Weird! skin...

[S14Tobin]

Noticed a couple of weeks ago my gelding was rubbing his bum - more than usual, to the extent he'd rubbed all the fur off him backside by his dock and for a couple of inches lower (vertical strip... so I've been bathing it, twice daily, and applying sudacrem, alternating with aloe vera gel, and it seemed alot less itchy (not seen him rub it for a week or mote. Then more recently it extended to the other side of his tail - Ive taken photo's which my vet has seen, worms discounted, he's 11 and never suffered from sweet itch or anything at all! So I took the decision to cut all the hair off his tail (whilst snivelling a little :-( ) so I could get a clear view of his dock etc and all the skin on his tail - now, he does have an incredibly dense mane and tail, so I thought maybe with all the crap wet weather, rugging etc etc and not being bathed maybe that was the problem - indeed it may be! But this morning while he was head down munching I discovered a foot long ball bit of mane - not easy to miss I hear you cry - his mane splits in the middle, and he's out with a foal, who we DO know has been pruning him lol... the hair is all fine one side for this section, but off side - all gone! he's had a full neck rug on during the snow so for 2 weeks, even though he isn't clipped, he's a sensitive soul, could the combination of everything made it fall out? skin looks pretty normal - but Im fast approaching a good cry! Vet was rather confused by his tail, but has put some cream to one side for my OH to collect later, so will see how that goes - but any ideas? Looking back, I HAD noticed his mane was shedding more than normal, but I put that down to him having a neck rug on for the first time and him getting annoyed with it and rubbing... maybe !!! Alot of people have suggested his tail maybe down to the way he wee's, and it burning the skin, but it's too high up for that....

Baileys coffee and chocolate cookies for anyone who's got this far...

 

[MrsMozart]

The only thing that springs to mind (and bearin in mind that my mind is not all it once was...), is that he was too hot under the neck rug?

Mites?

Um.

That's it, brain cell used up.

Hope you find out what it is and reverse where possible.

Have a hug and a hot choccy hun

 

[treena]

can you tell me what he is bedded on. if it is straw, he might have picked up some field mites. it is very common at this time of year, as we provide the perfect breeding ground for the little bugs, by placing nice warm rugs on our horses. i would suggest you get the vet to do a skin scrape. also i would bath the areas in an insecticidal shampoo. they are very difficult to see by the naked eye, but can be very irritating to the horse. hope this helps...x

 

[S14Tobin]

Hi - no, he's bedding on shavings - MrsM - I think you've hit it on the head for the mane, skin looks fine, just - he looks odd! Vet's given me some fusiderm for his tail, so will see how it goes, just feel so sorry for him with the sore skin both sides now! :-(