What are these funny looking things? Dull coats coming out in little clumps from the back of your horse….possible Rain Rot!
Names like, Rain scald, dew poisoning, rain rot, even scratches…all the same thing. Caused by a bacteria with fungal characteristics that lives in soil, No.1 skin condition in our horses.
Rain Rot is a Contagious disease-animals can infect one another. Some more susceptible than others.; i.e Feathered horses get scratches, same as rain rot but show up in this area and the legs.
Typical places for Rain Rot is on the back of the horses, where the hair is longer and holds moisture. Like scratches it is preventable and treatable. The cause is an “”anaerobe” ( a bacteria that grows without oxygen) . This bacteria thrives in low oxygen environments, and easily spread from horse to horse by saddle blankets and GROOMING TOOLS!!!
Our horses live around dirt, roll and splash in mud, thus exposing them to bacteria, most common in moist climates but shows up in dry areas too! Most prevalent during the winter months of December and March. With the long winter coats and difficulty in grooming properly we see it more around this time!
The affected area is dull, dirty, or greasy. If you were to pull on the hair , little clumps would come out with scabby crusts on the ends. If not treated promptly the hair can begin to fall out.
To prevent make sure you have a set of grooming tools for each horse. Put in a different grooming tote and color code them for label them with the horses name. If the bacteria gets into your grooming tools you can re-infect your horse just by brushing. So please clean your grooming tools and replace them yearly!
Besides grooming, poor nutrition can play a role too and Lowered immune systems make it difficult to fend off.
Prevention is key, but if you do spot a problem, treatment is pretty simple. Wash the affected area with soap and water and remove all the scabby hair mats that you can to allow air to reach the skin and keep it clean and dry. You may have to let the soap sit for a few minutes to help loosen the scabs, then gently pull them off.
Rinse really well and dry with a soft cloth. Use a little antiseptic ointment. Keep your horse as clean and dry as you possibly can. The worse your horse’s case is, the more diligent you must be to get rid of it.
Horses can be carriers and not show a single sign of rain rot, a very common occurrence in the horse world, but not the end of the world. Prevention and good care along with good nutrition, clean hands, grooming tools and a saddle pad for each animal are the best ways to ward off the scabby hair-loss infection.
Manely Long Hair makes grooming easy and prevents by cleaning. Our brushes help to clean deep all year round. The Hydrate 24 allows for winter cleaning without washing and provides coat protection. The Detangler/POLISHER along with our mane and tail brushes, prevents tangles and most importantly cleans the manes and tails and aerates the FEATHERS!
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