Treating rainscald...

[PapaFrita]

A horse has come onto the yard with pretty nasty rainscald. I picked a bit at one of the scabs (couldn't help myself!) and noticed it had pus under it. I was wondering if, as with mud fever, you were supposed to pick the scabs off or if they would come off by themselves if treated with the proper shampoo.
Incidentally, does pevidone work on rain scald?

 

[Shilasdair]

It's caused by the same bacterium as mudfever, (I think it's dermatophilus congolensis if memory serves) and should be treated the same way. As it thrives in warm damp conditions, you should try to take the scabs off to dry the skin out. Using Hibiscrub gently should help too, and rug the horse to make sure it doesn't get rained on.
If it is very severe, I'd get the vet to check if it needs antibiotics.
Hope this helps
S

 

[Maesfen]

If you can paste it with something similar to zinc and castor oil (nappy) cream, don't know what you can get over there, and leave to soak in, maybe for a few days, then like mud fever, the scabs will soften and you can gradually wipe them off and keep doing that every few days. I've always been taught that if they are still very attached or with pus underneath, then they are not ready to come off and should not be pulled off. Also, if you can get some oil into the diet, that will help with the condition of the skin too. You also shouldn't allow it to get wet if it can be avoided (that also applies to shampooing it too according to my vet) If you gently massage the area, you'll find it helps a lot.

 

[PapaFrita]

It's not VERY bad, I don't think. Horse is rugged at night (even though it doesn't rain here in winter) but I was asking about Pevidone because it's easily available here, whilst Hibiscrub isn't (I'm being a bit selfish here because I've got some Hibiscrub but it's mine and the horse isn't! -and I don't think the donation would be appreciated!)

 

[PapaFrita]

I'll suggest nappy cream. Ooooh, I've just thought of some BRILLIANT stuff for sore bottoms/cuts etc. I'll check the ingredients. Thanks

 

[black_n_white]

Just a thought but if it doesn't rain much then could it be the rug that is causing the rainscald?

A horse I used to ride was stabled 24/7 in the winter but used to get rainscald on the top of his bum. The YO put it down to his thick stable rug and sure enough when this was swapped the rainscald disappeared.

As you don't have a lot of rain, maybe the rainscald is there because the horse is to hot or the rug isn't breathable?

 

[PapaFrita]

Hi

no, he's been living out and has only just now been rugged up. Plus it's only a LW turnout and it's winter here, so it's not sweat causing it.
I do know what you mean though; have seen rainscald caused by the humidity of summer and sweat.

 

[openbluesea]

Any skin cream with antibiotic in it,oil in the feed (helps skin heal) ...even oil directly on the affected area (will help it soak and get read of necrotized tissue).
I dont know if diapper rush cream is good enough,as we are talking about a skin infection and not just skin irritation.