# At my wits end with mallenders - HELP!!



## CazD (6 April 2012)

Mygypsy cob mare has terrible mallenders and has done so for the past four years or so. She's 9 years old.  I've had the vet out in previous years who has given her two dectomax injections a few weeks part but these have done nothing.  i've used pig oil but think she may be allergic to it as the dryness (but not the crustiness) then starts to extend down her legs and she gets more and more agitated about having her legs done.  I'm currently using almond oil which she seems happy for me to apply.  Nothing really helps though.  Daily applications of oil keep  the bleeding cracked bits slightly at bay but nothing stops the rough dry skin.  Has anyone any ideas?  Should I press my vet for skin scrapings?


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## RutlandH2O (6 April 2012)

My Shires suffer with the same problem. The Dectomax should be given as a course of 3 injections, each one 10 days apart. Make sure each dose is the proper amount for her weight. Too little and you are wasting your time. Is your mare stabled? On straw? If so, the straw can exacerbate the problem because of the mites in the straw. Cardboard bedding is a much better choice. Do you feed hay or haylage? Again, the hay harbours mites, so haylage would be advised. Have you tried flowers of sulphur mixed into the pig oil? It is very drying, which usually does the trick. A few of my horses are more difficult to treat than the others. I do believe there is a weaker immune response to the mites in those affected horses.


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## misterjinglejay (6 April 2012)

I found washing with hibiscrub, and picking off as many bits as you can, followed by a liberal smearing of E45 seemed to work the best on my sec D.


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## Maesfen (6 April 2012)

Check her diet is balanced as all skin problems (apart from injuries of course) stem from the diet; if she's healthy on the inside she'll look healthy on the outside.
Brewers yeast is very good for digestion with the added bonus that it's very good for skin and hooves too, you should see a difference within a month.  The skin should be supple and shiny at al times even with a winter coat if she is healthy and that will show in the state of her mallenders too.  You could add oil to her feed but being what she is that might not be good for her waistline.   Also, being what she is she might be finding your grass to rich for her which will all have an effect on the skin; gypsy cobs are bred to be hardy and do well on the cheapest ground, by bringing them out of their comfort zone to richer grazing and diets let alone being molly coddled (not saying you do, just generalizing!) with rugs and all sorts it's not surprising that their bodies and systems sometimes react differently.
I would be inclined to slap on something like Protocon/zinc & castor /Sudacrem cream to the areas and not pick at it or wash  it off, just apply new cream on top; normally as you put new cream on the scabs will roll off by themselves leaving clean healthy skin underneath


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## Yertis (6 April 2012)

Please read up on Chronic progressive lymphedema to make sure you're not treating the wrong condition, this is what mine has. After vet treating for mallenders for 3 years with no success someone on a forum recognised the symptoms and I forwarded the research to m vet. The best so far has been mixing neem oil with vaseline and applying then wrapping legs in cling film overnight, this softens all the dry skin and the neem fights the infection. It has improved greatly over the last 6 years and very rarely have a bleeding outbreak now but I do wash her legs with human anti dandruff Nizoral once a month, leaving the shampoo lathered up for about 10 mins before washing off, drying with a towel and then applying E45 lotion (this seems to loosen off the last bits of any dry skin). Inbetween I comb through the feathers with a fine tooth dog comb to check the skin. Her legs were so bad after the wrong treatment that I had to keep her legs clipped out for the first couple of years but now they have regrown but I keep them thinned out with a Mars coat king. 
http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/ChronicProgressiveLymphedema.html


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## Cinnamontoast (6 April 2012)

My cob has this (or mudfever, god knows) really badly. I've tried everything. I was recommended Clear Round shampoo. The manufacturer reckons it clears mud fever. I used this followed by Avon Skin So Soft Bath oil and the scabs are gone, took two days. I was amazed!


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## glenruby (6 April 2012)

I generally advise a prescription medicated shampoo - universal dog and cat or Coatex dog and cat shampoo are excellent for treating mallenders or any crusty skin condition. Rinse horse with warm water, massage in the shampoo and leave on for 10mins. This also softens the scabs for easy removal. Then rinse off removing all scabs. I usually say to apply a good cream such as flamazine or e45 afterwards to moisturise more.


