Scout has photo and it's no fun...

[Vegashorselady]

*Photos added on post#10*

A couple days before Poppy's colic I had Scout at the vet because there was a cut on her left hind leg that wouldn't heal, if anything, it seemed to be spreading! It turned out that she had developed photo and that the cut was sunburning, so, it was indeed spreading instead of healing like it should. I've been doctoring the cut per the vets instructions and it is finally showing improvement but...now two of her other legs are swollen and have crusty patches of skin on them. I called the vet and sure enough, it's photo. Also, her flymask has a nose cover on it but I washed it the other night so I put a spare mask on yesterday without a nose cover and her nose and lips that weren't covered by the mask are bright red...she's never burned that fast.

So, now the fun begins. No more alfalfa for Scout, photo is linked to the way the kidney processes proteins so she'll have to be cut off from high protein foods. I have to scrub any scabby patches with betadine solution daily and keep zinc oxide on those patches and her nose as well as keep them covered. The vet suggested cutting holes in tube socks and slipping those on her legs until the photo clears up. I'm thinking I need to find some leg warmers!

Seriously, this is all a humongous pain in the butt. The things I go through for my horses!

[vicklynn]

never heard of photo until you posted this.
I hope Scout heals up from this soon.

[Buckpoco]

never heard of photo until you posted this.
I hope Scout heals up from this soon.

I never heard of it either!

[Vegashorselady]

I'd heard of it before, but have never actually seen it. I never would have figured out on my own that that was the reason Scout's cut wasn't healing. But, now that I know she has it I was pretty sure that was what caused the other legs to swell up, especially when I saw the scabby patches of skin under the hair. I might have thought she was just stocked up from not being ridden for the past week and a half but photo only affects the pink pigmented skin and the only leg that wasn't swollen was the one without a white marking on it. I called the vet right away and he confirmed it. Not fun.

[Vegashorselady]

Here is a little blurb on it. I'm sure the horse has some longer articles on the subject, explaining in more detail, but this is a decent synopsis:

Photosensitivity

What you see: reddened skin and crusty, raised scabs.
Is it contagious? No.
Cause: sun exposure along with other complicating factors. Photosensitivity almost exclusively affects pink skin, which lacks a dark pigment called melanin that protects against sunlight. Primary photosensitivity occurs when a horse consumes high levels of photodynamic agents--found in alfalfa, clover, bishop's weed and a variety of other plants--which overwhelm his system and damage his skin when exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays. In secondary photosensitivity, a horse with a damaged liver ingests normal levels of photodynamic agents but his body cannot break them down properly.
Pertinent facts: Photosensitivity lesions can appear on any area of the body with pink skin, most often the muzzle and face and white ankles or pasterns on the lower legs. The acute lesions begin as purplish blisters that weep or slough away and scab over. Affected areas are sharply painful to the touch.
Treatment: If you think your horse has photosensitivity, contact your veterinarian. He may prescribe topical or oral steroids to reduce inflammation, as well as Banamine or bute to keep your horse comfortable. He may also test your horse's liver function for signs of damage.
Prevention: If you know your horse is susceptible, keep him stabled during the daytime and limit his exposure to direct sunlight. If your pasture contains plants that trigger photosensitivity, you may need to move your horse to another field. Horses who suffer photosensitivity on the lower legs benefit from being turned out wearing shipping bandages or boots.

[Vegashorselady]

Oh, and I just realized I said it was linked to kidney function but I meant liver...I'm a little scattered lately, sorry.

If I don't get this cleared up it could cause permanent damage to Scout's liver. She's only 9 so, I'd definitely like to avoid that.

[gaited07]

My horse Shady had this on his back pastern and it is suppose to be only the white??? Aw wrong LOL!

If you could get some flower of sulfur and baby rasp medicine and mix it together, coat the infected area and put a sock on it.
The sulfur will take care of the photo and the diaper rash med. will keep the skin soft and conditioned.

[IrisGreen]

I have heard of it before. That's why you want to keep pink skinned horses off pasture if it has clover. The clover will not only give them the slobbers but can make them photosensitive.

I'm sorry that Scout is photosensitive. How old is she? Has this happened before? If she's older and never had this happen before it might be your hay...Did you get a new load that's rich or maybe wasn't cured fully before it was baled?

If you can't take her off the alfalfa then soak it before you feed. That helps get some of the nutrients out and makes it milder on there system. I know around here grass hay is much more expensive then alfalfa hay. Oak hay is getting more popular and it's about the same price as alfalfa. I don't know if they have there where you live. But it might be worth looking in to.

