HELP PLEASE!!!! Violently rubbing/itching cob

[bgray1981]

Hi,

I have a 20 year old cob that I've had since July. He is violently rubbing and itching on anything and everything. In the summer when I got him he was rugged and out 24/7 with a fly rug and very occasionally I saw him scratching but now it's winter and he's in at night the rubbing and scratching is getting out of control. He's not rugged or clipped.

I have spoken with various feed suppliers to seek their opinions on whether something I was feeding was causing it and so his feed has been changed. I have also got him on an itch free supplement.

I have got the vet coming on Thursday to do his vaccinations anyway so going to get them to give some advice, but wondered if anyone could suggest anything?

Really appreciate it

 

[webble]

Could it be thread worm?

 

[Annagain]

What was his feed before and what does he get now? Is it possible that there's one ingredient in both feeds? I'd try cutting out all feed for about 2 weeks and seeing if it makes a difference. When you reintroduce it, do it one thing at a time. Start with a plain grass chaff (NOT anything with Alfalfa or Molasses in it) leave for 2 weeks then add every element one at a time with 2 weeks in between. This is how we identified my horse's sugar intolerance - as soon as he had sugar beet his skin went mad! Alfalfa and sugar are the two most common culprits.

 

[Merlod]

Mites/ Lice? I frontline spray my hairy shetland pony, as he is small and hairy he is prone to pick up things getting in the bushes etc. I'd give him a wash in insecticidal shampoo and/ or louse powder and go from there...

Also, is it possible he is getting too hot? It's been quite mild for this time of year, even for unrugged hairies!

 

[xgemmax]

Is he fed anything with alfalfa in? I was feeding hifi unmollassed to my boy and he was itching like crazy, cut it out and he stopped

 

[AdorableAlice]

As stupid as it might sound given it is mid December but is he over heating.

It is far too mild for most unclipped horses and if he is cushingoid he won't be able to regulate his temp.

 

[twiggy2]

mites
lice
sweetitch_we have 2 at the yard that are still in full fly rigs as every time they are removed they are getting bitten and the scratching.
over heating
allergies to something in field/feed/stable/shampoo/bedding
thread worn
the list is huge and your vet will be the best to advise you when they see the horse

 

[Foxy O]

What was his feed before and what does he get now? Is it possible that there's one ingredient in both feeds? I'd try cutting out all feed for about 2 weeks and seeing if it makes a difference. When you reintroduce it, do it one thing at a time. Start with a plain grass chaff (NOT anything with Alfalfa or Molasses in it) leave for 2 weeks then add every element one at a time with 2 weeks in between. This is how we identified my horse's sugar intolerance - as soon as he had sugar beet his skin went mad! Alfalfa and sugar are the two most common culprits.

Try this with the feed, I always thought my girl had mites and had her treated for them when I cut out the hard feed and now just feed plain grass chaff all her itching has stopped.

 

[Sprout]

Can I second what AA suggested, and query Cushings - my pony was SO itchy last winter, it turned out he had Cushings and now he is on meds the itchiness has gone.
Good Luck finding a solution, it can be a very frustrating situation!

 

[scrat]

My cob developed rainscald over his rump down towards his hocks and bit over his shoulders. He is fully clipped and I didn't even realise he had this until the thick coat came off. He is still itchy although all the scabs have gone so I think he is just too warm. He isn't rugged unless it's just a rain sheet but even that can be too much as he gets hot underneath. Cut out any molasses and alfalfa and keep feed as simple as possible. Read feed bags as its surprising how many chaffs and pellets contain sugar beet and alfalfa.

 

[Beausmate]

Midges? I know it shouldn't happen in December, but I have midges flying around my yard and the horses had bites from those hideous, head burrowing little black flies last night.

 

[EQUIDAE]

I'd be looking at sweat scald or mites. It's exceptionally mild this winter and my hairies are out naked with bib clips as they were sweating stood still!

