can horses get psoriasis?

Allie5

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Tommy has very sensitive skin. He is itchy a lot of the year and gets terrible reactions to fly bites. I started him on micronised linseed recently and it is making a difference. He's lovely and shiny and seems more comfortable. About ten days ago I noticed little clumps of scabs across his loins and over onto the top of his bum. I assumed it was rain scald as he only needs to get his skin wet for a few hours and he gets rain scald. Its been very hot recently and the scabs are getting worse. They are greasy and easy enough to pick off (taking little clumps of hair with them) and seem to be itchy. The ones on his bum are pretty big now but up the way iyswim. Like little tower scabs! Which is why Im asking about psoriasis as it seems like an overproduction of skin cells.
Any ideas before I have to add even more onto my huge current vets bill!!?
 

old hand

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That sounds like an allergy, I rode a mare that reacted like that to barley. You will need to cut out whatever is new and see if it settles. There are herbs that help with itching so, once it has settled, you could ask from some advice from a supplier. I rescued a horse that was sensitive like yours, he reacted to all sorts including fly spray and had to be rugged 365 days a year as he got rain scald even from a light shower. He never seemed to have a great immune system but had been starved to within a week of death so his organs took a real battering. With him we had to find foods that didn't upset him and keep his diet simple. he too hated flies and reacted to bites. He had a rambo fly rug and had a stable to hide in in the daytime.
 

Annagain

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Mine reacts to sugar like that, except the rash is on his back legs. I'd cut his diet right back to just grass and see if it makes a difference. If it does, re-introduce things one at a time, two weeks apart and you should be able to work out what he's reacting to.
 

Exploding Chestnuts

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I would agree, could be diet related, with scald symptoms, there is an infection causing pus [sorry to be graphic], try a very very WEAK teatree shampoo to clean it up, maybe once or twice a week, and groom carefully, keep grooming brushes clean [hibiscrub], I find the plastic curry combs are good for this.
If sweating in work you can use a lavender wash [Gallop] or the ante - itch one, or a mix, which does not need rinsing, use according to instructions and squeeze a big spongefull over each side of the bum every day, then scrap off. It is vital not to use anything concentrated or harsh.
If the grass is green lush and plentiful, I would stable a few hours in the day, with ad lib soaked hay. Also feed a mineral and 25gms of salt per day, some just wont touch a salt lick, mine used his for tail rubbing in summer, so I shampooed his tail once a week, he got micronised linseed and salt and minerals all year round, and this changed him from an itchy horse to a normal horse, also he kept his dark bay colour all year round.
 
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