I was worried about Muffin getting Photosensitive so I killed off a big patch of clover that was in my front yard and I use Tri-tek 14 fly spray that has sun block in it. I also switched to alfalfa cubes instead of baled alfalfa because the cubes are steamed, pressed then dried and that helps make sure there fully cured and not so rich.

I had problems with baled alfalfa giving Muffin belly aches, I think it was too rich for him but I haven't had a problem with the cubes upsetting his belly. I put them in a bucket, fill with water and dump it in his feeder.

I hope Scout's condition gets better. I would try to get some oat hay or grass hay, if not then soak the alfalfa and rinse it off before feeding. That will help until you can figure out what kind of feed works better.

[Country Girl 43]

Gees, Vegaslady, when it rains it pours. :(

Sorry you are having to go through this. I bought some fly protectors for the horses legs from www.smithbrothers.com They work really well. I use them on Dallas because the flys really chew up the bottom of his legs.

I hope Scout gets better soon.

[Vegashorselady]

Ok, since it seems I'm not the only one who isn't that familiar with photo, I decided to add photos of Scout's photo :doh: They were taken with my cell phone so I hope they are clear enough.

This first pic is of the cut before we went to the vet.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xODY.jpg

This is the the same leg today, two weeks after the initial vet visit. The vet clipped the hair away and had to shave off all the proud flesh and scrub the scabby photo off the wound. I've been scubbing it with betadine solution, putting ointmen on it and keeping it covered from he sun. The swelling is all gone and the inital wound is healing nicely.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xOTQ.jpg

This one shows the swelling on the right hind that now has photo as well. You can see that all the swelling is gone in the left hind, where the cut is.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xOTM.jpg

The next two are pictures of the scabby patches on the right hind and right front, that both have photo now.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xOTU.jpg

The right front isn't as bad. After the scabby stuff was scrubbed off tonight it just looks kind pink and little raw looking.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xOTY.jpg

The next two are of Scout's poor nose and lips...this burning happened in one day! I felt so bad for her tonight, it is very tender to the touch and I had to rub cream all over it.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xOTI.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8xOTg.jpg

This one I took just to show the white markings Scout has. Her only pink skin is on her right font, left hind, right hind and nose....and those are the only spots affected by the photo. The only leg that doesn't have it is the left front, where the skin is dark.
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o232/bratnvegas/Y29udGVudDovL21lZGlhL2V4dGVybmFsL2ltYWdlcy9tZWRpYS 8yMDA.jpg

[Vegashorselady]

If you could get some flower of sulfur and baby rasp medicine and mix it together, coat the infected area and put a sock on it.
The sulfur will take care of the photo and the diaper rash med. will keep the skin soft and conditioned.

I'm pretty sure this is what is in the cream the vet gave me. I have zinc oxide (diaper rash cream) as I use it on the horses noses in the summer. Where would I buy flower of sulfur? The vet told me to keep her legs covered in socks so yeah, I purchased a ten pack of mens tube socks at target for $5...we're going to need them!

I have heard of it before. That's why you want to keep pink skinned horses off pasture if it has clover. The clover will not only give them the slobbers but can make them photosensitive.

I'm sorry that Scout is photosensitive. How old is she? Has this happened before? If she's older and never had this happen before it might be your hay...Did you get a new load that's rich or maybe wasn't cured fully before it was baled?

If you can't take her off the alfalfa then soak it before you feed. That helps get some of the nutrients out and makes it milder on there system. I know around here grass hay is much more expensive then alfalfa hay. Oak hay is getting more popular and it's about the same price as alfalfa. I don't know if they have there where you live. But it might be worth looking in to.

I was worried about Muffin getting Photosensitive so I killed off a big patch of clover that was in my front yard and I use Tri-tek 14 fly spray that has sun block in it. I also switched to alfalfa cubes instead of baled alfalfa because the cubes are steamed, pressed then dried and that helps make sure there fully cured and not so rich.

I had problems with baled alfalfa giving Muffin belly aches, I think it was too rich for him but I haven't had a problem with the cubes upsetting his belly. I put them in a bucket, fill with water and dump it in his feeder.

I hope Scout's condition gets better. I would try to get some oat hay or grass hay, if not then soak the alfalfa and rinse it off before feeding. That will help until you can figure out what kind of feed works better.

Scout is 9, I've had her for 3 and half years and this is the first time she's had it. She's off the alfalfa, we switched her to grass yesterday. It could just be a rich batch of alfalfa, like you said, but after this episode I think I'll just keep her off of it for good. I don't want to deal with this ever again.