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## popularfurball (6 April 2012)

I would be after biopsies, so many excema type dermatitis are misdiagnosed.


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## CazD (7 April 2012)

anniearab said:



			Please read up on Chronic progressive lymphedemaQUOTE]

Thanks for the information on this condition.  I've googled it and read up on it but I dont think its what she has - although I've printed out some of the information and will certainly raise the subject with my vet, just in case.  Could I ask what you treat your horse with on a day to day basis?  or do you use the neem oil/vaseline combination daily?  I've tried hibiscrub, ordinary vaseline, almond oil, pig oil, sudocreme, athletes foot cream and,until recently when she started to object, daily application of pig oil was the only thing that stopped the skin splitting.  Nothing stops the thick, dry scaly skin though and if I miss a day then the skin will start to split.

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.

Forgot to say, she lives out with our other three horses 24/7/365 but none of them suffer from any kind of skin problem, not even mud fever in the depths of winter.
		
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## glenruby (7 April 2012)

Again use a good prescription medicated shampoo as it wont dry out the skin. And top off with flamazine


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## popularfurball (7 April 2012)

Micronised linseed does not affect weight of mine fed in appropriate quantities. Tumeric may also help in decent doses. My girly has pemphigus (often misdiagnosed as rain scald and mud fever) and both the above have helped her. I use head and shoulders sensitive to wash her skin and flamazine cream on her skin if open and ole Vera gel if not


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## Penny Less (8 April 2012)

When I was in desperation with mud fever scabs and soreness, I tried aromaheel and it cleared up within a few days. It is expensive stuff, but it definitely worked for me


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## Yertis (8 April 2012)

CazD said:





anniearab said:



			Please read up on Chronic progressive lymphedemaQUOTE]

Thanks for the information on this condition.  I've googled it and read up on it but I dont think its what she has - although I've printed out some of the information and will certainly raise the subject with my vet, just in case.  Could I ask what you treat your horse with on a day to day basis?  or do you use the neem oil/vaseline combination daily?  I've tried hibiscrub, ordinary vaseline, almond oil, pig oil, sudocreme, athletes foot cream and,until recently when she started to object, daily application of pig oil was the only thing that stopped the skin splitting.  Nothing stops the thick, dry scaly skin though and if I miss a day then the skin will start to split.

Doesn't need daily treatment now  mainly just the E45 cream massaged in then combed out the next day with the dead skin, usually once a week.
		
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## jennie1000 (24 April 2012)

My horse has chronic progressive lympedema...... If you want to see photo updates of her progress since diagnosis (2 years ago) add her on Facebook.

Pony Stevenson (beautystevenson@ hotmail.co.uk)

https://m.facebook.com/#!/home.php?refid=9


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## Crazymare2699 (4 June 2016)

CazD said:



			Mygypsy cob mare has terrible mallenders and has done so for the past four years or so. She's 9 years old.  I've had the vet out in previous years who has given her two dectomax injections a few weeks part but these have done nothing.  i've used pig oil but think she may be allergic to it as the dryness (but not the crustiness) then starts to extend down her legs and she gets more and more agitated about having her legs done.  I'm currently using almond oil which she seems happy for me to apply.  Nothing really helps though.  Daily applications of oil keep  the bleeding cracked bits slightly at bay but nothing stops the rough dry skin.  Has anyone any ideas?  Should I press my vet for skin scrapings?
		
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I've have the same problem. To the point that I now have to sedate my mare to attend them. Oils to horse is fabulous. A friend uses it on her cob with amazing results. It's on Facebook. Hope you get it sorted. I know just how your feeling. A friend


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## Charlie007 (4 June 2016)

My friends cob has suffered mallenders for years. She is currently using oil to horse I think it's called. It has made a huge difference.


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## alainax (4 June 2016)

It seems that different approaches work for different horse. 

What works for us is muddy marvel descab to loosen and remove the scabs. A comb to brush them out. Then camrosa ointment to soothe and heal the skin.


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## Crazymare2699 (4 June 2016)

I've used it for a while now. Noticed an improvement but it's very sore and inflamed and she won't let me touch them. We couldn't even sedate her today.


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