Rain rot!!

[M'n'M]

Molly has got rain rot on one side of her back, as it has been raining everyday for quite some time. Does anyone know how affective betadine is in treating this? I washed just the rain rot area with Head and Shoulders, which hoefully will help.

If betadine will help, how often and how much do I put on?

Also, does anyone have any other suggestions? Luckily it is not so bad that is makes her sore when her saddle is on, but I want to nip it in the bud so that it does not get any worse.

Thank you!!

 

[Janah]

I have always believed that rain rot is treated the same as mud fever.

 

[Enfys]

Dress the scabby patches with baby oil to loosen, use an ordinary hair comb to tease off the loosened hair.

Dab daily, with betadine, wash off after 15 minutes and daub with zinc oxide cream...that's what my vet told me to do. The betadine will kill the bacteria/fungus (depending which article you read) you need only use a small amount on cotton wool dabbed on.

Use baby oil (or whatever you prefer) wiped lightly on legs to help mud slide off.

Vet says...keep the back dry if possible and avoid over rugging if possible as the dark, warm conditions under the rug is what the bacteria thrive on.

I have two colts with rain scald and it has taken absolutely ages to clear their backs simply because they have had the most peculiar big 'spots' maybe an inch across. The baby oil/betadine/ZO ointment regime has worked for them. I have never seen rain scald like it before, but two Vets (neither my own) at the barn recently have said that this Fall has been really bad for it and they are seeing big spots a lot at the moment.

 

[Tnavas]

PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE SCABS OFF RAIN SCALD, MUD FEVER OR GREASY HEEL!

This is the quickest way to introduce bacteria into the infection and is extremely painful for the horse.

I apologise for 'shouting' but I am heartily sick of people subjecting their horses to this torturous treatment - there is no need!

Betadine is pretty useless at dealing with it.

Buy some Nizoral shampoo - dilute with hand hot water and lather up well, working well into the coat. Best to wash the whole horse. Leave for 10 mins and scrape off excess - no need to rinse. One wash will generally deal with it completely.

Wash numnahs and grooming kit in the Nizoral solution or use Canestan rinse.

I have a 2ltr pump spray - the sort you use for spraying the weeds - I keep this filled with a solution of Nizoral as I have a large number od white socks to keep free of mud fever.