Itchy - tail almost rubbed raw

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DD265

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D is rubbing his tail and it's almost raw.

I've previously had scrapings, blood tests and Dectomax shots done to no avail. I've tried Killitch (didn't work for us).

He still has a full winter coat despite the fact that he's been shedding since February. He still has slightly scabby legs (ended up with a touch of mud fever this winter, unsurprisingly given how wet it was I guess) but I was pleased with those tonight. I will be giving his sheath a clean and the rest of him a full bath this weekend.

I am debating clipping him out, but he's a Welsh Cob and I'd prefer to see him au natural even though we aren't competing. I've even considered hogging (half a mane), clipping the tail and feathers off (back ones haven't grown back properly yet) with a view to starting from scratch but I can't bring myself to do it. He's been wormed within the past few weeks.

YO thinks it may be habitual, as D has rubbed lightly through a lot of winter. He was always better for a few days after I washed the dock in Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Hair & Scalp Treatment (use it on myself, and if my scalp is at all irritated it tingles then feels so much better afterwards) but it's very difficult to do that every other day. I'd like to try and eliminate some possible causes but if he doesn't improve, will see about 24/7 turnout in an electric fenced paddock for a week or two to try and break the cycle.

Unfortunately although I've used Megatek Rebuilder, we never really got far enough to prevent further damage/stop the rubbing entirely. He does have a sweet itch rug but I'm concerned he'll melt with it on so I'm trying to balance everything.

Any suggestions/recommendations?
 
What feed does he have some feeds can make them itch? also how old is he could he have cushings they often have poor hair and coat, my cushings horse had mild sweet itch she only rubbed her mane and face so I only put a sweet itch hood and mask on, with a normal fly rug she never got sweaty under it, I also used to wash her mane and face once a week in summer with dermoline medicated shampoo which really helped, she was also fed micronised linseed which is good for the skin and coat.
 
Pinworm? Wouldn't explain all of it but would explain the tail. Can be treated very effectively with neem oil.
If it helps I have a really hot little pony but she actually seems cooler in her sweeititch rug than without (snuggy bug body) so you might be pleasantly surprised by rugging.
 
I bought a mare who had been treated for mites. Ivermectin lotion cleared them up but she had become a habitual tail scrubber. I used ordinary hydrocortisone cream once a day and that stopped the itch and allowed full healing...the scrubbing then stopped permanently. If you can rule out mites and pinworm then it may well be worth a try. You may just need to stop the itch scratch damage cycle.
 
I have an habitual itcher!! A nasty allergic reaction set her off a few years ago and been a nightmare since, lol. I find she is always less itchy when she is cooler so she is clipped a lot more and bathed a lot more than others. Head and shoulders Instant relief with tea tree and peppermint has worked wonders this year and for the first time we haven't had scabby legs. She can also rub her tail if she gets sweaty/itchy and vet recommended talcum powder which works too as it soaks up the excess sebum! I always rug with a cotton sheet next to her skin as nylon can make them quite itchy too.
 
Feed - CortaVet, Magnesium Oxide, Turmeric, Linseed Oil, Fenugreek, FibreBeet (Speedi-Beet, Alfalfa, Oatfeed, Cane Molasses, Vegetable Oil, Biotin (10 mg/kg), Peppermint) and Baileys No4 (Micronised Wheat, Nutritionally Improved Straw, Wheatfeed, Distillers’ Grains, Micronised Soya Beans, Molasses, Soya Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins and Minerals, Calcined Magnesite, Sodium Chloride, ScFOS (Digest Plus prebiotic), Grape Pip Solubles.)

He's been on these feeds for going on a year now. To be fair from 2007 to 2015 he was on Simple Systems which is Alfalfa based with no issues.

Cushings/Age - 24, but he was tested for cushings in August 2014 and was negative. Vet said not to re-test until we had more symptoms. He has always (owned him 12 years) hung on to his coat a bit but he does moult for months. Lots of coat is coming out but I can't see the patches of summer coat underneath like I might normally. His coat is not curly. I wouldn't say that he particularly shows any other cushings symptoms and I was under the impression that coat changes are normally one of the last symptoms to appear.

