Horse Problems Australia,
Post Office Box 89,
Surrey Downs, SA. 5126.
PH. (61) 0882515250

VETERINARY TIPS

by John O'Leary
Horseman

© 2000

FLIES

HI JOHN
THE NAME OF THE FLY SPRAY THE VET PUT ME ONTO IS CALLED PERMOXIN,PUT OUT BY DERMCARE-VET. 250ml BOTTLE 10ml TO 400ml WATER YOU HAVE TO BUY A SPRAY BOTTLE ,THE ONLY PLACE I COULD FIND IT WAS AT GLOBE DERBY FODDER STORE $30. FOR DOGS AND HORSES ONLY, IT READS,SPRAY AS REQUIRED FOR FLY NUISANCE,HORSES SPRAY TWICE WEEKLY UNTIL SYMPTOMS ABATE. I SPRAYED OUR HORSES LAST WEEK AND THEY HAD NO MORE BITES ON THERE SHEATHS OR TUMMYS,AND AT THE TIME OF SPRAYING THE FLYS DID DISAPPEAR.

CHEERS........SALLY

 

TREATING WOUNDS

For the serious wound, I have found Flint's Medicated Oil to be by far the most successful treatment. Not for small jobs though. Put it only on the injured flesh, not the skin or perimeter. Don't put it on a wet wound. You should only have to use it a max of two times. Put petroleum jelly on the areas you don't want to burn off.

PROUD FLESH

Proud flesh is one of the biggest dangers  to the successful treatment and cosmetic result. Far and away the best treatment for this is the use of bluestone/copper sulphate. (Take a look at this)

Mix a teaspoon of it in some water/Vaseline etc. Smear the paste upon the proud flesh only. Not the healthy flesh. Leave on for one night and pick the scab off the next day. The proud flesh is gone. Use this magical product to manicure the wound like a plastic surgeon. Shape it how you want and remove the raised sections. You should only have to use it once upon a certain spot unless negligence has caused a massive build up in which case other applications may be necessary. When the proud flesh is down to the flush level to where you want, treat the wound as per normal. An oldy but the best. Horses would benefit greatly if Vets' explained to customers' about the treatment of proud flesh and the problems it causes. This is unfortunately why we see so many ugly swollen wound areas on the legs of horses.

QUEENSLAND ITCH

After 30 years of debate, fears over children's food confirmed

Stay away from certain foods. Sodium benzoate is widely used in soft drinks and artificial colorings are used in confectionery, drinks, ice creams and cakes, although some manufacturers and retailers have been trying to switch to natural ones. Additives should appear on the label by name or E number, but since many of these foods are sold loose, they are not always labeled.

FLIES

• Tablespoon of kerosene in a 4 litre bucket of water. Sponge horse over.

or:
 

• 33%  paraffin oil/ 33% eucalyptus oil, 33% Detol /antiseptic
  Spray with household bottle.

or

• 15mL Citronella oil
  2 tbs metholated spirits
  4 tbs vinegar
  1 mug strong cold tea (use about 4 teabags)
  Top up to 2L water.
   1 tb washing up liquid

TETANUS AND STRANGLES Foals can be started on their vaccination course against both diseases at about 12 weeks of age. Protection for the first 12 weeks of life occurs if a previously vaccinated mare is given another booster at least 2–6 weeks before foaling. Strangles and tetanus both require two or more primary doses at specific time intervals to produce effective immunity  below, and the TETANUS Tetanus occurs when a wound becomes infected with the tetanus spores, which are present in soil. Horses are extremely susceptible to this disease. Once inside the wound, if the conditions are favorable, the spores will germinate and produce a powerful toxin that affects the central nervous system. The size of the wound can be so small that it may not be noticed. Some of the signs to look for in a horse suspected of having tetanus are evidence of the third eyelids prolapsing across the eyes, a stiff-legged gait, often with the tail held out away from the body, pricked ears and “lockjaw”. The muscles become rigid and the horse may go down. Convulsions can occur and death may result from paralysis of the respiratory system. Treatment is difficult, expensive and often unsuccessful. Every horse from the age of 12 weeks should begin a vaccination program to provide long term protection against tetanus. If a wound occurs, tetanus antitoxin (Equivac TAT) may be given for short-term protection. STRANGLES

1. Strangles is a disease transmitted from horse to horse—animals that remain in isolation are not at risk. Horses attending studs, shows or camps, or those which are away on agistment, are at risk, and epidemics may follow such events. These horses should be vaccinated throughout their life.
2. Boosters should be given annually.
3. Unfortunately the strangles vaccine is not as effective as the tetanus vaccine. Occasionally the disease occurs in horses which have been vaccinated. However, vaccination is still recommended to reduce risks.
4. There is no immediate short-term protection for strangles should an outbreak occur. Seek immediate veterinary attention.

Courtesy of NSW Dept of Agric.

