Preventing Rainscald - all ideas welcome!

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sonjafoers

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One of my horses suffers from rainscald at the drop of a hat, it just seems that she cannot get wet. I left her unrugged last Tuesday night when we had a couple of unforecast heavy showers and she developed a patch on each side - yet another week off work.

Due to the fact the weather forecasters just cannot get it right she is rugged a huge percentage of the time and has now got her rainsheet on even though my car is reading 18 degrees because there is some heavy rain forecast for the early hours.

Apart from leaving her in or lightly rugging her can anyone offer any other suggestions please? I've been told olive oil on her back will prevent the rain getting through but it's a bit of an issue for riding and I wouldn't dream of putting oil on her when it's hot and sunny - imagine the sunburn :eek:

Any suggestions wacky or otherwise would be much appreciated.
 
I had a horse that would get mud fever if the grass was wet, I know not the same, but related.

After I started to feed her a Feed Balancer I realised that she never got it again. My current horse has never had mud fever, despite the awful wet winters we have had.

Why not try feeding your mare Top Spec comprehensive supplement - not the Balancer, as the vitamin/mineral is the same. See what happens. No guarantees!
 
I may be wrong so quite happy for more knowledgeable folks to correct me but I thought rsinscald was caused by bacteria from the skin being forced into the skin by rain. My welshie suffered badly one year and my vet gave me some fantastic green shampoo. Cleared it up and on her recommendation I use it every year late spring to clean ip her coat / skin. So far so good. Maybe contact your vet and see if they think a similar course of action would help your horse. Hope you get it sorted :)
 
Orangehorse said:
Why not try feeding your mare Top Spec comprehensive supplement - not the Balancer, as the vitamin/mineral is the same. See what happens. No guarantees!
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She's on it Orangehorse, has been on the balancer for years and this year have changed her to the powder supplement. She gets mud fever too - all year round :(

That's very interesting GfP because prior to this latest bout we've had some hot dry weather and she had found mud to roll in, giving herself a layer a few mm thick. Every time I brushed it she would redo it so I was never getting her completely clean.

The shampooing is something I've been mulling over and I've used Fungatrol in the past with some success, but always after a bout has developed. I think I'll try and use it as a preventative rather than a treatment - thank you :)
 
Oh, OK - that doesn't work then! I think if it is persistant, then get the vet to take a skin test and see if there is a specific problem which he can treat.

I know that skin problems can be tricky to cure. Good luck.
 
I wonder if hibiscrub is a bit harsh for her on a regular basis MagicMelon - how often do you use it on yours?

I do think the shampooing/keeping clean thing is something I haven't explored enough really. I don't bathe any of mine regularly, I probably give them a full shampoo 2 or 3 times over the summer and never over winter. I do rinse her down after every ride but normally with plain water or I've just started adding a NAF menthol rinse if she's particularly sweaty but I think it could be the answer.

I'll definately give her a good bathe tomorrow and do it regularly but I will need to research a shampoo that isn't too harsh for her. I've used Fungatrol and Malaseb when she's had rainscald but I might speak to the vet about what to use on a regular basis and check if she will be ok with hibiscrub.

If it means I can reduce the rugging in this muggy warm weather I'll be over the moon!
 
Gluttonforpunishment said:
I may be wrong so quite happy for more knowledgeable folks to correct me but I thought rsinscald was caused by bacteria from the skin being forced into the skin by rain. My welshie suffered badly one year and my vet gave me some fantastic green shampoo. Cleared it up and on her recommendation I use it every year late spring to clean ip her coat / skin. So far so good. Maybe contact your vet and see if they think a similar course of action would help your horse. Hope you get it sorted :)
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Yes it is caused by bacteria, the same bacteria as mud fever. The rain doesn't do anything except provide the ideal wet conditions for the bacteria to multiply.

The vet can give antibiotics if it's really severe. Would certainly think an antibacterial shampoo would help.
 
I've used hibiscrub baths on mine and it seems ok at the moment. He gets itchy if he gets wet but a hibi wash sorts it out straight away. Only had to do it a couple of times. He is also wearing an amigo Aussie flyrug which is water resistant and white, so not too hot but keeps the rain off his back. I've often thought that he mustn't have a great immune system to suffer from rain scald (I've had loads of natives, naked, and they never had it). He looks great at the moment which I think is helping. I also have a body brush with a bit of pig oil and sulphur on, and I brush that into his coat as often as I can. Doesn't matter about the sun as he's rugged but I think this helped not only to get rid of the previous infection but to guard against it again just in case he gets wet!
 
