Severe rainscald

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Rebels

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I looked at a tb yearling today going free from the local stud as she wont make the height for prep and sales so is deemed a bad example of the stallion and was going to be pts! (otherwise absolutely perfect, just needs time). I'm taking her but the only prob is severe rainscald, not oozing just thick scabs which rub off and leave bald patches. Most of her back is covered. My question is how to treat, does it need vet product or can i get something off the shelf and also is it infectious at all? I thought it was like mud fever and not, just want to make sure. Thanks
 
Yes its caused by the same bacteria as mud fever. The best things to treat with are shampooing with malaseb and applying flamazine cream. Unfortunately you do need to get both from the vet but they will probably let you have them without seeing the horse. If it is really bad you may need a vet visit and antibiotics.
 
Thanks, think i have some malaseb somewhere, better check its use by date though. Should be fun with a barely handled horse!
 
Aloe Vera gel works wonders on rainscald. My horse had a patch on her shoulder because her immune system was compromised (she never stood in the rain!!) and the only thing that cleared it up in the end was the aloe vera, after trying hibiscrub, malaseb and antibiotics!!
 
You need a double pronged attack on severe rainscald. 1st off you need to prevent further infection so you need to rug the horse in the rain but not so heavily that she sweats as rainscald can form on skin compromised by sweat just as easily as skin compromised by rainwater. Secondly you need to get rid of the existing infection. The area will be sore so be gentle. You shouldn't need expensive vet products unless the infection fails to respond to self help. Hibiscrub is an over the counter antibiotic solution that works just fine. Never apply it neat. Mix up a little with warm water and rub gently into the affected areas, then rinse carefully with clean water and dry thoroughly. As it starts to heal, you can be more vigorous and work in with a soft brush. Then gently pick the loosened scabs off because the scabs cover pockets of infected skin - if you don't remove the scabs, you will struggle to clear the rainscald. If the horse stays in (and thus dry and won't need rugging) you can mix up just a little hibiscrub and water and rub it well into the affected areas and just LEAVE IT. Keep at it - it might take a few weeks to be rid of it completely. A run down horse will also benefit from overall health improvement, eg diet, worming, delousing, protective rugging because that will boost the immune system and she won't be so susceptible to the rainscald bacteria.
 
Ditto BoF advise but I suspect it'll be next to impossible to administer it to an unhandled baby!

I would go down the pig oil and sulphur route as it's far far easier, if takes longer.

After making sure she's not allergic to it (some horses can be so patch test first) get her properly dry then liberally coat her back in PO&S and work as well into her skin as she'll let you. The oil keeps water out of the skin and the sulphur is a good antibacterial. If she's going out have her in a disposable rug as it'll ruin the rug (makes it stink!).

The scabs are soft and easy to pick off after a couple of days and less painful so they can be gently washed and covered it mudguard.
 
And do wear a hat when doing either option above I would suggest, mine had mild rainscald a few years ago compared to yours and wasn't an unhandled but adult pony but was grumpy as hell as the sticky scabs were so itchy and pulling on the hair and very sore so do watch yourself or get someone to give you a hand.
 
I would say to wash with hibiscrub diluted solution, then vaseline or boots nappy cream or E45 something to soften the scabs.

Years ago, my horse had a small bald patch, I had dermobion from the vet which did nothing, it wasn't rainscald, I don't know what it was but I put vaseline on it in the end and OVERNIGHT had hair growth !

Obviously don't put on anything that will burn if the suns too hot
 
My boy used to get rainscald a lot - you need to dry the scabs up, best thing I found was putting a few drops of tea tree oil into vaseline, best trick & it clears them up. Then you can pick the dry scabs off & let the hair grow.
Difficult to do in the rain unless you have breatheable rugs as the skin needs to air - so best to be out / in naked or a really good breathable rug if it is raining.
Good luck!
 
Now is by far the easiest time to clear up rainscald because it coincides with them losing their winter woollies and summer coat coming through so that will do a lot of the work for you.

Personally, I would never wash either rainscald or mud fever, they don't get those names for nothing, it means they have mostly been in contact with too much water already!
I would use an easy to apply cream, something like zinc & castor oil, udder cream or nappy cream; anything that does not have to be rubbed in and literally plaster the poor filly in it. Apply the next day and as you do so, very gently massage the skin with your fingers. Any loose scabs will start rolling off but any stuck tight, leave alone, just plaster again. repeat that as long as it takes (might be a couple of weeks depending on how advanced the RS is) What ever you do, don't pull and pick at the scabs as she'll feel very sore. Try to keep her dry at all times until it's healed and I would NOT use a rug as no matter how breathable they are, they trap in the air which might create a muggy effect on the skin; it needs air to breathe.
Meanwhile, take a look at her diet as good health comes from within as well; it's no good just doing the topical stuff if the filly still feels run down so at her age, I would suggest D & H Suregrow http://www.dodsonandhorrell.com/products/horse-ranges/breeding/suregrow.html. As you can see, it has everything a growing youngster needs; it can also be used by older horses as a balancer and is a lot cheaper than many others, about £14 a 20kg bag and it lasts a fair time too as you only feed a little. If she is underweight, I'd also look at some stud cubes too, they're very good for weight gain along with ad lib forage and grazing. A lot of youngsters won't look at a chop of any type but the Suregrow with some stud cubes should be perfectly adequate. If in doubt, give the feedlines a ring.

Lots of luck with her, she deserves a chance and I hope you can put up some pics soon.
 
Dont panic! My boy had awful rainscald when i first got him, sounds much like yours. I just rugged him well against the elements and kept the scabs dry, i believe its best not to wet the areas unless there is lots of pus. I just kept gently easing the scabs off as they were ready. It took a few months and darker hair grew back in place,but when his summer coat came through you would barely know there had been a problem. A year on and all evidence is completely gone.
 
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