fly spray allergy or rain rot?!!

[nakedescapee]

Hi ya'll...

Yesterday, I noticed some spots that look like mange on my mare, Roulette, where the hair is coming off down to the skin. I have never seen a horse with rain rot, but I understand it looks like this. It is on one side and her back. I have not been riding her lately, so it's not a rub. I have been using a strong fly spray and the spotty area has a kind of "spray" pattern to it. Has anyone heard of a horse that has had an allergic reaction to a strong fly spray?

I have used the same fly spray on Homie and Chance but haven't seen anything like this on them. I am also using the same brushes on all the horses and, if it is rain rot, I don't want to spread it to the others.

I stopped using the fly spray so should I wait and see if it clears up or go ahead and start the medicated baths? With the non-stop rain we have been getting here, I don't have a real good spot for bathing as everything is muddy but I can make do.

Thanks in advance... Ginny

[Peace]

You know, Quanah had what looked like mange last winter, when it was so wet, but it turned out to be ringworm (which loves dampness). Anyway, daily medicated shampoos and topical applications of Captan did away with it. I just gave him sponge baths on the affected areas, though, because it was cold weather still. Maybe sponge baths would be a better option for you?

Rain rot, in my experience, is something you feel before you see it. It starts as little bumps under the hair, but if you pick the little hair clump apart you can see what looks like either a fleck of dried skin or sometimes a tiny scab. If it's rain rot, you want to scrub the shampoo in real good, to penetrate the little clumps. Is this the horse who's a little suspicious of people? If so, be careful, because the scrubbing will be uncomfortable for her.

I also used to dunk my grooming tools in a weak Clorox and water solution each time I finished using them. The vet told me I could wind up re-infecting my horse if I didn't. So you probably do want to disinfect your stuff before using it on another horse.

I'm sure it could also be an allergy - that's actually what my vet was betting Quanah's ringworm was. But I wouldn't think starting the medicated shampoo now would hurt anything. Before we got the results of Quanah's skin scraping, my vet prescribed prednisone in case of allergy, medicated shampoo in case it was ringworm or some other fungus, and antibiotics to keep away secondary infection! :)

[nakedescapee]

Thanks Peace. I looked at it yesterday afternoon (after surfing all the sites I could find on equine skin disorders) and I think it is some type of fungus. It is Roulette, the suspicious one, but she didn't seem too bothered when I picked at it... of course, she was cross tied so she didn't have a lot of choice.

I didn't notice any bumps but the hair started to stand up slightly then it started falling out in small patches. No sores on Roulette just little spots of hair coming out with a little flake of skin.

I have seen some spots on the baby's legs and on Homie's hocks and pasterns, too, but these are actually sores... mud fever? I'm thinking it started there. When I brushed down their legs to get the muck off, I spread it up to Rou's back. I haven't seen any spots anywhere else on the others except on their legs (fingers crossed.)

Fortunately, they all bathe well (except baby Chance who is a little scared until she remembers that it's fun.) So, I'm off to the farm supply store for medicated shampoo and a new bucket for disinfecting brushes. If it doesn't clear up in a week, I'm calling the vet... $$$

Thanks again for the advice. It is such a drag that, instead of riding, I'll be spending most of my time bathing them... and just when it dried up enough to ride.... :( :rolleyes:

[galadriel]

Yeech, good luck with getting it cleared up. The weather being dry will probably help you get it down, too.

[nakedescapee]

I gave them all a good wash down yesterday afternoon and, this morning when I went to feed, I think it actually looked a little better. It maybe just wishful thinking on my part but the spots on Homie and Chance looked dryer. Of course, it hasn't rained in a whole 3 days too. :D