Three Steps for Success from a Pharmacist
By: Kristen Hansen, PharmD
Among the numerous health concerns that can affect horses, equine skin conditions are particularly prevalent and can significantly impact quality of life. As a horse owner, it is important to understand the basics of equine dermatology in order to navigate common challenges effectively. This article can be used as a guide for horse owners to successfully manage common equine skin conditions and provides product selection recommendations from a Clinical Pharmacist.
Equine Dermatology Basics
The epidermis (skin) serves as a horse's first line of defense. It shields the body from harmful environmental elements, pathogens, and traumatic injuries. Any damage to this organ opens the door to potential infections and must be treated appropriately. Untreated infections may enter the blood stream or lymphatic system and cause extensive internal damage or death. However, most common equine skin conditions are mild and can be treated by the horse owner.
Three Steps for Success
Common equine skin conditions develop due to the presence of 3 variables: a damaged skin barrier, the presence of a pathogen, and an environment that promotes growth of the pathogen. Similarly, three steps must be followed by the horse owner when attempting to treat an infection involving the skin.
Step 1: Choose the proper first-line treatment
Understanding the type of pathogen most commonly associated with each type of equine skin condition will help guide the horse owner to the proper first-line treatment. Use the following guide to help identify Pharmacist recommended first-line treatment options that are accessible to horse owners (see Figure 1). It is important to note that this is not a complete guide and a Veterinarian should be consulted in moderate or resistant cases when first-line treatments fail. A skin culture or biopsy may be necessary to help determine appropriate antimicrobial therapy.
Figure 1: Guide to Common equine skin conditions and recommended first-line treatments
Step 2: Protect damaged skin
It is crucial to protect damaged skin with either an appropriate topical product or physical barrier. When hair loss is present or when dealing with skin conditions on the legs, choose a product that will provide the best barrier protection such as an ointment or paste. Physical barriers such as bandaging or blanketing may also be warranted in severe cases. When treating sweet itch or summer sores, fly sheets can be used to reduce exposure to insect bites. For wounds where hair (a partial barrier) is present, a spray or powder may be the best product choice. Moisturizing products such as ointment or sprays will contribute to healthy growth of new skin, whereas pastes and powders can help absorb moisture in undesired areas.
A Pharmacist’s Note: Creams and lotions do not provide barrier protection as they are formulated to be spread onto and absorbed into human (hairless) skin; therefore, they are not ideal for use on animals.
Step 3: Change the environment
This can be the most difficult step to implement when treating equine skin conditions. Start with keeping a clean, dry, stall or sheltered paddock area available for your horse. Blanketing a susceptible horse during wet seasons may help. Mud and fly management will also help reduce breeding grounds for bacteria and parasites. In chronic cases, this may be the last step that is often overlooked and is crucial to eradicate the pathogen from the environment. For boarders, this can be a difficult issue to address without moving the horse to a new property. When unable to drastically change the environment, steps 1 and 2 can keep skin conditions at bay, although it is likely they will reoccur.
Following these 3 steps will allow horse owners to choose an appropriate first-line product, reduce time and money spent on ineffective products, and prevent future re-infections.
Dr. Kristen Hansen is a Clinical Pharmacist with 12 years of experience in hospital, retail, and compounding pharmacies and 20 years of horse ownership. Dr. Hansen is the owner of Dr. Hansen’s Equine Apothecary. www.drhansensapothecary.com
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