scabby back !!!

[calliemae]

My horse had scabs on the left side of her withers the hair and scabs fell off but the skin is quite red and is weeping she doesn't seem bothered by them at all. I am scared to put a saddle or rug on her incase it makes them worse.

What should I do???

 

[lamlyn2012]

Flamazine ointment but you may have to get from vet. It's a silver ointment.
Do be careful if you put anything else on it as, anything like mine, could make it worse, although mine has sensitive skin. Carr Day Martin antibac wound cream is ok.

 

[calliemae]

Thanks. I Will try and get some for her. ��

 

[MB2017]

Try and establish what's causing it, sometimes a change in feed can alter the skin's condition, or blocked pores, caused by clammy skin, perhaps your horse is getting a tad too warm, even at rest, say in the stable on a night? (could be overheating slightly in his/her rug) or getting a bit sweaty if he/she isn't clipped (or a super hair cob for example) and has a really thick dense coat.

An antibacterial shampoo (just a very very small amount) mixed in with some warm water to wash them off with after you've taken the saddle off every time you've ridden and then properly dry the area off will help in future.

 

[Cecile]

Only from your description I would wonder if it is rainscald. How about a tel call to you vet, send in some photo's via email to your vet before you put anything on it or put some/all of the scabs into a sterilised pot (Pick one up from any chemist) and ask the vet to send it into the lab to have a look

I had a strange ear problem with one of mine last year, it turned out to be black fly overdose in one ear, Malaseb shampoo and Flamazine ointment cleared it in no time at all and wearing ear muffs/covers day and night. My vet went through my first aid box first as Malaseb is generally made up of 2 main ingredients which we all seem to have hanging around, I opted for a bottle of Malaseb as I am too lazy to fiddle about

 

[Tyssandi]

My horse had scabs on the left side of her withers the hair and scabs fell off but the skin is quite red and is weeping she doesn't seem bothered by them at all. I am scared to put a saddle or rug on her incase it makes them worse.

What should I do???

We have one here like that. And my donkey had it, get the vet to do a skin scrape so you know what your dealing with, no sense treating something you don,t know with something that is no prescribed for it.

Also run a blood test for Cushing too as they can be linked

 

[ashlingm]

It sounds like a bit of rainscald.

My youngster had it before and I got rid of it pretty easily. I would recommend you wash the area with diluted hibiscrub and after a few days the scabs should soften and come off. Ideally your horse should be rugless as the damp and warm conditions under the rug will only promote bacterial growth. Once the scabs have fallen off the skin will be exposed to air and dry out. This is essential for killing off the bacteria! If a cream is put on top it provides a barrier and traps the bacteria - allowing them to multiply once again.

Warm salty water also help pre and post scab removal.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Is this the youngster you want to break in?

 

[calliemae]

No. She's a 15yo Connemara X

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Has she been wearing a rug?

 

[calliemae]

Yes but only for a couple of hours.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

A day, a week or in total? I think your best course of action is to speak to your vet with your concerns if the skin is red and weeping. You would contact your doctor if that was your skin.

 

[calliemae]

She's had the rug on for a couple of hours a day. I will try washing with hibiscrub for a few days and will keep her un-rugged and see if there is any improvement if not then I will phone the vets.

 

[Tnavas]

Only from your description I would wonder if it is rainscald.

Head to the chemist and buy Nizoral shampoo and wash the are using hand hot water and shampoo - leave for 10 - 15 mins and then rinse - brilliant stuff.

 

[lamlyn2012]

I was thinking rain scald/sweat scald which is why I suggested flamazine. It sounds as if the scabs have already fallen off so no need to hibiscrub. Flamazine is antibacterial so should now do the job. Rain scald / sweat scald is caused by the dermatopholis bacteria which thrives in warm, moist environments. Therfore preventing being over warm and getting wet is important. It is common at this time of year when the coats start to change. With some horses clipping out is the best thing.I wouldn't use salt water in this instance. Salt is produced in sweat which will iritate the skin.
Flamazine is excellent and fast acting. Never put any oily preperations on as it will encourage the bacteria to breed and it will break out elsewhere.

 

[Tnavas]

I was thinking rain scald/sweat scald which is why I suggested flamazine. It sounds as if the scabs have already fallen off so no need to hibiscrub. Flamazine is antibacterial so should now do the job. Rain scald / sweat scald is caused by the dermatopholis bacteria which thrives in warm, moist environments. Therfore preventing being over warm and getting wet is important. It is common at this time of year when the coats start to change. With some horses clipping out is the best thing.I wouldn't use salt water in this instance. Salt is produced in sweat which will iritate the skin.
Flamazine is excellent and fast acting. Never put any oily preperations on as it will encourage the bacteria to breed and it will break out elsewhere.

Rain scald, Mudfever and greasy heel start off life as a fungal infection - its only after people have picked and scraped the scabs of does it become infected with Dermatopholis. Washing with Nizoral as soon as the tufts appear is the best way to treat any of the infections. The scabs produced are not true scabs but are congealed lymph that has oozed through the skin and solidified around the hair. If scabs are picked off the skin beneath is then broken and bacterial infection gets in. Being a fungal infection is also the reason that it tends to spread outwards, as most people have realised with mudfever you just think you have it sorted and it crops up on the outer regions of the affected area, this is because fungus ejects its spores outwards, expanding the affected area.

Being hot and sweaty under a rug can also cause rain scald - treat with Nizoral ASAP and the symptoms will go fast.

Nizoral is also great for getting rid of ringworm too.

 

[Cecile]

Rain scald, Mudfever and greasy heel start off life as a fungal infection - its only after people have picked and scraped the scabs of does it become infected with Dermatopholis. Washing with Nizoral as soon as the tufts appear is the best way to treat any of the infections. The scabs produced are not true scabs but are congealed lymph that has oozed through the skin and solidified around the hair. If scabs are picked off the skin beneath is then broken and bacterial infection gets in. Being a fungal infection is also the reason that it tends to spread outwards, as most people have realised with mudfever you just think you have it sorted and it crops up on the outer regions of the affected area, this is because fungus ejects its spores outwards, expanding the affected area.

Being hot and sweaty under a rug can also cause rain scald - treat with Nizoral ASAP and the symptoms will go fast.

Nizoral is also great for getting rid of ringworm too.

Very well explained

Was trying to remember the name of Nizoral only 2 weeks ago as I have heard good reports about it, so thank you for posting

I should imagine so many rugs are not working as well as the beginning of winter either, I removed someone's horse rug and as it was sunny I turned it inside out and hung it on a gate, I noticed a few damp patches
near the neck area and seams. My so called waterproof coat is also not acting so waterproof in certain area's either