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  Discussion on Bumps all over legs and chest
Author Message
Member:
Levi75

Posted on Saturday, Jun 4, 2005 - 9:01 pm:

Hi. I went out to the barn yesterday and noticed small (mosquito bite size) bumps all over my horses legs and on his chest. There are probably over 100 of them, and they are very hard with either a scab or oozing small amounts of clear liquid. I just put him out to pasture (he's only 2) and I noticed that there are active fire ant piles in the huge pasture that he lives in. I went to the barn today and they haven't gotten worse but when I talked to the owner of the barn, she said her horses get bumps on their legs each summer and it goes away in the winter. I read the article on this by Dr O, but I'm not sure if it might be something else because the barn owner said it's usually not up as high as the chest. Do fire ants attack horses?? Even on his back legs the bumps are up all the way to the high inside of his leg. If it is the case of these summer sores, should I look for another place to put my horse?? I don't want him to look like this all summer as I plan on taking him to some in-hand shows and it's really noticeable. I also want to do what's best for him and the barn owner said her horses get so bad they itch and the scabs bleed. Any advice would be helpful!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Jun 5, 2005 - 8:24 am:

I would be highly suspicious he have been attacked by the fire ants and if you can't get rid of the ants perhaps you should move the horse.
DrO
Member:
Levi75

Posted on Monday, Jun 6, 2005 - 5:16 am:

Dr O- thank you for your fast response! I went to the barn today and the bumps seem to be going down which leads me to believe you are right... fire ants.
On the case of the summer sores or "habronemiasis" in your article, what can I do to prevent that?? The barn owner said her horses get it every summer and I saw you wrote "The common use of ivermectin-based dewormers however has all but eliminated this problem"...
How much ivermectin is too much?? I've wormed him with ivermectin paste and he's on Strongid daily wormer. Should I continue giving him the paste as long as he's out to pasture??
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jun 6, 2005 - 7:11 am:

What makes you think you are having trouble with summer sores? They are not a primary problem as the article explains it is a complication of open sores.
DrO
Member:
Chohler

Posted on Monday, Jun 6, 2005 - 1:50 pm:

Janet if there are fire ants the owner needs to treat the piles they will do a number on any animal including horses.
Member:
Levi75

Posted on Monday, Jun 6, 2005 - 2:56 pm:

Dr O- the reason I thought that is because the owner of the barn told me that every summer her horses get these bumps all over them and they go away only in the winter. She said she's had the vet look at them and he said it could be weeds or something that only comes out in the summer. She said she tries all types of sprays and nothing seems to get them to go away. She also said the horses itch these bumps so they get bloody. When I read your article I thought maybe this is what she has, habronemiasis, and I wanted to prevent it. I don't want that all over my horse this summer~
In the case of my horse right now though, I do believe it was fire ants. I'm just looking to try and prevent this other condition she was telling me about!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jun 6, 2005 - 7:15 pm:

Habronemiasis is a large bleeding ulcerated tumor and nothing like what you describe, so don't worry about that, it ain't what you got.
DrO
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