Rainrot & Hives! help 🙄

[arizonalover1]

So amongst all my other worries with my one guy, my other thoroughbred decided he’d love him some rain rot😂
When we purchased him he had some rainrot on his back legs but we were unaware at the time - we thought it was fungus from him peeing on himself. However, yesterday it rained a lot for our california weather and he broke out in hives, absolutely crazy hives. Gave him the day off, just lunged him and let him be a horse with his buddy and they actually went down a little.
Anyways - any explanations for hives?? or how to treat rain rot? this is my first case and i have zero idea how to treat it!

 

[Regandal]

No idea regarding the hives, I assume the rain rot is also called rain scald. It is an anaerobic bacterial infection, you need to remove all the ‘bumps’ you can feel on the skin (they come off easily), then scrub with a chlorhexidine wash ( hibiscrub). Repeat each day until skin is clear.

 

[Shay]

How does a gelding manage to pee on his own hind legs? I had one that frequently got his front legs - but the geography of how they manage to pee on their own hind legs is slightly curious! But in any event - bring horse in to dry and wash daily with an antiseptic wash. (I wouldn't scrub as such - but certainly rub / wash) If hair does not start to re-grow in about 10 days you need to look for an underlying cause. PPID for example makes them significantly more prone to this.

 

[lamlyn2012]

No idea regarding the hives, I assume the rain rot is also called rain scald. It is an anaerobic bacterial infection, you need to remove all the ‘bumps’ you can feel on the skin (they come off easily), then scrub with a chlorhexidine wash ( hibiscrub). Repeat each day until skin is clear.

The scabs will come off when they're ready but don't pick them off.
Hibiscrub baths for two or three days should kill the infection and the scans will come off naturally. You need to dilute the hibiscrub 100ml to 5 litres warm water and work into the coat with a soft brush if he's not too sore.
If sores are present apply flamazine cream.
If things don't improve he may have to have antibiotics from your vet.

 

[Regandal]

The rain scald I dealt with wasn’t scabbed. It was an accumulation of grease and dead skin, came off very easily. The hair also came out, grew in again quickly.

 

[Twohorses]

How does a gelding manage to pee on his own hind legs?

It can easily happen. When the wind is blowing like Heck. When the horse is older and just drops straight down.

*****

OP I'm in Tennessee. if your horse has Scald going down the back legs, you may want to get the vet involved. I have read more than once of horses developing cellulitis or lymphangitis (sp) due to bacteria/fungus getting into open sores.

You can wash the legs in a medicated shampoo or Dawn dish soap & warm water, then pat thoroughly dry.

I used to medicate with a mix of equal parts of hemorrhoid OINTMENT, triple antibiotic ointment and some brand of athletes foot ointment or cream if you can't find ointment.

I say ointment because it doesn't burn like creams sometimes do plus if stays on longer.

Do that 2X/day.

Diet plays a big part. If you're feeding anything with grains in it, I would find something grain-less.

You can also add an additional 3,000 IU of pure Vitamin E to the diet -- I know from personal experience diet change and the added Vitamin E help.

At any rate, send pictures to the vet, since pics grab their attention more than the phone call. Both Scratches and Rain Rot spread like wildfire if they aren't brough under control ASAP.

Agree to NOT pick the scabs. Picking them before they are ready to fall off, can cause u healed skin to bleed and then you have another open sore to worry about and foe the flies to gather on

Best wishes getting this under control -- micro management required for awhile

 

[holeymoley]

This happened to mine when I went away for a few days(god forbid). The day I left it was crazy heavy rain so left him in rainsheet. He was brought in and turned out for the next 3 days with the same rainsheet on which had been sodden on the first day and the 3 days following had been 20c sunshine. Great. He got washed with a medicated shampoo and a lot of the scabs fell off. I also treated him with Switch too.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Rain scald and rain rot starts off ad raised lumps like hives then it scabs and takes the hair with it, you need to use a anti fungal shampoo like malaseb and keep him as dry as possible so not out in the rain, don't scrub or rub the skin as it is really painful.