Not sure what to do?

[Bri]

HAving real problems with Skye's rainscald!
Have done 3 washes with imaverol and it finally seems to be making a difference. Problem lies in the fact that she has such a hugely wooly winter coat - she gets so hot under her rug but she has to wear it to keep the rain off! Any suggestions?

 

[dingle12]

clip her if possible then give her a good wash with your medicatd(sp) shampoo

 

[meandmyself]

Yup- clip her (even if you just do the bad bits for now, and give her a good wash.

Also, could you get her a breathable rug? Might not make her so sweaty.

 

[Bri]

Considered clipping - wasn't sure if I could actually do it though due to the rainscald? It's quite matted and horrible in places - she objects to having it brushed, will clipping not be even worse?

 

[meandmyself]

If the scabs are loose enough, you might be able to clip some of them off which should make her a bit more comfy. She might not like it while you're doing it, but the wash will have more affect without all that fluff.

Just take it slowly and see how she reacts. Maybe trimmers would be a better idea, then you can do small areas rather than larger ones?

 

[Weezy]

Clip - we had a horse in with seriously bad rainscald once - the vet had to come to sedate so we could clip and then treat - if she has that much hair you wont be able to treat properly

Firstly tho you need to unmatt the hair - to do this get buckets of warm water and some non bio fabric conditioner - make a weak solution and soak towels in the warm water and lay on the matting - keep repeating - DONT let it go cold - you can gently circle the hot towels where it is matted to loosen it - once dry you may find you DONT have to clip, but you wont know until you get the coat clean

 

[henryhorn]

I had a couple of oldies with rain scald last winter and I put old rugs on them after covering their backs with net tex red ointment. When I ran out of that I used sudocrem. After a few days the heat from the rug and the movement had lifted every single scab off leaving clean skin behind. I took the greasy scabby rugs off, added some of that black powder stuff for prevention and put new ones back on again.
Every single horse healed beautifully and with hair quickly growing. It sort of replicates the wrap in cling film over ointment advocated by a local vet which works on legs well. Just be prepared for a horrid sweaty looking rug at the end of it, we power washed them afterwards!

 

[the watcher]

I bought dandruff shampoo from the local chemist ( not Head and Shoulders, the proper kind - with real chemicals) as rain scald is not dissimilar..ie fungal. Only took two washes to clear the rain scald..after that keep it dry. Clip the animal if necessary

 

[sunny123]

Never used it myself, but have you seen the thread on camrosa? There are some photos of the improvement that it made to a pony with bad rainscald. Looks brilliant!

 

[Weezy]

All the above is very good advice but I do think you need to unmatt the hair first - but thats just my opinion - no point in applying creams and potions when you cannot get down to the skin

 

[the watcher]

[ QUOTE ]
All the above is very good advice but I do think you need to unmatt the hair first - but thats just my opinion - no point in applying creams and potions when you cannot get down to the skin

[/ QUOTE ]

good point, if dobbin doesn't like clippers, just get the scissors out

 

[Bri]

Oh dear - have images of a partially bald pony now!!

In most places the scabs seem to be attached to her hair - rather than the skin - but she has a few patches on her bum that do seem matted - hair is firmly stuck down! On closer inspection alot of it looks like lumps of grease as opposed to actual scabs though!

 

[Weezy]

I would go with hot towels to try and loosen the hair matting then you will be able to see what you are dealing with

 

[Bri]

Right - will give it a go tomorrow! Thanks Weezy!

 

[sojeph]

Whats that stuff from America - Stapleys or something? Tia?

 

[sojeph]

Oh - Shapleys
http://www.shapleys.com/products/originalmtg.htm

 

[Tia]

I'd totally smother it in Protocon or MTG and gently rub in a circular motion twice a day. The above will loosen the scabs so that they come on without causing any distress. Once they are all off, wash the area, allow to dry and brush the hair the opposite way - oxygen kills this bacteria! I would then either clip or put on a clean rug and try to keep her as dry as possible whilst allowing the air to circulate around her body as often as it feasible.

 

[Tia]

Yeah MTG - brilliant stuff!