What is Scratches?

QUESTION: My Horse has one white sock, and this winter, she has developed “crusties” along the back side of her pasterns.
She acts as though it hurts if I try to pick at the scabs. One of my friends called it “grease-heel” and another called it “scratches.”
Can you please talk about the differences?
ANSWER:
The short answer to your question is that they are one and the same.

Scratches, Grease- heel, or Mud Fever is not really a specific disease, but a set of signs that we see on the legs of a horse called caudal pastern dermatitis. It often starts on the back side of the pasterns, and if left untreated, can certainly spread around and up the limb as far as the cannon bone! This problem occurs almost exclusively on horses with white hair on their legs, and pink skin beneath that hair. There does seem to be some correlation with the pink skin being much more likely to be effected, but it is not impossible for a non-white leg to have scratches present. The current thought is that there is a relation to sun exposure with the pink skin that is also contributing to a horse getting scratches.

Scratches are a skin over-reaction on the leg, having many potential causes. As mentioned above, it is most commonly seen on legs with white hair and pink skin. There is almost always a moisture component with this dermatitis (skin inflammation) as well. Whether it is sweat from splint boots, morning dew on pasture grass, snow, or even just walking through a creek or stream, there is usually some exposure to moisture without allowing the area to fully dry. From this irritation, the skin can then have some weeping drainage which gives fuel to bacteria or even fungi to grow and cause further inflammation. This process can spiral out of control and get much worse without proper treatment. The inflammation that is caused is usually very uncomfortable for the horse and can even cause a severe lameness.

Treatment of scratches is centered on getting the crusts completely removed from the wound, and also getting the area as clean and dry as possible.
This can be difficult since the inflammation itself is often times painful and horses will not let you do a thorough job of cleaning the scabs and crusts.
In these cases, it will be necessary to have your veterinarian sedate your horse so that they will tolerate this uncomfortable initial cleaning.
In severe cases we will also prescribe an ointment with a steroid anti-inflammatory for topical use and instruct the owner to thoroughly clean the
legs every 2-3 days and keep the horse away from the source of moisture. Remember, FULLY removing the crusts, and keeping the leg clean and dry should
help you to prevent a relapse and to have a rapid resolution.

Sudden severe lameness. What are the signs of a hoof abscess?

QUESTION:
I left for work this morning and my 9 year old gelding was moving normally at that time. When I returned home, he was extremely lame, not wanting to place any weight on his Left front foot. After looking him over, I could not find any swelling or heat in the leg. I talked with my veterinarian over the phone, and he explained that it was likely a hoof abscess. Could you discuss hoof abscesses here?

ANSWER:
This is a very common scenario…one day the horse is fine, and the next, he is extremely lame with no apparent injury. Without swelling on the limb, and any other marks / wounds, this is most likely a hoof abscess.

Hoof abscesses occur when bacteria make their way into the sensitive portion of the foot, and begin to create pus within the confines of the foot. With no easy way to expand, and the growing amount of pus, the pressure increases, and begins to cause severe pain. The bacteria usually finds its way in with the assistance of moisture, making abscesses much more common during the winter and spring months.

The signs associated with hoof abscesses are usually severe lameness, and often a more distinct or throbbing pulse in the affected foot. There can be pain associated with palpation of the coronary band on the affected foot.
Hoof abscesses are certainly a common issue within our practice, and with proper treatment and care, can resolve quickly. It is certainly a condition that an owner should involve a vet quickly, to prevent any complications and assure that an abscess is the correct diagnosis.

What are the signs of Strangles? What other things can mimic Strangles?

QUESTION:
I have a 6-month-old colt that has a swollen lymph node under the right jaw the size of an small orange he does not have any clinical signs of illness, eating well, drinking and is playing with the other foals. There have never been any strangles on the place or any of the other horses have never had it. He has not had any nasal discharge or cough. Could you could please give me advice on a possibility what this might be?

ANSWER:
Swollen areas under the jaw should always be examined by your veterinarian, especially in young horses.  While Strangles (or infection with Streptococcus equi ssp equi) can present with the exact symptoms that you are describing, there are other sources of the swelling possible.  First, it is good to rule out the fact that the swelling is in fact a lymph node.  There are salivary glands in the area that can become swollen and filled with saliva (a salivary mucocele).  Second, you want to rule out dental (tooth) involvement.  Depending on where the swelling is, it could be an infected tooth root on the mandible.  Most of these things will be apparent to your veterinarian when he/she performs the examination.  Your vet might also want to perform a needle aspiration of the contents of the swelling, and potentially culture the contents to confirm or rule out bacterial involvement, and therefore confirm or rule out Strangles.