Scurfy, flakey skin is another common symptom of chorioptic mange and is believed to be the skin’s natural defence to shedding the mites. Often, even when the mites have gone, the horse’s skin continues to flake. What is mallanders and sallanders? The term mallenders covers a variety of skin conditions that are actually known as tether dermatitis. It can be caused by a variety of bacteria that thrive primarily in muddy, wet conditions. he allows me to handle his legs, part his feathers, and rub in the horse oil I am using. This is by no means the norm and indicates that he trusts me and that he finds the treatment helpful. He wouldn't let the vet touch his legs below the knee.

Rebel Diamitetreats scabs and helps to break down any further keratin that is produced. Will also treat any mites that are present and helps to prevent hard skin from forming. i have noticed that the Mallenders appear to be worse when he is changing his coat, so twice a year. If temperatures are low or for any reason you cannot shampoo your horses’ legs, the Equiderma Skin Lotion will do an excellent job on its own.Although nutrition and diet are frequently discussed on forums and linked to mites, mallanders and sallanders in horses, there isn’t any scientific evidence to support this information. For example, there is often talk, particularly on social media, of biotin making mallanders and sallenders worse however, there is no scientific evidence to support this. Biotin is a naturally occurring vitamin present at low levels in grass and forages and is produced internally by the horse itself as it breaks down fibre. It is therefore impossible to provide a diet which is completely free from biotin. If in doubt, it is best to always seek veterinary advice! It is better to ask once too often than once too little. I will try the brewers yeast too. I had wondered about feeding her oil, although she is difficult to keep the weight off so this might be a problem. Is this a chronic or an acute condition? As far as I have learned, mallenders is a form of keratosis, where the horse's body produces an excess of skin molecules, and it is chronic. It won't ever go away, though it can be managed. The feather scabs are more likely to be acute, caused by things like mites, mud fever or photosensitivity.

This is an example of an overgrown chestnut; it needs to be trimmed. Due to the size of this one, it may be advisable to ask your farrier for help. I had a visit from my vet yesterday to discuss Sid's mallenders, which have flared up and dropped off during the summer. She was helpful. Her view was: Some sources recommend using a feed supplement to boost the body’s immunity and help with the healing process. Feeding a probiotic can help aid in digestion and overall health of the horse. Always do your research on supplements, especially probiotics! Pre and probiotics are sensitive to heat, so certain manufacturing processes can render the supplement ineffective. Conclusion Gracie gets mallenders a little from time to time and in her case I'm convinced it is exacerbated by what she consumes. I don't feed her anything that contains biotin (which is why I went for the FP balancer) and it's definitely worse when she eats lots of sugary grass. She's been muzzled this spring/summer so far and all I've seen is a bit of greasy dandruff in her feather, she doesn't seem to have any sores this time And she's not stamping her feet at all either. Meddi Mudis great for horses that are turned out, as it treats the scabs and protects the skin from further damage.

Farriers Equine Care

Is this condition food related? I've seen a lot of people saying that mallenders is worsened by sugar in the grass or in forage. Does this match your experience? Aww I do feel your pain, it’s a nightmare isn’t it. I went through every lotion and potion under the sun. Some had no effect whatsoever and others were mildly successful but nothing ever cured my lad from trashing his legs. You’ll soon notice the crusts have softened and are crumbling. Now is the time to comb them out. Just use a wide toothed comb and gently remove the buildup. You’ll notice the skin is healthy now. The only proven and effective treatments are either a moxidectin or ivermectin leg wash, prescribed by your vet, however, many horse owners believe that diet plays a significant role in the severity of the scabbing and by carefully adapting the diet, the condition can improve. It’s commonly reported that prone horses can get a flare up in early spring time, believed to be related to the sudden grass growth in the UK. Similarly, a high sugar and starch diet is believed to attribute to further irritation and some horse owners even suggest alfalfa is best avoided also.

Washing and drying - Horse was stabled at night. If I left his legs muddy they would still be soaked the next morning. If they were hosed off, his legs would be dry within the hour. I know the jury is still out about hosing but it was definitely the best thing for my lad. feed a supplement to promote moisture in the skin and coat. She recommended mirra-coat, of which I found possibly the last 2 tubs in the whole of the UK and bought them yesterday. I notice that it contains biotin.During the course of research for this article, another source incorrectly confused mallenders and sallenders with ‘chestnuts.’ Understanding basic equine anatomy can help you diagnose problems, communicate with your vet, and weed out misinformation.