Horse has spots - itching, what could it be?

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jumpthemoon

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Last year Canto got some kind of rash, about this time of the year. It was really bad all winter and eventually went as the weather warmed up.

I had the vet out and they thought it was to do with his feed, so I changed his feed and all he has now is chaff and a balancer.

However, this year, the spots are starting to come back :( They are really itchy so if they spread I won't be able to ride (not that it matters at the moment but it can't be nice for him). He is on the same food he's been on all year, he's going out every day. I've reduced his rugs down to one HW rug (he was wearing a LW underneath as he is clipped but I've taken it off in case it's heat related). I don't think it's to do with clipping as he was starting to itch earlier this week and I noticed the spots when I gave him a blanket clip yesterday.

The spots are very small and eventually get little heads on them which come off leaving a bald patch. The hair grew back normally last year. They are currently on his flank but last year spread to all over the top of his bum, back and sides.

If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful! Thanks,
 
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Hi, thanks.

He's on straw. He's been on straw for the last 4 years and I have been getting it from the same place for the last 3 years. However he is eating a lot of it at the moment, I suppose due to the cold. I wonder if it could be that?
 
My fully clipped arab is only in a medium rug. Any more than that and he itches. I don't mean a casual itch either, I mean intensly. He's also had spots like you describe. Last year I spent 4K trying to find the cause. I changed everything from feed and bedding to brand new rugs.

I know its hard and goes against the grain but reduce his rug to a medium, he doesn't need to feel toasty warm - its only us that think that. As long as he feels warm he'll be fine.

Try it :)
 
My boy had something similar, i.e. itchy rash on rump/flanks this Autumn. I put a lighter rug on, stopped feeding him alfalfa as that can cause itching apparently and put a load of louse powder on in case, though I don't think it was that. Something did the trick and it hasn't returned!
 
Yep, we had one that had this. (except it was totally covering her body, poor sod I counted something like 200 on one side of her neck) Took swabs etc and nothing came back. Maleseb shampoo was the only thing that sorted it and we think she caught it off another pony who had just arrived on the yard. That said, seeing as the swabs were clear it may well have been an allergic reaction. Ask your vet for some :)

Failing that, is he heavily rugged? Somebody saw her and instantly said her horse had the same and it was heat rash!
 
Mine has exactly the same thing. She has little itchy spots that turn into the scabby heads and then drop off. I have reduced her rugs down to lighter weight thinking that she was getting to hot as she isn't clipped. She only gets them on her back legs. Its so weird. She is so ichy. The vets advised me to hibby scrub and pop sudocrem on her legs which helps a bit. She had it last year to and they gave me a cream called Flamazene which worked wonders but I have completely run out of that. So when I rang them about it a few weeks ago (hoping to get a repeat subscripton) they said to try this first.
 
Thanks everyone. I wonder if it could be that he is still too hot then? The year before he was ok but he was in temporary stabling which is possibly colder than proper stables. Before that I've only ever rugged with one rug if I think back. I suppose I started using more rugs when I stayed on an eventing yard and some of the horses there had layer upon layer of rugs so I felt I was being cruel!

I'll try dropping his rugs right down - he did feel plenty warm enough this morning and he's putting weight on as I'm feeding him more hay. I'll give it a try!
 
It makes sense cost-wise and sanity-wise to start with the most common first and work your way through until you get to the last chance stuff. Common stuff is actually more common! My first bet would be lice. They love this time of year and live forever on wooden stable surfaces, LAST WINTER'S RUGS (fits with symptoms), any rugs, grooming kit, other horses, you name it. If it's lice, my vets have warned me that powders don't work except, very possibly, as a half hearted preventative. Frontline (dog strength) worked right down to the skin along back, tail root, mane works. Other people have had success with insecticidal shampoos. The thing to remember with whatever product you use is a) you have to repeat it 10 days after the 1st application as eggs aren't harmed and hatch out in 10 - 14 days so re-infest and b) remember to do grooming kit, beds, rugs etc etc or the same thing will occur.
 
My vet was saying the other day he's had so many horses with sweat rash this year, and last, because they have been rugged or rugged too heavily. Even with a clip I'd just have a lightweight rug to keep the wind out and add lib hay/haylage as this keeps them warm from the inside, especially at the moment in particular as it's dry cold which they cope with very well, it's only when it gets wet they have problems keeping the heat in.
 
Could be maybe heat bumps?, or protein rash? allergy to clipper oil?, can't be an allergy to Barley (think Barley can cause skin bumps and filled legs if they are allergic to it) as you say he's on chaff and a balancer. If he's been eating straw, is it barley straw?
 
Box of Frogs: Thanks but I don't think it's lice. He's been stabled all year at night and his rugs were all cleaned this summer.

K27: I did think about the clipper oil but it's ages since he was clipped and he had already started itching when I did it yesterday. I don't 'think' it's barley straw but I couldn't say for sure - it is quite golden in colour. Maybe that's the next route to try if it doesn't go with less rugs, thanks!

I think, from the posts here, It seems like it could be heat rash! I'll reduce his rugs down again tonight. I suppose I've fallen into the trap of thinking they are all the same in terms of how cold they get. My TB drops weight very easily and gets cold in this weather so I supposed I've assumed he would as well. I'll give it a try.
 
jumpthemoon said:
Box of Frogs: Thanks but I don't think it's lice. He's been stabled all year at night and his rugs were all cleaned this summer.

K27: I did think about the clipper oil but it's ages since he was clipped and he had already started itching when I did it yesterday. I don't 'think' it's barley straw but I couldn't say for sure - it is quite golden in colour. Maybe that's the next route to try if it doesn't go with less rugs, thanks!

I think, from the posts here, It seems like it could be heat rash! I'll reduce his rugs down again tonight. I suppose I've fallen into the trap of thinking they are all the same in terms of how cold they get. My TB drops weight very easily and gets cold in this weather so I supposed I've assumed he would as well. I'll give it a try.
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You're welcome! Mine are a bit scratchy and itchy from the rugs they have on at the mo too, although they have no heat bumps- I'm sure when the cold weather goes, and they have lighter rugs on and get more air to their skin, it will sort itself out and clear up on its own hopefully!
 
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