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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Mar 2010 : 9:50:16 PM
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In the last couple of weeks one of my mares has developed rain scald all down one side of her chest, neck and shoulder. It started as a few bumpy patches and scabs and now has gone really bumpy and bald in lots of patches. She doesnt have it anywhere else on her body. Is there anything else that it could be?
Shes not had it before but she has lived out naked and fully clipped all winter due to her being such a good doer. It has only appeared in the last 2 weeks though. What is the best way to treat it? and should i suddenly put a rug on her to protect her?
Someone has suggested that I wipe it daily with surgical spirit...it that correct?
Any advice would be great
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Meggie-Lu
Platinum Member
England
1519 Posts |
Posted - 10 Mar 2010 : 10:54:43 PM
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| Oh Holly your poor mare rain scald is so horrible. I found a gd website on caring for a horse with rain scald i will send u the link, might be of some help to you. |
   Danger Mouse |
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Sahir
Gold Member
England
847 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 07:29:32 AM
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Holly I cannot believe what I've just read - your mare was FULLY CLIPPED and turned out without a rug? 
and after the winter we've just had - poor mare |
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moatside
Platinum Member
England
3224 Posts |
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Suelin
Platinum Member
England
2514 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 08:42:55 AM
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| Hoping that you have mistyped your post Holly. That is appalling to clip out completely and not rug and expect her to live out. Dreadful!!! |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 10:18:18 AM
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| Must admit i got a bit of a shock reading this , i too am hoping that Holly has mistyped her post.If you have not mistyped your post no wonder the poor girl has rain scald, hope you get it cleared up soon. |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 10:57:55 AM
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Meggie-Lu- Thank you..if you could send me the link that would be great. x
Im slightly shocked by the unkind responses about my mare living out clipped. I could easily say the same for the people who keep there horses rugged up to the max or stabled with no turnout. I think you will find that my mare is a lot happier than those horses will ever be. Every horse is different and requires different things and this particular mare who i have owned for 6 years has always lived out unrugged for most of the winter and has always had all year turnout as she is very fat all year round and doesnt need a rug or a stable. She has coped very well for the past 6 years and up until the last 2 weeks has never had rain scald in her life. She has adequate shelter and lots of hay and lives with my other 3 arabs who are all rugged as they don't do so well in the winter. They are also kept in Penzance in Cornwall where it is a lot milder than the rest of the country and during really bad weather she has worn a lightweight sheet although she'd rather go with out!
She is not fed hard feed, she is exercised, she is very happy but she is still very fat! She was clipped back in Nov and has some regrowth so its not like ive kept reclipping her. I have my vets support in doing this as her weight was more of a health concern than her living out clipped.
Anyway I shouldn't have to defend myself when i know that i am doing whats right for my horse. Now i would really appreciate some sound and constructive advice as to how to clear up the rain scald or whether it could be something else?
From looking at pictures of rain scald on the internet this doesnt look to be the same as what my mare has. Also am i right to think that rainscald generally affects the ears and back because she only has it on her neck and shoulder?
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Zarena
Bronze Member
189 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 11:33:09 AM
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| Have you considered lice Holly? The symptoms are the same as you describe when they get a hold and it's the right time of year. I don't know about Cornwall but there certainly hasn't been enough rain here for rain scald. Best of luck. |
South Shropshire |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 12:21:14 PM
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| Thanks Zarena- No i hadnt thought about lice but maybe thats what it is. i will google them now. Its been lovely weather in Cornwall for the past week and infact the winter has been pretty dry and mild apart from the 3 days of snow. |
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Sarah_Jane
Bronze Member
England
72 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 1:53:25 PM
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Hi Holly
I'm sorry people have been mean to you. I live in Cornwall and it's been dry here for weeks. Also if you clipped your mare in November I would have thought the grease in her coat has built up again by now.
Could it be that she has an allergic reation to something? Maybe Hibiscrub would work? |
      Mid Cornwall |
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sab2
Platinum Member
8467 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 6:12:21 PM
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| Holly i dont think that we meant to be unkind just concerned i think, i now see that you did rug your mare in the bad weather. I too have some of my horses living out all year as like your mare they are happier that way. I am sorry if i have offended you in any way but was concerned, as you know there are many horses without caring owners.I do hope you get your rain scald sorted out. |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 8:05:51 PM
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Sab 2...I wasn't offended as I know that the way I keep my mare is in her best interest but thanks for coming back on. I think that people can be too quick to judge others on this site sometimes without finding out more info first. Anyone who knows me personaly will know that my horses are treated with the upmost care and love but they are kept as naturally as possible which makes them very happy and well balanced horses.
