What is ring worm? And best cures?

It is a fungal infection. The vet can give you powder for the feed and a wash. You must also wash all of your kit, rugs, and disinfect woodwork etc. It can pass to humans, so wear gloves when dealing with the lesions.
 
I have never heard of putting engine oil on a horse's damaged skin - don't think that it is a good idea at all.

Ringworm is a fungal infection and very contagious to other horses and humans. Sometimes it shows up as just a small crusty area, other times it can travel over large areas in which case it can make the horse a bit off colour. Generally it is something that affects younger horses as they have no immunity.

Young cattle also get it, but unless it is very bad they just get better after a summer at grass. Interestingly we seldom get badly affected cattle now, I guess because the calf rearers are a lot more professional and look after the animals better and they are reared in metal sheds rather than old wooden farm buildings. It can get into the woodwork of stables and fences to infect future residents of that stable.
 
When I bought a new pony he came with it and passed it on to my old boy. I used an athletes foot cream that stays on for 7 days ( I found the information on an old hah forum page) and that cleared it up :) I bought it of the shelf in a supermarket
 
Foxy O said:
When I bought a new pony he came with it and passed it on to my old boy. I used an athletes foot cream that stays on for 7 days ( I found the information on an old hah forum page) and that cleared it up :) I bought it of the shelf in a supermarket
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Mine had ringworm very, very badly and frankly I wasn't that impressed with what the vet prescribed. After all that washing I discovered some lesions that I hadn't spotted underneath his belly and they healed up as well as if not better than the ones that had been washed with the shampoo. He had a tub and a half of the medication though, as well.
 
Anything anti fungal will help, like athletes foot cream. You can also bathe her in medicated anti dandruff shampoo, you can buy it in boots- its luminous orange.
Please try to keep gloves on and your skin covered. I caught ringworm off a stray kitten, and ended up with hundreds of patches all over my body for over a year- I looked like I had lepracy!! Every time got a scratch it ended up as a huge ringworm patch lol, not cool! :D
 
Most ringworm will clear quickly on its own whether it's treated or not. It tends only to cause issues in horses with weak immune systems. But if you do want to treat it, any human antifungal treatment should do the trick. So any topical thrush or athletes foot treatments.
 
Canastan ( for human thrush) is often used for ringworm and can be purchased in the chemist or supermarket. Don't say that you want it for your horse though or they won't let you have it. Say its for yourself.
 
If there are too many lesions to treat topically, griseofulvin used to be the internal treatment (apparently it interrupts the life cycle of the fungus). Was always very effective but probably prescription only.
 
Imaverol from places like Mole Valley or your vet is excellent, dilute and follow instructions it will be gone in 12 days. I have a lot of experience with ringworm, my cats caught it from the cows in the field next door, they brought it into the house and gave it to me and the dog, they also slept on the horses hay and the horses caught it all round their mouths. I will never forget that Christmas - we had guests coming and l had to steam clean the entire house and furnishings, treat and isolate the cats, treat the dog and horses, spray the stables and rugs etc on top of the usual Christmas preparations. I used Caneston cream on myself for weeks but it just didnt work, in the end my vet told me whenever he caught it he used Imaverol on himself, so l tried it and it was gone after one treatment. It is not meant for humans or cats but can be used on dogs. My cats had to have a gruelling six weeks of oral treatment that cost over £100 but a £30 bottle of lmaverol did 3 horses and the dog with tonnes left over. Ringworm is a real pain in the arse but not really harmful, it is pretty much the same fungal infection as atheletes foot.
 
Its a fungal infection. Get ivermol from the vet, put it in a garden sprayer, spray them as directed. They hardly notice it happening out of a garden sprayer.
 
We just had some on the yard a new horse bought from a dealer brought it onto the yard. The girl looking after it then transferred it to her young horse and he transferred it to his field neighbour. Only 3 out of 11 got it and Imaverol was used as recommended by vet. Most horses on the yard are older and may have immunity anyway.
 
cptrayes said:
Most ringworm will clear quickly on its own whether it's treated or not. It tends only to cause issues in horses with weak immune systems. But if you do want to treat it, any human antifungal treatment should do the trick. So any topical thrush or athletes foot treatments.
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This is not a good idea! A small infection may run out of steam but it can go totally the other way and spread. It's very uncomfortable for the horse, the itching is horrendous with just one small patch. Infected horse scratches on any available surface and the spores will live for a long time ready to reinfect any animal that brushes past. Also easily caught by humans.

Nizoral shampoo I've found to be the best treatment. Wash horse thoroughly, using hand hot water will get the shampoo right to the skin level. Grooming kit, saddle blankets and tack can all be washed with it, followed by you using it as a shower gel. For your own clothes Canestan In Wash rinse will kill any spores in your clothes.

It's very important to treat the surrounding area as well as the visible area as the spores are ejected outwards ever widening the area.

Ringworm can cross to a multitude of species, initially often spread by cows when sharing horse paddocks but just as easily spread by foxes, badgers, cats and dogs
 
Vet told me the same as what cpatrayes has said. Cattle I've let it run its course as the treatment is more stressful for them than having it. They haven't really bothered anyway just looks unsightly. Horses weren't badly affected only a few had one spot each but I did them all because I wanted to be competing as soon as possible and not on a manky looking horse. Didn't bother them unduly either.
 
Ignore it and this is what you could end up with!

EquineRingworm.jpg
 
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