Much Ado About Ringworm

trendybraincell

trendybraincell

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We have an outbreak of ringworm at our yard
frown.gif
when I got to the yard this evening and saw my pony...he's got one come up on his back!

Aside from much disinfecting of EVERYTHING, bathing him etc any advice?
 
People from the yard should not go to horsey events for 3 weeks from the date the last horse outbreaks in it. Its incredibly contageous. Everyone at our yard was made to wear wellies, so that they walked through pots of disinfectant before going home in case they went to feed merchants etc, didnt want to pass it on etc.
 
Ringworm spores can live on fences, gates, walls, buildings etc for 20 years. Ringworm spores are everywhere! Occasionaly they end up on an animal and cause an outbreak that then spreads to other animals and people.

Disinfect as much as you can. Shower and change your clothes when you get home. Humans can get it too! Use disposible rubber gloves when handling the horses. If you use rugs and numnahs, wash them. If they won't wash, put them in the deep freeze for a couple of days.

Disifect brushes etc.

It does not hurt the horses and there is no reason why they can't be exercised so long as the sores are not under the tack.

You will be able to get a cream from the vet to treat he horses. If ringworm is left untreated it self limits, ie, cures itself after about 6 weeks.

When my husbands cattle get it he just leaves it to burn itself out. My horses live on the same farm, use the same fields and they never get it. We don't get it either. Tiz something that is all over the countryside!
 
You should also be able to get washes.
Isolation is very importnat as highly contagious. Watch out for yourself too as its a zoonose. I seem to get riddled with it everytime Im in contact with infected horses - in fact the lesions appear on me before they appear on the horses!
 
i echo this... we had a outbreak. we disinfected all fences, gates etc aswell as pony. And dont forget yourself, if you dont clean yourself up - you can get it, other animals etc
 
Disinfectant won't work, you need the proper stuff from the vet.
Although it's a pain the only way is to treat everything, or you can steam clean it all instead if you prefer. I would either pressure wash or steam clean your box thoroughly, otherwise it can appear again as the spores live in hidden places for ages.
 
Virkon does the disinfecting bit, and you can buy that - at least I can from the feed merchant.

Apparently, athlete's foot cream is good as well - kills the fungus.
 
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