to battle scratches.  Since readers can find a multitude of articles about how to manage and treat scratches in pastured horses, this blog is going to focus on preventing and treating scratches in show horses.  Many of these animals are either on their way to winter horse show circuits, or are already enjoying sunny locations.

The biggest contributing factor in the development of scratches is MOISTURE.  Moisture strips away the natural protective oils in the skin, penetrates the protective layers, and causes irritation and inflammation.  This allows the bacteria to also penetrate the skin, and set up an infection.  The biggest source of moisture in a show horse’s environment is BATHS.  Many of these horses are bathed daily…in wash racks away from their barn…where they then walk with wet legs through sand or dirt to their stalls…  This scenario is basically an open invitation for bacteria to waltz right in and infect legs!  Yes, show horses have to be clean while they are in the ring, but this doesn’t always mean they need to be bathed every day.  There is also a fear that they will pick up skin disease in the show rings, and need to have the sand and dirt washed off after each ride.  Brushing and toweling off legs will clean them without stripping away all the protective barriers the body has in place.  In fact, brushing actually brings those protective oils to the surface, which is why horses that are groomed daily have such a nice sheen to their coats.  When a horse does need a bath, make sure to towel dry his legs in the wash rack before walking him through the sand or dirt to his stall.  Also, using a gentle shampoo that has some antibacterial properties, such as a silver-based shampoo or Nolvasan/Chlorhexidine shampoo will also help protect the legs.  Harsh scrubs such as Betadine should only be used for the first few days of treatment for scratches.  Longer-term, this will dry out the skin and cause more irritation and inflammation.

If these management changes still aren’t enough to keep scratches at bay, begin treating your horse as soon as you see any evidence of skin disease.  Sometimes this manifests as swollen, hot, and painful legs (to the point of severe lameness), and sometimes there will be ulcerations and raised nodules on the legs, with or without hair loss.  It is always a very good idea to have your veterinarian examine the horse to determine the severity of the skin disease, and help you formulate the correct treatment plan.  Typically, the horse will need systemic broad-spectrum antibiotics such as SMZ’s or Gentacin and Naxcel.  If the swelling and skin inflammation is severe, the horse may also need to have a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as Banamine for a few days, and possibly an injection of a steroid such as Dexamethasone to help decrease the pain and inflammation.  As stated before, using Betadine shampoo for the first few days of treatment will help to kill a lot of the bacteria, but then you need to switch back to one of the more mild shampoos listed above.  Just as in the prevention of scratches, when you are treating for the disease, you also want to keep the legs as clean and dry as possible, and only shampoo every few days after the initial 2 or 3 days of treatment.  The legs should also be coated twice a day with a topical cream containing a combination of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs.  Hopefully these tips will help prevent a long, drawn-out battle with a very nasty skin disease.

Call/visit us online at 888.837.3626, www.farmvet.com for questions about Scratches or to place an order.

Some of FarmVet’s best Tack Equipment includes:

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Some of FarmVet’s best rider’s products include:

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Judith Falk, ESMP

Judith Falk is a Certified Equine Massage Therapist, equine energy worker and intuitive specializing in sport horses and equine geriatric issues, and the owner of Second Wind Equine Sports Massage. She is also one of the founders of the Center for Equestrian Growth and Awareness. www.CEGAVT.com. See the video below to learn how Judith massages Equine Hamstrings.

To learn more about Judith and Second Wind Equine Sports Massage, visit Judith’s WEBSITE: www.SecondWindESM.com  BLOG: www.secondwindesm.blogspot.com/ and FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/SecondWindEquineSportsMassage/

Also, keep checking back here for Judith’s next Equine Massage Video.

Some of FarmVet’s best hoof picks and oils include:

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Some of FarmVet’s best pillow wraps and standing bandages include:

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 Some of FarmVet’s best halters include:

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