Rain scald- I’m at a loss!

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Bs_mum

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My eldest mare is suffering from a pretty severe rain scald. Her head, ear and neck are covered, under her rug and legs are clear. I’m at a total loss of what to do. We’re not even in winter yet! She’s not the easiest of patients, and we had quite the argument while I wash her in antibacterial shampoo this morning, but now what?
she’s in today as we’re due more rain but she doesn’t like being stabled at all, so she’s in the barn with her best friend but I can see her through the window now pacing and lunging at the gate & I’ve phoned the vet to see if they can prescribe her something to help clear it up or at least soothe it a bit.
she normally goes a bit bald on her face and ears at the end of winter... not now!
 
My TBxWB horse (in his 20's) has Cushings and whilst we were getting that stabilised, he had various skin problems including rainscald, but in his case it was under his rug and a bit on his neck. The vet recommended using a dilute hibiscrub wash a couple of times, which I rinsed off after 5 mins then dried him thoroughly, and then we treated as for mud fever with Vaseline to soften the scabs and then Flamazine. In the end I clipped him out so we could get to his skin to treat the rainscald, which made it a lot easier. It also meant that he didn't overheat so much under his rugs which he started to do with the Cushings.

I hope your mare recovers quickly - does she have Cushings as well?
 
I've literally just had the vet out on Saturday for rainscald! I clipped her body, which vet said was a good idea. He gave her a steroid shot to quell the itching/irritation, and gave me a bottle of Malaseb. On his advice, I washed her with that two days in a row with warm water, dried her off thoroughly, and then turned her out in a waterproof turnout with a cotton sheet on underneath. I'm to change the cotton sheet daily and wash the 'dirty' one (So I have two) in order to keep the rug laying against her skin as clean as possible, basically practicing good rug hygiene.
 
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Didn’t even think about clipping her! Brilliant idea! There’s not much hair left but if I take it all short would make it easier to clean etc! Thank you both very much!

no, she doesn’t have cushings, she’s a very fine coated geriatric nutty thoroughbred who at 25 still think she’s 5!
 
My chap has recently had liver problems and was given a week of antibiotics and anti - inflammatories and then got rain scald as a consequence of one or the other or all 3! I plastered him in Manuka Honey and that did the trick. Flamazine is marvellous stuff too.
 
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Cushings was the reason ours got rain scald. Treated the Cushings and never had problems with rain scald again.
 
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You will think I'm mad, but please please try it and come back and update.

Athletes foot powder...gently sponge off with warm water, remove scabs before dry apply powder or cream.

Normally one lot will make a vast difference, if needed repeat every few days...
 
yhanni said:
My chap has recently had liver problems and was given a week of antibiotics and anti - inflammatories and then got rain scald as a consequence of one or the other or all 3! I plastered him in Manuka Honey and that did the trick. Flamazine is marvellous stuff too.
Click to expand...
Milk thistle is great of liver issues
 
jhoward said:
You will think I'm mad, but please please try it and come back and update.

Athletes foot powder...gently sponge off with warm water, remove scabs before dry apply powder or cream.

Normally one lot will make a vast difference, if needed repeat every few days...
Click to expand...


This works wonders and clears it up really quickly. The powder I found was most effective.

I’ve also had better success when shampooing them in warmer months with the ALDI brand anti-dandruff shampoo than the specific equine shampoos for rain scald.
 
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