Hi Dionne & Shilo,
I have had quite a time with rain scald, mud fever or greasey heel, but there is always a clue like scabs, hair loss, once my gelding's legs became swollen and oozed clear sticky fluid. I don't understand why you aren't seeing anything. It seems like you will see skin irritation of some kind eventually or....perhaps it is something else? Poison Ivy, nettles, idk i feel dumb😳. I wonder if any irritation is hard to see. My boy has white legs and it is easy to see. As much as calling out the vet costs, it may be your best idea. Maybe you could time it with your yearly visit and vaccinations, just slipping in the question about his itchy back feet?
I have never used frontline as you suggest. What i do now to prevent is put him in the pasture in the afternoon  when there is no dew. I also feed flax and keep his fetlocks short in the early summer (they fall off by late summer)so the "no see ums" or mites don't latch on as easy. I keep this area clean rubbing off scabs and treating with "fura-free". I also coat this area with zinc before turn out. Any rain scald on the upper part of his body i also use "fura- free" or antibiotic ointment mixed with antifungal ointment.
I super hope any of this helps! I also hope Shilo finds relief from his itching!!
Have a good day!
Paula

Hi, again! I just noted the date of your inquiry, lol. Sorry i am a uni newbie.

I hope you have found a solution by now. 😊 If you are still a member i would love to know what you discovered and how things turned out!
I should explain that my vet has been very reluctant to call our geldings skin irritations anything. He would have to do lab work, as there are dif types of mites, etc. The time my boy progressed into leg swelling the vet used an antibiotic.
 
Well if you are still out there let me know!!  
Paula

Good morning all;  I believe what you all  are describing here is a skin condition that seems to prevalent this time of year because of muddy conditions.  It is called scratches.  It comes about because of the mud contacts the hair in that area of the heel as the horse moves through its natural flexion as the hoof meets the ground.  In the lope, that area almost touches the ground allowing the hair back there to be muddied  The more hair that a horse has down there, the easier it is for the horse to have problem.  That mud dries and some falls off to the ground , but some of the mud gets rubbed into the skin and irritation is the result.  The condition is the first cousin of rain rot and needs to be scrubbed daily.  If too much irritation has been caused, then I have always use a combination of triple antibiotic medication and athlete`s foot cream mixed half and half and stirred.  I apply the ointment after the initial physic scrub has dried.  This heals the area where open sores can lead to a really big problem.  This is a fungal condition and usually takes week to clear itself.
I hope this will help
Bud

Hi all.

I Found that using campher (?) cream works.
Wash and dry the area and then apply the cream, Its thick and brown in colour, doesnt look so good but works a treat.
Also,  ciaboa cream works wonders for irritations, Shilo gets it on any bug bites, works immediately.

Dionne