Im not so sure that she even has rain scald now. after looking at pictures of rain scald on google its not the same as what hers looks like. i don't think its lice either but it does look a little bit like ring worm but its not in circular patches.
It doesnt appear to be itchy and its not open wounds like rain scald/mud fever. its like really flaky dry skin coming off and leaving hairless streaks. today the flaky bits seem to have gone and there are just scars left. but theres new bits forming around the outside of the existing areas. shes not in pain at all and seems completly normal in her self.
will see what its like tomorrow and prob phone my vet for a chat |
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vanishtrik
Bronze Member
England
136 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 9:05:18 PM
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hi, one of the horses in my care started to get itchy bald patches under his belly, i'v been putting flamazine on it ,and its starting to clear up now, from someone whoe definatly not judging you |
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azraa
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1030 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 9:08:11 PM
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hi,
my mare had something like rain scald,some one suggested lice but we could nt see any ,i had the vet and they said it could of been stress alerpicia, as she had been away for a few years and the journey home took 2 days which involved stop over and stopping at various places, she is near enough back to normal now, her fur is growing back.my mare wasnt uncomfortable, just scabby flakey.
i used flower of sulpher as it cures skin disorders it has worked.
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 9:20:29 PM
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thanks guys.
how did u apply the flowers of sulphur? i brought a big tub of it a couple of months ago but not sure what to mix it with before applying it. might try some aloe vera tomorrow. |
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azraa
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1030 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2010 : 9:49:42 PM
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i spinkled it on , and brushed it, it was awful stuff but it worked, you can also mix a little in lard to make a cream, you can use fos for varous things its quite amzing stuff just do not itch your eyes or get near your horses eyes as mien ran for days and i only rubbed mt eye,i was going to use aloe next if FOS never worked.
i would put a little on to see if your horse has a allergic reaction.
have you moved to a new yard or used something new feed wise as my mare was fine and we moved to a new yard, i had the vet out on a friday to castrate a colt, my mare was fine, on the saturday my mare had what apperaed to be mud fever on and on the monday she had dropped all her weight she looked awful, the vet came out to check the colt but could not believe how fast my mare had lost weight he put her on special stuff ,she gained weight ,but 5 days later she dropped again,done blood test and it was a allergic reation to grasses,i moved her, 3 days later quite remarkable, she is a sensitive horse so if i see what look likes mud fever i have blood tests done now as that is how it appears but touch wood its never happened again that was 2003,.
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sarahlock
Platinum Member
England
1535 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 06:53:24 AM
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Hi Holly ,
I mix flowers of sulfur with either liquid paraffin or Aqueous cream , it stays on better with the cream though!
I read on an American website that it can be mixed with glycerine so i bought a bottle of it from Boots today ! |
     
Brixham (South Devon ) |
Edited by - sarahlock on 12 Mar 2010 2:44:14 PM |
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Goldenmane
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4964 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 07:15:07 AM
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My gelding had what I think was rain scald on his forehead, not badly, but I used sudocream and it cleared up straight away. |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 1:58:32 PM
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My gelding gets a *scabby head and neck* this time every year, I asked the vet once about it and he said it was probably down to losing his coat and itching on things he shouldnt be itching on.
His are only small patches though about the size of a 50 pence piece.
Could it be that if the horse is unrugged it is lieing in something in the field thats irratating it being it is down just one side.
Janet |
     
Sunny Cheshire |
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MinHe
Platinum Member
England
2927 Posts |
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Holly
Gold Member
England
529 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 9:49:34 PM
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Thanks guys
I will take some pics of it tomorrow to show you. Ive wiped it with surgical spirit and covered it in sudacreme for tonight but will have more time over the weekend to mix up some potions.
x |
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badders
Bronze Member
England
169 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2010 : 11:15:38 PM
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| If you use flowers of sulphur i have heard that it is very good mixed with udder cream. Some of the udder cream (i believe equimimms?) also has aloe vera or tea tree in it aswell. You can use it dry and after some research on the internet (for my dog) found a useful tip to put it in an old talcum powder bottle or you can but puffer bottles to apply it. Good luck. |
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Help...rain scald