GREASY HEEL (Mud Fever - Rain Scald)

This is a very dangerous. It is dermatophilus congolensis (bacteria) and it causes dermatitis type lesions, scabs and sores. If left, it can kill your horse and it is highly important that you treat it seriously and immediately with regularity. Horses may need antibiotics to control infection which can pass throughout the body and kill the horse. Local anti-biotic cream may also be used. Greasy Heel is infection and passes from horse to horse even via stable sawdust or straw.

CAUSES

Associated causes are, dermatitis, micro-organisms, allergies, photosensitivity, nutrition, irritants, and soil or bedding conditions. It is usually caused by the same organisms that cause rain scald. Other bacteria may also be involved in chronic cases.

TREATMENT

 Housing or shelter should be provided to facilitate the drying of the animal's coat, since the infection is helped in dry conditions.

Soften the infected area with soap or an anti-bacterial wash and then scrape off all of the scabs, back to the red skin. Some bleeding may occur. Then apply any of the following remedies. (One at a time)

• corticosteroid-antibiotic cream
• Sea Minerals Dermal Ointment
• Zinc Cream
• Curash  baby powder made by Wallace Barker.
• sulphur powder mixed in petroleum jelly until it is yellow
• Pink Eye antibiotic powder.
• Thuja extract ointment (Herbal)
• Thrush Cream that ladies use.
• Pink Powder
• White Ointment
• Dermaguard Medicated Wash

Treatment and cleaning must occur every day until cleared. White legged horses should be protected with sun screen or zinc cream in the areas effected as UV rays can cause the onset of the infection as well. Hair may be clipped from the region to aid cleaning. Hair standing inside scabs must come off. Horses must be restrained to treat them for their own good. Tying up is the best control but other restraints like a twitch may be necessary. The owner must be strong and not faint hearted. Cleaning must be proper, not half baked because you feel sorry for the horse. You have to be cruel to be kind.

I am advised by a Vet that Greasy heel is often confused with this. "Pastern Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis" She goes on to say.

"It is basically an immune mediated disease which is exacerbated by sunlight, contact dermatitis etc and occurs on white pasterns. The tell tale sign that it not bog standard Greasy Heel is the amount of swelling in the affected limb. The treatment is cortisone, either orally, long acting injection or topically. As we show this horse, I opted to use Neotopic H/Neocort lotion rather than systemic treatment along with Filta Bac as a sunscreen and we have had a good resolution. The main take home message is that a lot of Greasy Heel treatments eg clipping, scrubbing and application of irritant substances will make this conditon worse. Interesting point too, Prednoderm (Green Ointment) appears to make it worse as well, despite having cortisone in it. I think it may be due to the Chlorophyll in it exacerbating the photosensitisation aspect of this disease. "

So I guess you must be sure which affliction it is before deciding upon the treatment.

 spray on a mix of peroxide, pino clean, bleach and metho dilut ted with x4 times that amount of water. ie 1/4 cup of each plus 4 cups of water.

For anyone out there with rain scald or greasy heel. I wrote to you John about 8 months ago, I had the appy with the rain scald. I had tried everything, it got so bad that his whole back was covered in a thick crust. I had to put him in the cattle crush to wash and pick and do what everyone was telling me to do. Anyway I got on to this website from the internet www.animalitch.com.au in NSW. The product is called equitch, all I had to do was spray him with it but he was scared of the spray bottle so I sprayed his cotton rug with the stuff and then put it on him with another rug over the top, it was winter in Melbourne. I sprayed the rug every 2nd day, within about 4 weeks it all lifted and I just brushed it off. It smells a bit like kerosine but contains minerals & tea trea olis etc. Fantastic stuff. I havn't looked back. Its hot here now and if it looks like rain I just spunge him over with it. Also keeps flies away.

the appy with the rain scald. He is mine and the Vet told me about photosensitivity, but the fact is that it is a bug, bacteria and a fungi and I found a product that truly works, killed it and just brushed it off and havent had a problem since. www.animalitch.com.au and the vets couldn't help me. But thanks to the internet there is all sorts of help out there.

If your horse is suffering from 'greasy heel' also known as 'mud fever' or 'scratches', that one of the easiest ways to remove the scabs to promote healing is to smother them in a mix of Vaseline (petroleum jelly) mixed with 1/3rd Filtabac - the antibacterial sunscreen available from vets and saddleries. This softens the scabs overnight allowing you to gently rub them off. Then cover the area with Filtabac to heal and protect the skin.
Greasy heel can be caused by to much protein in the diet so cut out the lucerne, grains and rich grass to help heal the condition. Horses that are copper deficient also seem to be affected by greasy heel so feed a tablespoon of rosehip granules daily or a pinch of copper sulphate.

 I have recently discovered your web site and have found it very helpful. I was reading your information on greasy heel and I would like to let you know what has worked for me. My mare suffered for two years with greasy heel but then I put her on herbal supplements and she has not had it since. Amongst some of things she is on its the super greens and rosehip that does the trick with greasy heel.

Regards
Lindy Cuthbertson

****************

2 tablespoons of copper sulphate in 1/4 bucket of water. Apply as required.

or go here:

www.animalitch.com.au

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