Is it sweet itch or rain scald gone wrong?

Moggy in Manolos

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Hello everyone, hoping for some advice on the above.

I have had horse's of mine in the past suffer a little rain scald on their body, mainly backs, but how extensive can rain scald be, can it present itself as sweet itch if you know what I mean?
Nell has rubbed the top of her tail sore on either side of it, it was incredibly scabby too. She is also itching mad, each time I bring her in she starts scratching, particularly her mane and tail/bum. Her mane is still in tact but she does not have anywhere to itch in her field so it could be this, however, she can sit down and scratch her bum in the field, which she has been doing the last 2/3weeks

I hope it is not sweet itch but if it is then we shall have to deal with it, plenty or rugs and treatments out there for it these days. I am hoping that it is a bad case of rain scald which has made her itchy and her itching has caused this. I only suspect it could be rain scald related as she does have a few very small scabs here and there, very small amount though over her back. We have had all this wet weather too and she has not been rugged.

Has any one else had a horse who has got bad rain scald which has mainly manifested itself around the bum/tail? causing itching madness and scabs?

I could be kidding myself and it could be sweet itch, but I have never had a horse with sweet itch so i am a sweet itch novice really (although I do know how to treat it if it is this)

Thanks in advance, thoughts, advice and opinions appreciated :)
 

Pearlsasinger

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If she's so itchy, could it be lice?
Otherwise, rainscald hair comes out like 'paintbrushes'. I do hope it's not sweet itch, for both your sakes.
 

Fransurrey

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Do you mean the whole tail top looks like a paintbrush? If so, then that's just the pattern of rubbing. I think Pearlsasinger was meaning fur coming out in clumps, like paintbrushes.

Chloe is fully rugged at the moment (is a severe SI case without treatment), but isn't normally rugged this time of year - I normally manage with Neem Oil and benzyl benzoate. However, the crazy weather has meant the midges coming out in force, plus the cold wind and rain combined sets off her skin, making her itch the scurf out. I'd rug her up after treating for lice as a precaution. Everyone I know who's had a lice problem has seen the critters, though.
 

Pearlsasinger

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I did mean small clumps of hair coming out like artists' paintbrushes, with the root ends clumped together, rather than the tail looking like a paintbrush after it's been rubbed. I've never known sweet-itch come out like paintbrushes. In fact the hair doesn't come out, it is rubbed off by the horse.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Do you mean the whole tail top looks like a paintbrush?.



I did mean small clumps of hair coming out like artists' paintbrushes, with the root ends clumped together, rather than the tail looking like a paintbrush after it's been rubbed.

Hey, sorry, i could not have put that too well, her tail does not look like a paintbrush where she has rubbed it but upon combing small clumps have come out just as rain scald would, that is what i was trying to say, but could not have done too well.

She needs a good bath and maybe even clipping as she is so hairy as that is not helping either. I have washed away the scabs with hibuscrub and applied aloe vera one day to cleanse and then put on sudacream today after another hibiscrub upper tail wash.

I hope it is not sweet itch either, but if it is we will have to get all the gear needed to help keep her comfy.

I do wish we would get some half decent weather so i can give her a real good bath!
 

SO1

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I don't think I have heard of rain scald on the tail it is mainly on the back and hindquarters.

My pony has just recovered from mild rain scald on his back behind the saddle area and it was not itchy but it was a bit sore. He did not like me grooming or touching that area whereas normally he loves being brushed. He did not have any pus just the scabs. The vet clipped that area and I had to wash it every day for 10 days with medicated shampoo and put some cream the vet made on it. It got better very quickly and within days pony went from not liking the area touched to going soppy when I massaged the cream in.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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I don't think I have heard of rain scald on the tail it is mainly on the back and hindquarters.

Yes me neither tbh, I have had horses have a little across the back but not on the tail. the weather has been exceptionally bad at times and I thought perhaps where she was putting her bum to the wind and rain it was maybe possible?

My pony has just recovered from mild rain scald on his back behind the saddle area and it was not itchy but it was a bit sore. He did not like me grooming or touching that area whereas normally he loves being brushed. He did not have any pus just the scabs. The vet clipped that area and I had to wash it every day for 10 days with medicated shampoo and put some cream the vet made on it. It got better very quickly and within days pony went from not liking the area touched to going soppy when I massaged the cream in.

