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M&S formula is not a magic cure (there is not one) it forms part of the jigsaw to help reduce the severity of the condition, reduce the regularity of break outs and help to calm flare ups when they occur. What about topical treatments? If your horse has these conditions, what treatment do you use? Do you worry about photosensitivity when using oils and greases? Chorioptic mange can be treated but it is difficult to get rid of it completely due to the mites living in the environment or on other horses thereby causing re-infection. This means regular treatments are often required. Complete elimination of mites is likely to require treating all the horses on the property at the same time as well as disinfecting all the stables and other communal areas. It is therefore an infection that can lie dormant in the horse's skin and only becomes active when the surface of the skin is damaged, which usually happens through prolonged exposure to damp conditions. Mallenders & Sallenders, what? Most horse people have never heard of these funny sounding and antiquated names, and unless you have a Gypsy, Shire, Drum, Friesian or horse with heavy feather, you're likely to never see it.
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.
This is very expensive, and since mallenders is not a life threatening or (except in very serious cases) performance threatening condition, vets don't usually suggest it. As a result 99% of owners treat it as a chronic condition which can only be managed, and find the solution that works best for them by trial and error. Itching, stamping and rubbing are all common symptoms which are caused by the irritation of the mites feeding and crawling on the horse’s skin. 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. Fortunately, this little-known condition doesn’t affect a large number of horses. While there is no way to effectively prevent mallenders and sallenders, it can be treated and managed. Always consult your veterinarian to confirm diagnosis and put together an effective treatment plan that will work for you and your horse. Often, attempts to remove the mallanders and sallanders in horses can do more harm than good. Usually, they are just unsightly but in some more extreme cases, they can become infected. Trying to keep them soft by using aqueous based creams can be beneficial if they are prone to becoming chapped. Link to nutrition
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. 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.
At the moment I'm thinking I'll wash in T-Gel once a week to get rid of any sort of build-up that may have occurred and apply a moisturising cream of some sorts (now thinking Vaseline?) 4 times a week (can't do more than that as he's only loaned out 4 days a week and on his non-loaning days I can't really expect yard staff to traipse down the field to rub a bit of moisturiser onto a couple of scabs!). 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.
Do supplements help? Many people give supplements. I have a supplement for Sid from Forage Plus, the Summer Skin Balancer. Do you have a view on whether a supplement helps? 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. Aww I do feel your pain, its a nightmare isnt 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. 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? 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.
Symptoms of feather mites in horses
I felt alone for 4 years, nobody knew what he had nor did they know what to do except for oiling. Now it’s all past history cause of you.” Wash the area to keep it clean. You need to minimize the possibility of a secondary (bacterial or fungal) infection. Apply Ointment
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. This condition is more common in breeds with this genetic characteristic How to Treat Mallenders and Sallenders
Link to nutrition
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:
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