Aip does she always carry the bacteria then or is it something I can avoid by washing her regularly with an antibacterial shampoo? Would you think a weekly wash?

I think the immune system is another good point SadKen, she must have a poor immune system as she gets every bug, infection etc going. My vet told me to give her PropellPlus for 10 days or so every month to boost her system with echinacea and to boost her red cells and I've always done this.

I also used to give her FeedMark EquidermisPlus which is supposed to strengthen skin but I don't think it had any real effect on her mud fever so I stopped giving it.
 
My boy gets rainscald really easily if I rug him when it's too warm so I have to be really careful. I use a tea tree spray (Oz oil do one but I've also used one marketed for dogs) and also athletes foot powder when he gets it and I want to dry it out.
 
BigPony said:
My boy gets rainscald really easily if I rug him when it's too warm so I have to be really careful. I use a tea tree spray (Oz oil do one but I've also used one marketed for dogs) and also athletes foot powder when he gets it and I want to dry it out.
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Althlete's foot powder would be an anti-fungal treatment though, surely? Rainscald's a bacteria. Is there an anti-bacterial powder?

Mollie has some rainscald on one of her socks, it seems really greasy and I wondered about something to dry it.
 
What about culticuri talcum powder? Its anti bacterial but not sure on the strength but would also help with drying out.

I have a filly really suffering seems to be developing scabs even when she hadnt got wet and only on her pink parts.. ive had the vet a couple of times but they seem very dismissive of it, im preying its a baby thing and she'll grow out of it.. :/
 
A god balanced diet is the key to preventing mud fever and rain scald.

My new mare got rain scald when I got her a month ago diet sorted now scald has cleared up and its winter here she is uncovered and it hasn't reoccured (out 24/7).

I haven't had a horse with mud fever in 15ish years despite some having it when I have purchased them, and I have had some muddy paddocks.

Key is to find a good quality supplement which actually balances you diet / situation.
 
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The active ingredient in the athletes foot powder is chlorhexidine hydrochloride and is antibacterial as well
as anti fungal. I thought the same initially too, but it works so I'm happy! :)
 
maccachic said:
A god balanced diet is the key to preventing mud fever and rain scald.
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I'm not sure about this - the 2 times she's had rainscald very badly the vet has mentioned boosting the immune system with echinacea (hence the ProPell Plus) but has said to make no changes to her diet. The 2nd time I asked him if we could do a blood test to see if there was something showing but he said it was a pointless exercise as this is a bacterial issue.

She has had it twice badly in 6 years, the first time I was unaware she would get it as I've never had a horse who suffers before, and the second time was when I was away and someone else was looking after her. She regularly has slight bouts of it if she gets wet but these 2 times were particularly bad and needed 2 or 3 weeks of vet treatment.

Her diet hasn't really changed over these years yet sometimes she has been caught out in heavy rain and not suffered. If there was something missing in her diet I would think she would have had it these times maybe? I certainly see the point if there's something missing that could strengthen her skin but I'm not sure the key to preventing it is diet related. The FeedMark skin supplement I tried didn't help with the mud fever but again this is something she gets badly sometimes and then can be clear of it for a period of time - regardless of weather/season.

I have another horse kept on the same diet and on the same land and she has never had mudfever or rainscald.

Thank you for the info regarding athletes foot powder/listerine - I'll try anything so will be off to do a bit of research and stock up on supplies.
 
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If she is also prone to other infections and you suspect she has a poor immune system it might be worth testing her for Cushings.
 
Interesting Gloi - she is prone to anything and everything going. She is the only horse on the yard to get a 'bug' every winter without fail and she used to get a lot of foot abcesses although these have lessened with a change of farrier.

She is about 10 years old - would cushings be relevant? I know nothing about it.
 
Although it's primarily seen in older horses, there do seem to be some younger horses which develop Cushings and other symptoms such as the lowered immune system can be there before the horse gets the typical long coat.
It might be worth getting a blood test done to check next time the vet is on the premises.
 
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