Re: RC: Re: Preventing scratches

[Farafix@aol.com]

Glenda makes a good point about the source of the wetness that contributes to 
the scratches.  Kadance has 3 white legs which are very prone to getting 
fungus type scabs.  One winter I did clip some of the hair below the back of 
her fetlock, which helped.  She would seem to get the fungus the worst in the 
winter, probably because winters are muddy here.  
A local trail organization newsletter had a great trick several yrs ago that 
I found worked the best on Kadance's fungus (not sure if it's the same thing 
as scratches).  It recommended putting Betadine on the fungus scabs.  I found 
that putting the Betadine in a little spray bottle worked great; would just 
spray the Betadine on every 2-3 days on the scabs, and within a week they 
would dry up and fall off.
I would occasionally try Desitin as I always heard it was supposed to work, 
but it just made the fungus scabs mushy & bigger.
Maybe the vets can answer --- are there different causes for the scabs and 
irritations that the horses get on their lower legs that would require 
different treatments?  What I call a fungus on Kadance would only occur on 
the white legs.  The one solid leg would not get it, and Tempo, who has 4 
solid legs, does not get what I've been calling fungus scabs (the vet did 
diagnose it as a fungus on Kadance yrs ago).  It's a sort of white/yellow 
scab, not like a darker scab that covers a healing wound.  (Hope no one is 
munching their lunch, reading this appetizing post!)

Nancy
Md (past lunchtime)


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