The Horse Staff

In hot and humid environments, treating scratches (pastern dermatitis) starts with keeping the area clean and dry because moisture and irritation can worsen the condition. Veterinarians often recommend gentle cleaning, clipping hair around the affected area, and topical therapies based on severity and underlying causes. Consistent management and environmental control are key to preventing recurrence in humid conditions. In this Ask TheHorse Live excerpt, Julia Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, of Animal Dermatology Group, in Louisville, Kentucky, and Carly Turner-Garcia, DVM, Dipl. ACT, technical services veterinarian with Creative Science and owner of Black Type Equine, in Oklahoma, describe their treatment protocol for horses with scratches.

This podcast is an excerpt from our Ask TheHorse Live Q&A, “Solving Common Equine Skin Problems.” Listen to the full recording here.

About the Experts:

Picture of Carly Turner-Garcia, DVM, Dipl. ACT

Carly Turner-Garcia, DVM, Dipl. ACT

Carly Turner-Garcia, DVM, Dipl. ACT, spent her earlier years working in exotic and small animal veterinary medicine before finding her passion for horses during undergraduate studies at Berry College, in Mount Berry, Georgia. She graduated from The University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in Athens, continued to an internship at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, and a residency in theriogenology at Texas A&M University, in College Station, where she earned her Dipl. ACT. She spent the next 10 years in private practice in Weatherford, Texas, and Guthrie, Oklahoma, seeing everything from critical neonatal cases to orthopedic emergencies with a heavy caseload of advanced reproduction. She recently joined the team at Creative Science as a technical services veterinarian while operating her own practice, Black Type Equine, focusing on advanced equine reproduction throughout the U.S. Her biggest joy comes from spending time with her husband, Taylor Garcia, PhD, and their two boys on their ranch in Oklahoma raising cattle, Quarter Horses, and working dogs.

Picture of Julia Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACVD

Julia Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACVD

Julia Miller, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, was equine-focused in veterinary school at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, and completed a rotating large animal internship at the University of Georgia, in Athens, after graduation. She then went on to be a mixed animal general practitioner for several years before finding her true love, dermatology, and heading back to Cornell for her residency. She now practices in the beautiful land of the bluegrass in Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky and loves working on all creatures great and small!