Gees, Vegaslady, when it rains it pours. :(

Sorry you are having to go through this. I bought some fly protectors for the horses legs from www.smithbrothers.com They work really well. I use them on Dallas because the flys really chew up the bottom of his legs.

I hope Scout gets better soon.

So true, I've gone years with nothing but routine vet care for my horses and now I'm getting slammed over and over again. I was on edge last week having to tend to Scout when I'd just lost Poppy.

Yeah, I just bought a bunch of fly boots a few months ago for Poppy, she had to wear them in her stall at all times or else she would get her front pasterns all bloodied and bruised up, she was hard on them though so I went ahead and stocked up on them. I was wondering what I was gong to do with all those fly boots now that she is gone...guess they won't go to waste now.

[Vegashorselady]

....and it continues. Scout isn't any better. Actually, the photo on the right hind and her lips and nose have gotten worse. Minutes after I got back in town on Monday afternoon I got a call from the barn that Scout was so sore from the swelling in the right hind that she was laying down and wouldn't get up. They had to force her up and she was lifting the leg and wouldn't put any weight on it. I called the vet, again, and Scout is now on bute. I don't see any improvement yet though. Scout is also now locked in the one box stall at the barn so she can't get out in the sun. I call it the solitary box. The horse is miserable and I'm exhausted from treating this for the past three weeks...and the vet said it could be another month before it clears up. *sigh* I am truly experiencing the ugly side of horse ownership lately.

[vicklynn]

Photo does go away though right?

Here's for a speedy recovery.

[oursarge]

Hope she will be OK. I am not dealing with what you are dealing with but when I had my first horse I think the vet was here 4 times in 15 yrs not counting shot time. He was so healthy I didn't realize all the things horses can get. I have also been seeing the other side of horse ownership and it's not fun at all. It's stressful and we fight and fight and still loose sometimes. When Dommie died we ended up getting 3 more against my better judgement I have to say, my husband pushed me into it. I love them don't get me wrong and I feel Rompy was really meant to be here but from day one I've been dealing with medical issues with one of them or both at the same time. I never even wanted horses here again but Sarge had to come because his eye needs constant watching. Delta is boarded so my friend deals with her stuff but with the boys it's one thing after the other. Sarge is blind or almost blind in one eye now, I'm putting 3 drugs in it twice a day. Last winter he had an abcess we couldn't get rid of. Rompy has had one thing after the other since we got him, so many things I can't even remember them all. All my cats were sick at once, I have a screwball dog. A few weeks ago I was going to call the vet to put them all down. I didn't, of course, but the stress gets so bad especially when they aren't getting better or you're not seeing even some improvement it can really get to you.

I sure hope that Scout will recover, it was bad enough loosing one now dealing with this. I surely hope things will get better.

[Vegashorselady]

Photo does go away though right?

Here's for a speedy recovery.

Yeah, it should go away. We have her off the alfalfa, which is what triggered the photo. It's weird that I've had her for 3 1/2 years without any sign of this. I just have to keep her out of the sun to let it all heal and let the change in diet take effect.

Oursarge - I know exactly what you mean. I've been pretty lucky with my horses as far as health issues go and now I'm getting hit all at once with a bunch of problems...and they come on fast! One day your horse is just fine and then the next day there is a serious issue and you're hauling the horse to the vet.

[oursarge]

Yeah, it should go away. We have her off the alfalfa, which is what triggered the photo. It's weird that I've had her for 3 1/2 years without any sign of this. I just have to keep her out of the sun to let it all heal and let the change in diet take effect.

Oursarge - I know exactly what you mean. I've been pretty lucky with my horses as far as health issues go and now I'm getting hit all at once with a bunch of problems...and they come on fast! One day your horse is just fine and then the next day there is a serious issue and you're hauling the horse to the vet.

I know and it's so scary. They want me to take Sarge to Cornell University but I'm not sure why since both vets did consults and my options are lazer surgery that might help for a bit but costs a small fortune and both horses have to go since Rompy goes nuts without Sarge so I have to pay for 2 horses. It's not a permenant fix either. Since he has a cataract he isn't a canditate for the implant surgery, that is what I'd like if he could have it but it sounds like it's very expensive and might not work and make things worse and we'd have to mortgage the house to do it. I'm willing to do that if it would work. We've had them here for 3 yrs in Oct and every day it's something new. Sometimes really scary like when I wormed them and we thought Rompy was colicing but that turned out to be an absess coming out but he was very sick. Had to take his temp a bunch of times a day, give him 20 pills a day [anti biotics] and Banamine then pack his foot when the abcess finally came out. It seems I get done treating one and the other needs treating and none of them are cooperative so it's a fight. The cats were always healthy, I have 2 that are 6, one that is 2. One developed asthma like over night then they all got an intestinal virus then Jack had to be rushed to the ER with an infection then Bo got crystals so I was dealing with that in between the horses and it's all at the same time! One counter in the kitchen was filled with medications for animals! Right now the cats are normal but WHO KNOWS what tomorrow or later today will bring.

