Equine summer sores

[Susan ChiarelloStudent]

Hello Dr. Jones, any recommendations on treating summer sores in horses? Additionally, what would you recommend to help soften the skin and encourage hair growth on older summer sores that have healed up, however have left rough, hairless patches? Thank you!

[Shauna ThomsonStudent]

There are different types of “Summer sores” depending on where you are. I’m in the southwest and our summer sores are caused by habronematidosis or habronemiasis (https://thehorse.com/1126590/summer-sores-in-horses-causes-clinical-signs-and-diagnostics/). I have talked to people from different parts of the united states and they have no idea what I’m talking about. Sometimes they say “Just give them Ivermectin and it will go away”. No, no they don’t.

I have had two horses with this problem. The first one was several years ago, a gelding I bought ( the seller failed to disclose this problem). I was giving him a 1200 lbs dose of Ivermectin 2 time a month to try to control the problem. I spent thousands of dollars on this horse and finely gave up and sold him to someone in Arkansas, and he never had another problem.

Now I have a very curious 2 year old that gets herself in the most amazing situations. ANY time she gets any type of scrape, bite, weepy thing the battle begins! The only thing I have found to work is to keep the wound covered (not an easy task when she decides she doesn’t want to be covered any more.)  I haven’t found a way to get the hair to grow back over these scars. I REALLY hope someone can find the answer to this problem. I really love this filly and I don’t want to give up on her.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by Shauna Thomson.

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