Perissa
Well-Known Member
I am now at a complete loss with my arab gelding.
A couple of weeks before Christmas he started rubbing his tail. No big deal, all horses get the odd itch so washed it with teatree shampoo and that was that.
A few days later he rubbed it again, so I washed it again and this time rubbed in baby lotion thinking the skin may be bit dry.
A couple of days later he rubbed again, so now I think hello whats going on. I inspect closely and don't see any critters. Inspect the others and don't see any critters either. Wash his tail and apply sudocream as he's made either side of his dock area sore and also under his dock area.
Then a couple of days later I actually see him rubbing and I see that he is actually trying to rub his bottom rather than his tail and he started to rub his offside shoulder. Very odd so I wash him with insecticidal shampoo just in case.
A few days later he rubbed again so this time I sprayed him with Deosect. I also wormed him with Invermectin (although he had been wormed 4 weeks earlier with Equest). Ivermectin kills sucking lice and pin worms, if they were present.
This made no difference at all so a couple of days later made an appointment with the vet. In the mean time I clipped him out, everything off apart from legs. Had to call a friend to do his underside and my abdomen is still tender and I can't scrunch my tummy up upside down under a horse. She agreed there were no signs of critters.
Vet examined him and says that I have done everything that she would have suggested and is at a loss to explain. The only thing she said was to wait and see if the clipping has an effect.
Well it did, for about a week, rubbed his tail/bottom again and made it sore, washed the whole area with hibiscrub and applied Aloe Vera gel liberally, then he did it again 2 days later (which was Saturday)so I repeated the hibi and Aloe Vera.
I will be washing his bottom everyday and applying Aloe Vera as I can't think of anything else to do.
He is out the same field, on the same food, same hay etc, nothing new there. He has a clean night rug once a week.
Since being clipped he has not rubbed his shoulder. The vet can only suggest a steroid injection which, of course I am very reluctant to do but may have to as a last resort.
So what the hell do I do now?
A couple of weeks before Christmas he started rubbing his tail. No big deal, all horses get the odd itch so washed it with teatree shampoo and that was that.
A few days later he rubbed it again, so I washed it again and this time rubbed in baby lotion thinking the skin may be bit dry.
A couple of days later he rubbed again, so now I think hello whats going on. I inspect closely and don't see any critters. Inspect the others and don't see any critters either. Wash his tail and apply sudocream as he's made either side of his dock area sore and also under his dock area.
Then a couple of days later I actually see him rubbing and I see that he is actually trying to rub his bottom rather than his tail and he started to rub his offside shoulder. Very odd so I wash him with insecticidal shampoo just in case.
A few days later he rubbed again so this time I sprayed him with Deosect. I also wormed him with Invermectin (although he had been wormed 4 weeks earlier with Equest). Ivermectin kills sucking lice and pin worms, if they were present.
This made no difference at all so a couple of days later made an appointment with the vet. In the mean time I clipped him out, everything off apart from legs. Had to call a friend to do his underside and my abdomen is still tender and I can't scrunch my tummy up upside down under a horse. She agreed there were no signs of critters.
Vet examined him and says that I have done everything that she would have suggested and is at a loss to explain. The only thing she said was to wait and see if the clipping has an effect.
Well it did, for about a week, rubbed his tail/bottom again and made it sore, washed the whole area with hibiscrub and applied Aloe Vera gel liberally, then he did it again 2 days later (which was Saturday)so I repeated the hibi and Aloe Vera.
I will be washing his bottom everyday and applying Aloe Vera as I can't think of anything else to do.
He is out the same field, on the same food, same hay etc, nothing new there. He has a clean night rug once a week.
Since being clipped he has not rubbed his shoulder. The vet can only suggest a steroid injection which, of course I am very reluctant to do but may have to as a last resort.
So what the hell do I do now?