Sweet Itch - the itching first reared its head in August 2011. I had swabs taken, a blood test and he had two shots of Dectomax (between August-September). He was still rubbing into February of the next year. In 2011 he had rubbed his hips raw. Although he is missing half of his mane, I'm blaming a neck rug on his winter turnout for that. He doesn't rub incessantly either. The rug definitely helps reduce the damage he causes, whether it helps with the amount of time he spends rubbing I'm not sure.

Pinworm - I don't know anything about pinworm so I will google thank you.

Habitual - it does sound similar to the scenarios that are described. Something set him off in August 2011 but we never found out what - he didn't rub before then but since then has been on-and-off to varying degrees. I don't think we can really blame midges given he's rubbed a bit all winter!
 
dollyanna said:
Pinworm? Wouldn't explain all of it but would explain the tail. Can be treated very effectively with neem oil.
If it helps I have a really hot little pony but she actually seems cooler in her sweeititch rug than without (snuggy bug body) so you might be pleasantly surprised by rugging.
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Yes I was going to suggest this too, my horse had this last year and was sucessfully treated.
 
If his itchy in winter it could be the feed molasses and alfalfa can cause itchy or allergic reactions in horses, I would cut out the feed with both of these in and see if it makes a difference. I wouldn't discount sweet itch it's been so mild this winter there were still bugs about.
 
DD265 said:
OK I've googled Pinworm and it could be a culprit. How would you treat?
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I believe you worm for pinworm. If I remember rightly, they come out of the anus and lay eggs under the horse's tail (hence the itching) and it is recommended to use something like Vaseline to stop the eggs from being laid.
 
One of mine is allergic to Alfalfa - his itching was mostly his tail (but sometimes his crest) which stopped around 4 weeks of stopping feeding him AA and has never returned.
 
Pinworm - YO is going to worm for pinworm ASAP. I'll also use some sort of barrier around the area to try and break the cycle. I've got a (person) night cream which might do that and help moisturise the skin to reduce the itchiness.

Stress - I don't think so. It could have been originally and then a habit has been formed but I wouldn't say he's stressed at the moment.

Alfalfa - I'll speak to YO about this tonight. He's a decent weight now so we could probably manage to drop the feed. If I got properly unmolassed beet (Speedi Beet?) would that be OK? I don't want to stop his supplements.
 
Left it too late to edit my previous post but just to add he's already showing signs of "old teeth" and spitting out haylage that he hasn't chewed properly. This isn't normally a problem with his current feed but will be a consideration for any changes; i.e. I don't think a typical tough chaff would work for him.
 
You can test for ringworm with Westgate laboratories. Buy a test kit online.

I just had my veteran mare with Cushings clipped she had lice dwelling in her furry coat which made her itchy...
 
UKa said:
You can test for ringworm with Westgate laboratories. Buy a test kit online.

I just had my veteran mare with Cushings clipped she had lice dwelling in her furry coat which made her itchy...
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I thought a symptom of ringworm was circular bald patches on the coat? He doesn't have any of those.
 
http://www.aqueos.co.uk/1-litre-anti-bacterialanti-itch-horse-shampoo

This has been a Godsend for me. He has lots of allergies and is generally a very itchy boy but washing him once or twice a week has made a huge difference
He's still itchy but not turning himself inside out to scratch. He's not on any piriton - yet - this year. He has a mane and tail.
My vet recommended aloe vera which I also use.
Photos of him last year show a sore, raw, bleeding, hairless cob. Steroid after steroid :-(
My local saddlery gets it in for me and it's under £10 a litre. Cheaper than the vet :-)
I use the barrier aloe vera although I am considering trying him on aloeride.
Good luck x
 
DD265 said:
OK I've googled Pinworm and it could be a culprit. How would you treat?
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The vet gave me a shampoo to wash in and out round anus and hindquarters/tail. He also gave me something to leave on for two or three days. He had to have a wormer followed by another different wormer three weeks later.
 
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