Summer is in full swing, and there are sores galore!
This time of year a frequent complaint is of non-healing wounds or wounds that appear to get bigger instead of smaller. These lesions can have a proudflesh-like appearance but the tissue is not normally a healthy pink color or it may have yellow granules apparent. These lesions are called summer sores or Habronemiasis, an infection with a parasite called Habronema.
These parasites are transmitted by flies and infect open wounds or mucocutaneous junctions, meaning they commonly appear in areas like the corner of the mouth, eye, or urethra. These lesions are itchy so you may notice the horse rubbing or chewing at the wound.
Typical treatment involves a veterinarian debriding the unhealthy tissue and injecting steroids peri-lesionally. Additionally, all horses on the property should be dewormed with ivermectin or moxidectin to break the parasites life cycle, and the lesions will also be treated topically. Oftentimes the fly population can reinfect the wounds, so good fly control is essential.
