Product Review: Dr. Rose’s Remedies Skin Treatment Salve

Leslie Wylie tests this all-natural ointment.

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

As we all know, horses are walking disasters. If there is an opportunity to get injured out there, they will find it. And even when they’re not self-harming, the world is out to harm them. Bug bites, allergies, rain rot… it’s amazing how even the smallest of things can send an equine’s world screeching to a halt.

I am the proud owner of two walking disasters, Esprit and Mishka, who exist at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The Mama’s Boy

Esprit is my Swedish Warmblood competition horse. Ironically, for such a “big, brave event horse,” he is a total wimp in the real world. He wilts in the heat, freezes in the cold, and would sleep at the end of my bed if 16.1 hands of horse would fit through the door frame.

He moves through the world like a delicate butterfly, carefully sidestepping each and every danger that crosses his path yet remaining somehow vulnerable to peril. Most recently he acquired a case of dew poisoning on one of his white hind ankles, which promptly swelled up like a balloon and reduced him to a miserable, whiny baby. “Make it better, mom!”

The Tough Guy

Mishka, on the other hand, has zero idea that he is 26 years old, 15 hands on a tall day, long-ago retired and very-long-ago gelded. His hobbies include sinking fly masks to the bottom of the pond and prancing around like a stallion.

He fought hard to win not just one but two girlfriends and now devotes the majority of his time to defending their honor. As a result of frequent physical combat, he shows up with a new battle scar pretty much every day. Not that he cares: “They make me look tough, mom.”

Esprit (left) and Mishka (right). Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Two Horses, Two Problems… One Solution?

I recently had the opportunity to the opportunity to try Dr. Rose’s Remedies Skin Treatment Salve, a certified all-natural product that is anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic and anti-scarring.

The Dr. Rose’s product line (in addition to the Healing Salve there’s a Skin Treatment Spray) was created by Dr. Rose DiLeva, who is trained in both conventional veterinary medicine and alternative modalities. In her practice she recognized the need for a natural safe alternative to steroids to help the plethora of skin issues she was seeing and used her herbology training to develop her Healing Salve.

The Salve’s ingredients are a refreshing change from those listed on the label of the neon yellow Nitrofurizone gunk, hot pink ointment or metallic silver spray I typically slather onto skin ailments. Like Mountain Dew and Fruity Pebbles, if it looks like it might glow in the dark it is probably NOT found in nature… so do you really want it in or on your body? Best case scenario, you’re getting exposed to weird chemicals; worst case scenario, you’re setting yourself up for a possible hypersensitivity reaction.

Dr. Rose’s, on the other hand, is comprised of calendula oil, olive, bees wax, shea butter, vitamin E, aloe vera, grape seed oil, eucalyptus oil, melaleuca oil and rosemary oil extract. If all of those sound like something you wouldn’t mind using on your own skin, that’s because they’re all human-grade ingredients — free of artificial colorings, preservatives, steroids and gluten. (And yes, you can use it too.)

Photo courtesy of Dr. Rose’s Remedies.

Putting It to the Test

First things first, I wanted to address Esprit’s ankle malady. Dew poisoning (also known as scratches, grease heel or cracked heel) is a form of dermatitis that, for those of us here in the south, tends to crop up in the summer. Cool, dewy nights and hot, dry days are a recipe for gross variations on the skin funk theme, and Esprit had it bad.

It was a lot oozy-goozier before I washed it but I didn’t want to subject you guys to that. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

When it comes to dew poisoning and its evil sister rain rot, everybody has a different combat strategy. Exhibit A: the wash stall at the barn where I board, featuring a bath-time smorgasbord of shampoos, soaps, sprays, creams and other containers of miscellaneous goop that we use to (attempt to) keep crud at bay.

What is all this stuff, anyway? Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Dr. Rose’s Remedies recommends applying salve to the affected areas two to three times daily for approximately two to three weeks. They’re so confident that you’ll see results, they even offer a money-back guarantee.

I didn’t have to wait two to three weeks for Esprit’s dew poisoning to give up its fight — I started seeing a difference after just a couple days. The inflammation subsided, the open wound started drying out and, best of all, Esprit stopped giving me his signature pitiful woe-is-me looks. Just over a week later the hair is just starting to grow back in and, while I’m going to keep applying a little bit each day for a while, I think we’re in the clear.

Next test subject: Mishka. I started dabbing a bit of salve on his assorted fender-benders and, like Esprit, they noticeably promoted the speed of their healing. Additionally, it gave me the peace of mind that they wouldn’t get infected.

Mishka has a pink nose that’s prone to sunburn so, as an experiment, I mixed a bit of salve with heavy-duty sunscreen and rubbed it into his muzzle. Dr. Rose’s Remedies are healing, soothing and moisturizing, and within a few days the outer layer of sensitive, sizzled-to-a-crisp skin started to disappear, revealing a fresh, velvety smooch-zone.

I loved the salve’s fresh, herbal scent, and my horses seemed into it as well. Since it’s made of all-natural, safe ingredients, you don’t have to worry about them licking it or it getting absorbed into your own skin while applying. If only Dr. Rose would get into the fly spray business…

“Can I eat this?” Technically, yes, but… Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Indications of Use

While I tested out a couple of this versatile salve’s applications, the list goes on:

• Heals wounds, burns, bruises and lacerations
• Promotes the healing of acute moist dermatitis (hot spots), ear infections and skin rashes
• Helps speed healing of surgical wounds
• Promotes healing of abscesses
• Relieves inflammation and irritation associated with inter-digital infection
• Relieves itchy skin
• Soothes skin
• Moisturizes skin
• Promotes healing of wounds
• Promotes healing of burns
• Promotes the healing of lick granulomas
• Promotes the healing of allergic dermatitis
• Promotes the healing of flea bite dermatitis
• Promotes the healing of sunburn
• Alleviates prickly heat

Truly, Dr. Rose’s Remedies are a must-have for every first aid kit, travel or show kit, and grooming kit. The salve retails for $15.29 and the spray retails for $24.29. Check out www.drrosesremedies.com for more information or to place an order!