Horse develeoped crusty scabs all over

[Hoof_Prints]

Hello, I'm posting on behalf of a friend who isn't very computer wise
She's recently bought a young (vet aged at around 4) gelding who was vetted at previous yard and showed no problems, had a full mane and tail and no scabs at all. Horse has been fully wormed and vaccinated, all the usual checks done. He was from a dealers so he was bathed in anti fungal/ bacterial shampoo when at his new yard.

He did itch when he first arrived, but after bathing that stopped- however since, he has broken out in crusty circular scabs on both points of hip, both sides of the flanks, a few in the tail, and in a line running up from the dock. They are all small circular shape and the hair has come away, usually a yellowy pus too, they appeared very quickly. The mane line is very dry and at the bottom near the withers there have been scabs appearing, and his very thick mane has completely thinned in that area but no signs of itching it, there are also hairless scab patches underneath the mane and along the other side of the neck. None on the face.

When the vet did his booster vaccination he had a few starting to appear and he said it could be ringworm so he was bathed another 3 times and sprayed with hypocare 3x per day, the scabs are still there . Sorry no photos - I'll try and get her to send me some, but any idea what it could be?! He's not allowed near other horses and it's making him miserable.

Doesn't sound at all like sweetitch, as I have one with sweetitch myself but doesn't seem to be responding to anti fungal treatment.

 

[Eleanorj4356]

Def sounds like ringworm to me. I'd have the vet back or see if he'll just prescribe something to treat it. I had some Imaverol for mine. That cleared it up but she only had a couple. This sounds like quite a bad case. Poor boy. It takes perseverance to clear it up. Good luck

 

[Gloi]

Doesn't sound like any ringworm that I have seen, don't usually get pussy exudate. I'd think it was possibly some sort of allergic reaction either to fly bites or something else in the environment.

 

[Hoof_Prints]

Thanks for the replies, I found out that the horse has been in contact with other horses and they have not expressed symptoms- vet is coming back out Monday to look but any suggestions would still be great ! Vet had not been called until now as the scabs seemed to be healing up, but they have burst out again and spread with inflammation.

I thought it was some kind of allergy or autoimmune problem, the scabs are appearing without signs of rubbing. Apparently the horse now has yellow discharge surrounding the eyes too. I suggested getting a fly/sweet itch rug but owner isn't keen on the idea until vet has seen it.

 

[Alyth]

Sounds like rain scald (dermatophilus) to me....this doesn't need wet weather to appear, warm humid conditions are ideal....usually occurs when horse is deficient in copper and sulphur.....but of course this can only be a guess - pics??

 

[Gloi]

I'd just add that my sweetitch pony gets these sorts of lesions even without rubbing, they just break out into crusty circular patches. Rugging up to the nines has stopped most.

 

[Hoof_Prints]

Ah interesting thanks, I have been texted some photos but need to get them off my phone, will try and do it today ( sockets been playing up since I dropped my phone in a water bucket.. oops ) I've been researching lots of skin conditions so now I'm very intrigued in to what it could be as I can't find anything that quite fits the bill. My own horse has sweet itch but it looks very different , he is constantly covered in creams and lotions though so that could stop him itching.