 

[_HP_]

If the reason for the fly rug was sweet itch then it will probably be that. Try putting the fly rug back on to see if that helps but it may take a week or two for the itching to stop.
Violent itching is usually either lice or sweet itch or possibly a reaction to something you are feeding.
I would also consider Cushing's at 20 yrs old if he has any other symptoms

 

[applecart14]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but it could be pinworm. It is hugely on the increase in the horse population at the moment. My horse was violently itching, and the one day he practically collapsed against the stable wall and I thought he was having some kind of fit and he dragged his bum along the length of the wall and round the corner!

A wash in a special solution from the vet and a 5 day wormer followed by a second different wormer did the trick.

He wasn't scratching around his bottom, it was on his flanks more than anything.

I have no idea where he got pinworm from, the only connection I could find was that apparently cattle can pass it on and I allowed him to graze a number of times in a cattle field whilst passing through on my hacks in the summer. I won't ever let him tuck in to grass where cows have been again.

 

[Patchworkpony]

Could it be inflammation? That can cause itchy skin - it might be worth trying turmeric if all else fails.

 

[MagicMelon]

I'd suggest getting him allergy tested. I had a Welsh Cob who permanently rubbed out the lower half of his mane, I assumed it was sweet itch as it was worse in the summer but nothing helped. Had him allergy tested and found he was allergic to most types of grass, mould in hay and dust! It may well be something like this, not necessarily anything in his feed as such.

 

[Tnavas]

My cob developed rainscald over his rump down towards his hocks and bit over his shoulders. He is fully clipped and I didn't even realise he had this until the thick coat came off. He is still itchy although all the scabs have gone so I think he is just too warm. He isn't rugged unless it's just a rain sheet but even that can be too much as he gets hot underneath. Cut out any molasses and alfalfa and keep feed as simple as possible. Read feed bags as its surprising how many chaffs and pellets contain sugar beet and alfalfa.

I believe you've had a lot of rain of late and being extremely itchy is one of the early signs of rain scald - give him a bath with Nizoral shampoo - if its Rain Scald it will knock it dead in one fell swoop - if not it will do no harm.

 

[bgray1981]

What was his feed before and what does he get now? Is it possible that there's one ingredient in both feeds? I'd try cutting out all feed for about 2 weeks and seeing if it makes a difference. When you reintroduce it, do it one thing at a time. Start with a plain grass chaff (NOT anything with Alfalfa or Molasses in it) leave for 2 weeks then add every element one at a time with 2 weeks in between. This is how we identified my horse's sugar intolerance - as soon as he had sugar beet his skin went mad! Alfalfa and sugar are the two most common culprits.

Before he was just being fed on mole valley hi fibre lite. I now have him on top spec senior lite balancer and hifi molassess free.

 

[bgray1981]

I'll mention that to the vet on Thursday thanks webble

 

[bgray1981]

Mites/ Lice? I frontline spray my hairy shetland pony, as he is small and hairy he is prone to pick up things getting in the bushes etc. I'd give him a wash in insecticidal shampoo and/ or louse powder and go from there...

Also, is it possible he is getting too hot? It's been quite mild for this time of year, even for unrugged hairies!

I had thought the same thing about him getting too hot. I'm reluctant to clip him as he's barely ridden and didn't want to have to rug him. I'll also mention frontline to the vets. Thank you

 

[bgray1981]

Is he fed anything with alfalfa in? I was feeding hifi unmollassed to my boy and he was itching like crazy, cut it out and he stopped

That's interesting as that's what I'm feeding him as suggested by tops pec . They said to try using hifi molasses free or their top chop lite. Only bought the hifi molasses free as that's all my stockists had at the time. Wonder whether it's worth me trying the top spec top hop lite instead. Thanks

 

[bgray1981]

As stupid as it might sound given it is mid December but is he over heating.

It is far too mild for most unclipped horses and if he is cushingoid he won't be able to regulate his temp.

Thanks I'll also mention that to the vet on thursday

 

[Annagain]

That's interesting as that's what I'm feeding him as suggested by tops pec . They said to try using hifi molasses free or their top chop lite. Only bought the hifi molasses free as that's all my stockists had at the time. Wonder whether it's worth me trying the top spec top hop lite instead. Thanks

Both have Alfalfa in them. Switching brands won't help as you want to cut that out to see if it makes a difference. Go for a grass chaff. I buy Graze-On as that's what my local shop stocks but there's a few other brands on the market - Readigrass is another or Dodson and Horrell do one. If Alfalfa is the culprit you'll have to check the ingredients of all your feeds - it's in a lot of chaffs, mixes and balancers.

