The case of Dee's Scratches #5

Well, Dee is still improving.  I am so encouraged by several things... #1 - even the icky oozy ointment no longer has her entire leg looking muddy and bad, there are patches of clean areas emerging. #2 - being confined is driving her nuts, she WANTS to move!  #3 - I couldn't stand watching her drive herself crazy in confinement, so I let her out, the gelding is no longer biting her bad enough to leave marks, they are back to their daily discussion about leadership, without violence.  I take this as him seeing that she is no longer too weak to be part of his herd.  Here is a shot of the hind heels...the place that bothers me the most right now..


I have changed medicine again for treating the sores.  It seems like anything that works only works for about two weeks, then levels out, then stops working altogether.  I just finished the ointment that Dr. Allred made (2nd batch) last night, but since Thursday, I've been using another product on her hind legs (little bit of comparison testing you might say) while searching the web I found a product developed by a vet in Smoot, Wyoming. I ran across this early on in my research and it really tweaked my interest, but when I started the purchasing process - I backed out because it just didn't feel right.  (You have to be so careful purchasing online)  Their forms are just different enough to make me wary.  My mind worked it's way back to it after getting the second batch of medicine from Dr. Allred. I started realizing it still was not enough to finish out the recovery, and based on my experience, I suspected it would probably stop working as well just like the other products had.  So, last Friday I took the plunge and went ahead and ordered it.  After the order, I didn't get an email confirming or anything and believe me I was worried!  The website says they take calls Monday through Friday, so I had decided I was going to call on Monday to check the order.  I got busy at work and didn't have the chance to call, then when Randy came home with the mail, there was my Scratches Formula!  I was very surprised and happy for the quick delivery.  Where I live, overnight shipping can take three days!  Ha!

Anyway, I got up the nerve to try it on Thursday evening and decided to only try the hind legs, just in case she had a bad reaction or something.  I'm very happy with the process - it comes as a powder that you mix with distilled water, and then you just spray it right on the sores... Very easy and much nicer on Dee.  It turns the legs a bit yellow, but seems to protect the areas that are exposed skin nicely and if she rolls, or decides to lope around the field, she doesn't come back covered with dirt that turns to mud.  It seems to have a nice drying process, and the scabs are still coming off.  Here's the website if you think you'd like to try the product http://www2.silverstar.com/scratchesformula

Here are two shots that are close to last weeks, notice the huge improvement on the upper hind legs...there is also nothing left above her pastern on both fronts.




I discovered another great thing on Friday night.  The instructions with the Scratches Formula mention brushing the scabs off with a brush, or your glove.  I have been using my hand (I always wear gloves), but she hates it.  I decided to try the brush and she fell asleep while I was doing it!  If I stopped for more than four seconds, she would move closer to me, she loved it.  I spent almost 45 minutes just lightly brushing her legs because it felt so good for her, I didn't want to stop.


It was the first time I have not tortured the poor girl in three months (yes, that was an exaggeration, but the way I feel!) When I was done, I had cleared up lots of scabby, dirty areas and found some nice fluffy hair underneath (a patch or two anyway) - I'm very very happy to see the improvement.


I need to call the vet and see if I can figure out how to keep the exposed skin from becoming so dry it cracks.

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