She was just scabby and a bit sore where she had rubbed it, poor thing, I hope it is just rain scald but i am suspicious tbh. I will carry on treating as I am as it has helped massively already, just hope its not sweet itch
 

Moggy in Manolos

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I'm sorry I would go for sweetitch. Iv never known rain scold to be that itchy

No me neither :(. I just wondered if it was a bit of a chicken and egg situation that perhaps she was itchy from other factors (rain scald) and it had spiralled quickly. Poor girly. Is there a way of ascertaining 100% that it is sweet itch? Or is it just a case of making a very good and educated guess?
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Is is possible she could have a bit of both?

Possibly, I was starting to wonder if she had either /and/or rain scald and sweet itch and possibly lice/mites. It has been very wet. Looking around the net I cannot find any documents which say it can affect the tail like that, suppose it was a vane hope from me that it was not sweet itch :confused:

Thanks to everyone who has replied btw. And if any one has any further opinions or advice I would like to hear from you, thanks
 
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Ella19

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Pinworm can be very resistant so it could still be this but I would suspect it more if only confined to the tail and not the mane as well.

Try using universal medicated shampoo instead I'd hibi. Hibi strips the skin and can make her more itchy.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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Mmmm, I've got one with sweet itch - have never experienced rain scald but would it affect the tail area??? Dunno really.

Basically, just a suggestion, but you could always try treating this as a sweet itch situation and see how the horse responds? Then you'll know.

A basic sweet-itch cover-up won't break the bank and will be useful for the summer anyway, plus a bottle of Killitch for application onto the area direct.

If horse improves, you'll know what's what. If not, then personally I'd ask the vet to take a look; could do that anyway.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Pinworm can be very resistant so it could still be this but I would suspect it more if only confined to the tail and not the mane as well.

Try using universal medicated shampoo instead I'd hibi. Hibi strips the skin and can make her more itchy.

Thanks, very interesting. Perhaps i should give her another dose of wormer aimed more at pinworm, think you can treat with topical treatments for it too?
Her mane is not scabby but she is itching, poor girl

P.s derby house rugs are great for sweat itch and they are on offer today!

Thanks :)
 

ester

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Not sure if this will help but Frank is generally itch allover atm, mostly due to coat coming out. He also gets random rain-scald/mud fever like lesions in very random places over his body, always has done and a couple of applications of sudocreme and sulphur sort them out :).

Now due to generally itchiness (and because he is in at night so has the opportunity more!) there has been a significant amount of butt scratching going on. Once he starts this he soon makes his tail a bit sore at the top on either side (sort of in the creases either side/ just underneath) which in turn makes it itchier...

hopefully the itch and hairfest will be over soon!
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Mmmm, I've got one with sweet itch - have never experienced rain scald but would it affect the tail area??? Dunno really.

Basically, just a suggestion, but you could always try treating this as a sweet itch situation and see how the horse responds? Then you'll know.

A basic sweet-itch cover-up won't break the bank and will be useful for the summer anyway, plus a bottle of Killitch for application onto the area direct.

If horse improves, you'll know what's what. If not, then personally I'd ask the vet to take a look; could do that anyway.

I have never known rain scald to affect the tail area either but thought maybe some one out there had heard of this, but it seems not, I have read up a bit this evening and it does not talk about it affecting the tail either.
I think your right, just to treat as sweet itch and hope we can get it well under control so she does not suffer from it too badly like some horses.
I have already acquired some sweet itch lotion too so will be applying that from tomorrow, have been giving it a good clean and cleared the scabby bits so I will just start getting the cream on now they are gone and hope it helps her feel less itchy.

Thanks again everyone
 

Ella19

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Yes panomec made into a paint on oily type mix, which I can't for the life of me remember what It's mixed with. Give your vets a ring, they may be able to give it to you without a visit if your horse has been seen in the last year.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Not sure if this will help but Frank is generally itch allover atm, mostly due to coat coming out. He also gets random rain-scald/mud fever like lesions in very random places over his body, always has done and a couple of applications of sudocreme and sulphur sort them out :).