ETA - check the balancer's ingredients too.

 

[applecart14]

I still think it could be pinworm, with signs similiar to sweet itch at times. It can drive horses mad and they have violent scratchign sessions.
http://www.equimaxhorse.com/parasites/pinworms/
. http://www.intelligentworming.co.uk/doyouknow-aboutworms-pinworms.asp

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi,

I have a 20 year old cob that I've had since July. He is violently rubbing and itching on anything and everything. In the summer when I got him he was rugged and out 24/7 with a fly rug and very occasionally I saw him scratching but now it's winter and he's in at night the rubbing and scratching is getting out of control. He's not rugged or clipped.

I have spoken with various feed suppliers to seek their opinions on whether something I was feeding was causing it and so his feed has been changed. I have also got him on an itch free supplement.

I have got the vet coming on Thursday to do his vaccinations anyway so going to get them to give some advice, but wondered if anyone could suggest anything?

Really appreciate it

No Help but we have a horse here like that, as soon as rug taken off she chews away and she rubs on trees. So far under rugging her and washing every now and then helps

 

[oldie48]

I was also going to suggest testing for cushings as my old TB has been scratching despite me giving him a light trace clip to try to keep him cool. He's also got some bites on him and since developing cushings he is very reactive to any bites.

As stupid as it might sound given it is mid December but is he over heating.

It is far too mild for most unclipped horses and if he is cushingoid he won't be able to regulate his temp.

 

[merlin12]

Lice,mites, just to hot. Could clip him. My cob has aa chaser clip and is out unrigged. Is yours getting to hot in the stable?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

What was his feed before and what does he get now? Is it possible that there's one ingredient in both feeds? I'd try cutting out all feed for about 2 weeks and seeing if it makes a difference. When you reintroduce it, do it one thing at a time. Start with a plain grass chaff (NOT anything with Alfalfa or Molasses in it) leave for 2 weeks then add every element one at a time with 2 weeks in between. This is how we identified my horse's sugar intolerance - as soon as he had sugar beet his skin went mad! Alfalfa and sugar are the two most common culprits.

This is exactly what I was going to say, except that I would feed just hay for 3 weeks. And that means NO supplements/treats/balancers at all. And my other piece of advice would be to disregard just about everything feed companies tell you - their expertise is in marketing, first and foremost.

 

[fairyclare]

I am in the same position, except mine is a very fine warmblood who is clipped out.
I have taken her to the vets and had them out, so far we have tried
- feed change, she is on a Thunderbrook diet so no alfa alfa in her diet
- Hay change, just Timothy grass nothing else
- under rugging to the point she has been chilly (she is full clipped)
- Vet prescribed prednisilone, we went up from 80 to 140 over a 3 week period.
- Skin scrape and bloods clear, had to wait a while for the ringworm but it quite clearly isn't that anyway.
- Coatex shampoo from the vet, bathed daily for a week and twice a week thereafter.
- A different steroid, long acting jab, antibiotic's and ACP in a low level for its anti histamine properties and 50ml of Karidox x2 a day

Still itching, still lumpy firstly vet said it was a n allergic reaction, then a different vet came and said it was eczema, spoke to that vet again today ( end of the antibiotic's) and he now says he thinks it may be environmental, midges or something irritating her - can't see it myself because she is rugged and is itching her her flanks, belly chest, shoulders neck and face.
If I wasn't such a technophobe i'd post the pictures!!

He is coming back on Friday to give her a Dectomex jab, I am at my wits end!!

 

[rowan666]

try cutting out all feed, treat for mites/lice and pin worm, test for cushings then re-introduce feed singularly, my old cob was almost pts because what we thought was the worst sweet itch ever (totally fleeced by vet trying every treament known to man and never onced mentioned it could be allergies!) turned out he was completely intollerant to Alf alfa