Took Care of the Fly Allergies, One More Issue to Go...

AugustRED · #1 07/09/13, 02:09 PM

I've owned Annie, my black solid bred paint mare for almost 7yrs now, she's currently 18-years-young. Every summer she would get terrible fly allergies, rubbing large areas pretty much raw, every little bite was a problem. Well I started her on MSM last fall for her joints - guess what? This years she doesn't seem anymore bothered by flies than a normal horse! Even leaving her out on pasture 24/7 she's doing fine.

But there's one more issue I'd like to clear up - during the warmer months she gets these weird like sores on her muzzle, just the hairless area's around her nose, lips, & chin. They start out as raised areas that are damp, anywhere from nickel sized to a couple inches across (mostly small though). The next day it's like the top few layers of skin dry out & crackle, the "scab" eventually falls away revealing pink skin (black muzzle) which then gradually turns back to black. Vet thought it's probably an allergy, I agree but from what? I can't find anything online that resembles it. Over the years she's primarily been on hay year round, this summer she's been on pasture. Sometimes she'll go a couple weeks with nothing, a couple days ago much of her muzzle was affected. Trying to get pictures that show the progression, hopefully can post some soon...

jennigrey · #2 07/09/13, 03:48 PM

Got anything in your pasture that would cause a welt or something on contact? I have a horse that will occasionally accidentally roll into some stinging nettle. She welts up pretty good from that. She's kind of thin-skinned.

Poison ivy? Poison oak? Nettle? Thistle? Maybe ground bees?

LisaInN.Idaho · #3 07/09/13, 05:58 PM

Alsike clover?

AugustRED · #4 07/10/13, 01:42 PM

This is the first summer I've had her on pasture, always hay year round before that & it only afflicts her during the summer. My hay is normally pretty weed free...

LisaInN.Idaho · #5 07/10/13, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AugustRED

This is the first summer I've had her on pasture, always hay year round before that & it only afflicts her during the summer. My hay is normally pretty weed free...

Alsike clover is not a weed, many farmers plant it as forage. But in horses it can cause photosensitivity, which can result in scabbing. It happened to my horses once. If it is alsike clover, you'll want to get her off of it because it can do far worse than cause scabbing.