Now due to generally itchiness (and because he is in at night so has the opportunity more!) there has been a significant amount of butt scratching going on. Once he starts this he soon makes his tail a bit sore at the top on either side (sort of in the creases either side/ just underneath) which in turn makes it itchier...

hopefully the itch and hairfest will be over soon!

Hey thanks, she is just generally itchy in fairness so maybe....
The tail sore has only appeared since I brought her in for a couple of nights, she rubbed her bum on her stable wall with gusto! She does seem generally itchy, I do really think a good bath will help her feel better in general. Perhaps she is generally an itchy cob, I know a few who are really itchy sorts at this time of year. I will carry on with the treatment as it cant do any harm and hope that it goes and is not actually sweet itch....
 

Tnavas

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Give her a full bath using Nizoral shampoo - then if it is rainscald or a fungal infection it will deal with it and stop her itching.

I've just done my Clydie as her tail was scabby and itchy with areas of real scurf. Now pristine and happy.

5yr old is scheduled for a bath this week as he is very scurfy all over.

You can buy Nizoral from a chemist - its brillient for mudfever, rain scald and greasy heel, usually clearing it up with just one or two washes.
 

pastel

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this may be going in the wrong direction away from sweet itch , etc but I had a new pony arrive to retire with us who was sooooooooo itchy, on her tail, body , you only had to touch her and she quivered for you to scratch her , after doing all the obvious things such as bathing, de licing we discovered it was down to her diet , she was fed previously by her owner on calf mix which was too high in protein. maybe you should look at your diet? Could be an allergic reaction to something.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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Give her a full bath using Nizoral shampoo - then if it is rainscald or a fungal infection it will deal with it and stop her itching.

I've just done my Clydie as her tail was scabby and itchy with areas of real scurf. Now pristine and happy.

5yr old is scheduled for a bath this week as he is very scurfy all over.

You can buy Nizoral from a chemist - its brillient for mudfever, rain scald and greasy heel, usually clearing it up with just one or two washes.


Thanks, great advice. Well it looks like the weather is going to be good enough this weekend for a bath, so a wash and scrub is what she shall get :)

this may be going in the wrong direction away from sweet itch , etc but I had a new pony arrive to retire with us who was sooooooooo itchy, on her tail, body , you only had to touch her and she quivered for you to scratch her , after doing all the obvious things such as bathing, de licing we discovered it was down to her diet , she was fed previously by her owner on calf mix which was too high in protein. maybe you should look at your diet? Could be an allergic reaction to something.


That is interesting, she has only been on hay and grass, although in the last week or so I have given her a little hi fi lite but that is it, so nothing high in protein but interesting about the diet idea, thanks


Thanks to everyone for your replies :)
 

Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt

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I moved my gelding into a new field recently with a mare and foal that had been there for a while...and after a little while he had both all-over itchiness and the rain scald tufts similar to what you mentioned, on his back...I was scratching my head (if you'll forgive the pun) as to what it was exactly until I found the original field residents covered in lice eggs....so treated with coopers for the lice and concluded he also had a bit of rain scald, so treated for that too...I was also concerned about pinworm as one of the other original residents was seen to scratching and rubbing her bottom and top of tail, but as soon as I treated them all with coopers, those symptoms stopped.
 

Moggy in Manolos

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I moved my gelding into a new field recently with a mare and foal that had been there for a while...and after a little while he had both all-over itchiness and the rain scald tufts similar to what you mentioned, on his back...I was scratching my head (if you'll forgive the pun) as to what it was exactly until I found the original field residents covered in lice eggs....so treated with coopers for the lice and concluded he also had a bit of rain scald, so treated for that too...I was also concerned about pinworm as one of the other original residents was seen to scratching and rubbing her bottom and top of tail, but as soon as I treated them all with coopers, those symptoms stopped.

Thanks CCW, sounds like my little Nell needs a cleansing overhaul lol!
 

Sparkles

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I'd give her a dectomax injection and deosect her and see if the itching stops. We've just had to do this with one of ours also. :)
 
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