The family reunion is on Sat. and everyone is asking if I'm going and I tell them if everyone is healthy. Then my mother wants to know why we don't travel up there to visit. I told her because it seems I'm always in the vet's office but she has no concept of taking care of a sick animal, she says "Let them die". Yeah I get along with my mother real well. I love her but there are times I sure don't like her! I really can sympathize with you and hope she will be fine. It gets so frustrating when you do all you can and see very little improvement or none and you have to make the choice nobody wants to make. I do think about you alot because I know what it's like. Take care of yourself.

[vicklynn]

Oh man, um, mom, well um, when you get sick, should I just say, let her die?
((HUGS))

[Vegashorselady]

I know and it's so scary. They want me to take Sarge to Cornell University but I'm not sure why since both vets did consults and my options are lazer surgery that might help for a bit but costs a small fortune and both horses have to go since Rompy goes nuts without Sarge so I have to pay for 2 horses. It's not a permenant fix either. Since he has a cataract he isn't a canditate for the implant surgery, that is what I'd like if he could have it but it sounds like it's very expensive and might not work and make things worse and we'd have to mortgage the house to do it. I'm willing to do that if it would work. We've had them here for 3 yrs in Oct and every day it's something new. Sometimes really scary like when I wormed them and we thought Rompy was colicing but that turned out to be an absess coming out but he was very sick. Had to take his temp a bunch of times a day, give him 20 pills a day [anti biotics] and Banamine then pack his foot when the abcess finally came out. It seems I get done treating one and the other needs treating and none of them are cooperative so it's a fight. The cats were always healthy, I have 2 that are 6, one that is 2. One developed asthma like over night then they all got an intestinal virus then Jack had to be rushed to the ER with an infection then Bo got crystals so I was dealing with that in between the horses and it's all at the same time! One counter in the kitchen was filled with medications for animals! Right now the cats are normal but WHO KNOWS what tomorrow or later today will bring.

The family reunion is on Sat. and everyone is asking if I'm going and I tell them if everyone is healthy. Then my mother wants to know why we don't travel up there to visit. I told her because it seems I'm always in the vet's office but she has no concept of taking care of a sick animal, she says "Let them die". Yeah I get along with my mother real well. I love her but there are times I sure don't like her! I really can sympathize with you and hope she will be fine. It gets so frustrating when you do all you can and see very little improvement or none and you have to make the choice nobody wants to make. I do think about you alot because I know what it's like. Take care of yourself.

I know what you mean about your mom oursarge. My mom likes animals and is glad I have the horses because they make me happy, but she is not sympathetic to vet bills. I don't even talk to her about my animals health problems because she'll say things like, "how much is that going to cost you", "there's nothing wrong with just putting them down...they're going to heaven".:rolleyes: When Poppy died she said she was sorry and then followed up with "well that's one less horse...you spend a lot of money on those horses, how much will that save you a month?". Yeah, I'm surprised I haven't bit my tongue off from biting down on it so hard. I don't know why she's so worried about my finances all the time, I know exactly how much money I have coming in and going out and can manage it just fine. She forgets that I'm the kid that saved up 65 dollars as a five year old from my $5 a week allowance!

[oursarge]

