WHAT IS MALLENDERS & SALLENDERS?

Mallenders & Sallenders, what? Most horse people have never heard of these funny sounding and antiquated names, and unless you have a Gypsy, Shire, Drum, Friesian or horse with heavy feather, you're likely to never see it. Sallenders occurs in the crease of the knee on the front leg and Mallenders is present in front of the hock on the hind legs. You'll recognize it by the thickened, crusted scale and scabs on the front and hind legs of horses. Sallenders and Mallenders can become extremely uncomfortable for your horse and if left untreated can cause secondary fungal and bacterial infections that lead to lameness. The cause of Sallenders and Mallenders is the overproduction of keratin, the building block of hair, horn and that beautiful, luxurious feather. There is no cure for Sallenders and Mallenders but it can be managed easily. Equiderma Skin Lotion will gently soften the waxy buildup in a couple of days and the scabs will start to drop off. Equiderma Skin Lotion will also help prevent and address any infections associated with this condition. It is a simple, safe and natural treatment and will have your horse's legs smooth and free of scabs, cracks and pain in a very short time. Though they describe the same condition, Mallenders and Sallenders are different in where they occur on your horse's body. Mallenders shows up on the back of the knee on the forelegs, and Sallenders in front of the hock on the hind legs. While the names may sound funny the condition is not. You'll recognize Mallenders or Sallenders as hard crusts and scale in both locations. It is caused by excess keratin exuding from the skin and drying there. Keratin is the key structural protein that makes up hair, horns, claws, hooves, and the outer layer of skin. In horses with feather the body produces more keratin than in non-feathered breeds. This is what accounts for the lush feather, but in the case of Mallenders and Sallenders, too much keratin and allowing it to remain, can cause big problems.

HOW IS MALLENDERS & SALLENDERS TREATED?

  1. Day one – Wash the area well with Equiderma Neem Shampoo. Leave shampoo on for up to 1 hour, rinse and dry well. Equiderma Neem Shampoo will soothe your horses’ skin and calm the inflammation. It will also help to address any mites or dermatophytes present by halting the feeding and life cycle of these invaders.
  2. Apply Equiderma Skin Lotion to all crusts and build up and leave on. The goal is to soften the crust, so it is easily removed. Don’t get in a hurry. Aggressive removal before it has softened and is ready for removal can cause more pain for your horse and trauma to the skin.
  3. Re-apply Equiderma Skin Lotion every day and gently attempt to remove the dried scale and chunks. In advanced cases you will need to apply every day for up to three days. Let the skin lotion do its job. It will soften the crusts while also addressing any bacteria and fungus living on the skin. It is a simple, safe treatment and will have your horses’ legs smooth and free of scabs, cracks and pain in a very short time.
  4. You’ll soon notice the crusts have softened and are crumbling. Now is the time to comb them out. Just use a wide toothed comb and gently remove the buildup. You’ll notice the skin is healthy now.
  5. Observe area often for any signs of new buildup and re-apply as needed.
  6. If temperatures are low or for any reason you cannot shampoo your horses’ legs, the Equiderma Skin Lotion will do an excellent job on its own.

AN ADDITIONAL WORD

To date there is no definitive cure for mallenders and sallenders. It requires ongoing management. Care and vigilance to ensure your horse’s feather and underlying skin is healthy is necessary. Feathers must be kept clean and any sign of mallenders or sallenders should be dealt with right away. Avoid the possibility of bacterial infection through good management and prompt treatment. Removal of dried keratin build up is essential and its presence should never be treated carelessly.
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