Ringworm-at my wits end!!

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gill84

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My youngster was diagnosed with ringworm about 6 weeks ago. It doesn't look like typical ringworm, he's just had lumps and hair loss so just thought it was fly bites. but as the autumn has set in it got worse so got the vet. He's been with 10 other horses throughout summer and never passed it on to them or me so never suspected it was ringworm.
The vet gave me a shampoo to put in it every 3 days but its just not clearing. I've spoken to the vet who's prescribed me some powders for it starting today so fingers crossed.
Anyone any suggestions for something I can apply to it as well as his powders? It's spread down his neck, caused by the rain so he's got a full neck rug on now.
It looks unsightly and he's starting to rub his mane out too
 
Have you had a positive skin scraping for ringworm as that really doesn't sound right to me. Apart from anything else unless your horse has a comprimised immune system ringworm should self-clear in about 6 weeks. The only reason we treat is to limit transmission. It's a self limiting condition that goes on it's own.
If they haven't already been done then I would be asking the vet to do some skin scrapings and samples to see whats actually going on inside the skin
 
I would suggest H10 cream, antifungal and antibacterial! We have used it with huge success on our youngster with some sort of dermatitis that initially appeared to be sweetitch but isn't. I think it is related to mud fever and in any case the H10 has stopped her itching from the first application and she is now starting to grow back the bald patches. Brilliant stuff!
 
mynutmeg said:
Have you had a positive skin scraping for ringworm as that really doesn't sound right to me. Apart from anything else unless your horse has a comprimised immune system ringworm should self-clear in about 6 weeks. The only reason we treat is to limit transmission. It's a self limiting condition that goes on it's own.
If they haven't already been done then I would be asking the vet to do some skin scrapings and samples to see whats actually going on inside the skin
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Ditto. It doesn't look like ringworm. It doesn't behave like ringworm. Is it ringwrom?! Have you have skin scraping to confirm?
 
It's the imeravol shampoo he's been on that's not doing much. It cleared it on his face but not so much in his neck. Yes he's had a skin scraping to confirm it!!
 
Athletes foot cream is brilliant on ringworm! But agree with the others who have said it doesn't sound like typical ringworm?
 
I know it doesn't sound typical that's why I myself never suspected it til the vet came and tested him. He's got a couple of the more typical circles in his mane but on his neck it's gone bald and the skin has hardened and gone flakey
 
gill84 said:
It's the imeravol shampoo he's been on that's not doing much. It cleared it on his face but not so much in his neck. Yes he's had a skin scraping to confirm it!!
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It is not shampoo, but a "wash" you leave on.

It will go, but takes time, just hang in there.
 
Does it look like this -
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That isn't ringworm but a reaction to creosote type chemicals dripping from a leaky roof above the stable door.

You can have positive ringworm presence but it isn't necessarily the cause.
 
I would be tempted to also get some bloods taken to see how well his immune system is performing. Ringworm can really "take hold" on horses whos immune systems are depressed, making it a bugger to clear.

I looked after a horse last year who had the worst case of ringworm i have ever seen, the vet injected him with an Iodine solution and i used Iodine washes and dabbed the ringworm sites with an iodine solution. It cleared really well. Might be worth a try if the imaverol is not working?
 
It's possible there's a secondary infection got into the skin where the ringworm has damaged it as in a normally healthy horse I would have expected ringworm to clear by itself by now even with no treatment.
 
Buy some clomitrizol cream (just an example, there's loads of places that sell it). Either from the chemist or, if like me you can't keep a straight face when asking for large amount of thrush cream :o, on-line. It's the best anti-fungal cram avalible on the market (a non-branded version of canestan) and is very cheap.

Apply it directly every day until it cleans up. I used ivamerol for washing brushes and did the 3day wash suggested but the clomitrizol cream was far more effective and MUCH easier to put on.

Ask the vet about giving you griseofulvin granules, the only oral anti-fungal avalible in animals (may be what he's now given you)

Couple of things to bear in mind: ringworm likes the damp and dark, so try stabling in a dry, well- it stable.

Do not rug: it will make it 100 x times worse (dark, warm and moist is ringworms favorite thing!) and spread it.

It's easy to re-infect so make sure you wash all brushes (I left mine sitting in a bucket of ivamerol) and tack and treat woodwork if possible (or electric tape to keep him off it).

Make sure he's getting all the vits and minerals in his diet: might be work trying a 'pick-me-up' supplement like Pink powder or Red Cell (or there's plenty of others). If he isn't fighting it off himself, his immune system isn't working well.

Ringworm isn't itchy in horses so if he's itching and uncomfortable then you might want to treat him for a secondary bacterial skin infection (washing with hibiscrub will solve most things)

If it's still no cleared up in a couple of weeks then speak to your vet about blood testing for immue problems or other systemic infectoins which are affecting his ability to fight it off. Ringworm should be self limiting and clear up ithself within 6weeks.
 
Ginger_Nut said:
Had it happen to a pony we had. Imaverol cleared it up, just takes time. If you can, use virkon to clean the stable, brushes, and everything the horse has come in contact with.
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We stopped it in its tracks with a virkon onslaught on the yard one horse got it managed without any others doing so
Imaverol will sort it in the end I also managed to get some Fulcin ( hope that's right ) that helps too.
 
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