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Damp Heat Skin In A Horse

by DrSusanP - December 13, 2009

Hi Steve
Have moved to equine practice 8 weeks ago! Am just about ready to start thinking TCVM again. My patient is a 22 year old andalusian gelding, body score 5/5 with a 7 year history of pruritic pyoderma lesions on dorsum and sides.The hair is matted with yellow exudate and the lesions are 2 to 3 cm round or horse shaped. When the hair is removed the underlying skin is black.
The mane has greasy itchy areas. The submandibular area is soft and distended and he has had a previous history of inflammation of the pharyngeal area.the pulse was large and soft and slippery. How do skin conditions progress in horses? Do I start with qing ying tang as I would with a small animal or start with a damp heat clearing product? The horse is only eating grass( great summer here).Can we manipulate diet to affect skin in horses?
Kind regards
Susan

by naturevet

December 13, 2009

Hi Susan,

What a timely question! We're in the process of launching a horse line. The first step will be the availability of certain formulas in bulk, starting early next year, and at a price horse owners can afford.

Regarding your case, it's interesting. The distribution of lesions suggests a Wind invasion and, ordinarily, a need to expel pathogens using aromatics. But we have to balance that against the pulse, which suggests the skin already has too much blood flow for now. When in doubt, go with the pulse. Given all the Damp symptoms and superficial pulse, I'd go ahead and start with Si Miao San. Or even Long Dan Xie Gan Tang plus Si Miao San. Come early spring both of these formulas will be available in bulk form. But I would recommend them regardless and see what happens. If there is a good response, then we'd have to look at diet and ensure the horse is not still consuming a diet that is too rich. Is it still grazing, even now? Where are you because I want to move there. Anyway, I wouldn't be surprised if the throat region lost its puffiness, too.

Steve

by DrSusanP

December 14, 2009

Thanks Steve for the prompt reply.
I am so pleased you will have a horse line.
The lab tests returned today, no significant sensitivity to allergens measured by Heska IGE and nothing to date on cytology or microbiology.
In Tasmania, Australia we have had a really verdant spring, but the grass is starting to dry off a little. I will start with Si Miao San.
Merry Christmas
Susan

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