I'm sorry your mom is like that, they think they are saying things to help but they make it worse, most times I don't even tell her anything about them. The only one she likes is Puppy, Puppy could rip the house apart and she'd make an excuse for her but she doesn't care anything about the others. She'll say Bo and Molly are ugly cats and I ask her if she'd say that to someone's kid, she says no and I tell her well she's saying it about my kids who I love so just keep her opinions to herself. She yelled at Jack one day because he was on the table and I snapped, I told her this is HIS house, she's visiting and if Jack wants to sit on the table he can sit on the table. Then her feelings get all hurt, she feels she can say anything to me but if I say something she gets all hurt acting. She'll say things like let them die or I can't get myself sick over an animal and I always use a family member's kid as an example, if she got sick and died wouldn't people feel bad? Well I love my animals as much or more than most people love their kids [More than she loves her kid I can tell you that, she might loose custody and doesn't really seem to care] so when they are sick or if they die it rips me apart. I grieve forever. She doesn't get it. I'm not asking her to like them I'm just telling her when she is in their house to respect their space, it is NOT her house, she has her own house and they aren't welcome there except for Puppy so we don't take them but if something happens and I have to be up there with her I already told her they are coming with me and she said the can't and I said then deal with what ever you have to deal with yourself. I would really like to live closer to them so then the visits can be short and maybe then we wouldn't get on each other's nerves so much. I just don't know it gets harder all the time. I did find a nice house near them with a beautiful barn but now my man is dragging his feet. I bite my tongue alot, I used to do it alot more but I don't know if it's "Mentalpause" or what but I'm starting to snap. I do love her but I think she should treat me and my animals with the respect she treats others with.

I just hope that your baby will be OK and that was a terrible thing for your mom to say about Poppy. Mothers! Like I said I love mine but there are times I don't like her and I shouldn't say that but it's true and she's getting worse as she gets older. I'm not even asking her to like my animals, just don't say stuff that is totally ignorant.

[Vegashorselady]

Well, Scout will be ok...eventually...I just have to find the energy to deal with it for a few more weeks.

My mom isn't trying to be rude...she's just being honest and thinks she's giving me good advice. One thing you develop in my family is a thick skin, it takes a lot to get me worked up but sometimes her timing is just...bad. It's always been like that and not just about the horses. She would do anything for one of her kids and is better about reaching out to people in need than I am but she really is clueless how back handed some of her comments are. I've inherited her honesty but I'm self aware enough to try and reign it in so as not to offend people.

[oursarge]

My mother and your mother might be sisters!!!! Mine is the same as far as the back handed compliments. It's like if I get something new she might say "It's nice if you like it" now what does that mean???? Or she'll say "You got your hair cut" My father always says they should put her in the diplomatic corpes! He gets so mad at her sometimes he shakes his head and will sometimes tell her to knock it off then she says I got her in trouble with my father when I never said a word. Then she says if she can't tell her own daughter these things who can she tell and I tell her that I'm an old lady now and I think that she should talk to me like she talks to her friends not like I'm 2 yrs old. She wouldn't walk into a friend's house and say she hates their furniture or where did they get that piece of junk. She doesn't only do it to me she does it to everyone. She gets something in her head and that's it and that's it. No matter what anyone says won't change her mind!!!! Last reunion she said to my cousin's little boy "Oh you're getting so big and fat too"....it's like WHERE IS YOUR HEAD?! Why would you tell a little kid they are fat? Everyone knows how she is and usually just laugh it off, but it hurts. I think that the anurysm she had back in '71 has something to do with some of the things she says too but still she doesn't realize how much words can hurt. She can also be really really funny too, it depends on the mood. I told her one day that she really hurts my feelings when she says the things to me that she says then she got all upset and said she was sorry then 5 minutes later started in again. I do bite my tongue alot except if she yells at my animals then that's it since this is THEIR house. Yeah they do things that might upset people but I really don't care. Like she says "What if someone comes and gets hair on their clothes" and I tell her that they know I have cats, if they can't deal with hair they can stay home. I clean the furniture the best I can but 5 minutes later it's covered in hair again. My grandparents and my aunt and uncles are the same as my mother so you'd think I'd be used to it all by now but sometimes things do hurt especially when it comes to the animals I love so much.

I am glad Scout will be OK, I love her name. It is frustrating dealing with it I know, you have to deal with way more than I do as far as nursing goes. I just need to get 3 medications in an eye he doesn't want messed with. Sarge's eye is frustrating me something awful and I know we are doing all of this and eventually he will loose either part or all of his sight and it breaks my heart, he's only 7 yrs old. I really wish they'd come up with a sure fix but so far there is none. Time to go feed them and do the medication again, every time I take his mask off I hold my breath not knowing if his eye will be blue, have a cloud or look normal. It looked really decent this a.m. so we'll see what tonight brings. Hugs to Scout.

[Remali]

My Arabian mare used to get that...... on her hind pasterns, and occasionally on her nose.
I used to buy a salve from my vet (I can't recall the name of it right now) and it really took care of it and cleared it up.

I finally remembered the name of the salve I got from my vet....it was Nolvasan..... it worked wonders!

http://petmeds.ebookbeach.com/nolvasan-ointment-7-oz

http://enduranceridestuff.com/blog/2010/06/dealing-annoying-scratches-horse/