Rain Rot

[La Gringa]

With the wet spring we have had, and the fact my guy is out with other horses that have it, he's developed some rain rot. I have bathed with antibacterial shampoo and picked the scabs. I have put MTG on, is that a good idea? Also is it a bad idea to put a fly sheet if he has rain rot, after I have bathed and medicated?

Thanks.

[EquineSublime]

With the wet spring we have had, and the fact my guy is out with other horses that have it, he's developed some rain rot. I have bathed with antibacterial shampoo and picked the scabs. I have put MTG on, is that a good idea? Also is it a bad idea to put a fly sheet if he has rain rot, after I have bathed and medicated?

Thanks.

Wait until the rain rot is gone and skin has fully healed up. Isolate from close contact with the other horses if possible. Fly sheet may irritate horse's skin.

[MunchkinsMom]

There are some other products that you can try that might work faster than MTG for rain rot. The best, easiest and fastest acting that I have found is Equiderma:

http://www.equiderma.com/rainrot.html

And they have a money back guarantee. I've used the other products (like Muck-Itch, Micro-Tek (gave my horses the hives), Fung-away, etc), and Equiderma really cleared up the rain rot in a single application.

[xsuzi]

First of all, I am jealous of your wet spring--we have drought and fires. Rain rot is a lot easier to treat if the hair is short; the conundrum is that it's uncomfortable to clip over rain rot. The bugger of rain rot is that it is a double whammy. I have had great luck with Calm Coat. I have had small luck with a commercial shampoos for rain rot. I have had decent luck with a homemade body wash of betadine, an anti-fungal oil (available at the health food store--peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, neem etc), some witch hazel and it sponged over the affected parts and left.
Rain rot is incorrectly named, because my horses get it worst in drought conditions.
When I was a barn manager, it seemed that the commercial preparations almost made the mess worse. I do know of folks who keep dandruff shampoo on their washrack, but I have never tried it.
I did once have a vet sell the farm I worked for a whole lot of some exotic tar shampoo, which had to sit on the horses for fifteen minutes before rinsing. It helped with the itch, so they weren't rubbing so much and the mess did not get worse.
Hope that helps

[Windy Willow]

I'm very experienced with rain rot. Simply wash with badadine,rinse and mix half and half solution of mineral oil and iodine together and apply to rain rot. This softens up the scabs to softly come off. This may take a few applications.Then the hair will start growing back

[La Gringa]

Someone told me to use a mixture of vinegar and listerine. Has anybody tried this? Wouldn't it sting?

[LegalEagle]

Someone told me to use a mixture of vinegar and listerine. Has anybody tried this? Wouldn't it sting?

Yes this would sting if you had pulled the scabs off. The important thing to know about rain rot is that it is caused by an anaerobic bacteria. This means you have to expose the bacteria to oxygen for it to heal up.

Soften the scabs somehow (mineral oil, MTG, whatever), and then pull them off. Then I would bathe the affected areas and a "buffer zone" around them with an iodine or chlorahexidine based shampoo and follow the directions for how long to leave it on to disinfect. This will help prevent secondary infections of the scabs you have pulled off.

[JB]

No need to isolate the horse. The organisms that cause rainrot (same ones that also cause scratches) are *everywhere* in the soil.

One horse gets skin issues like this, when others don't, because something about that horse's immune system isn't up to par.

[elleng0728]

Straight generic brand listerine works wonders for me. Cleared it up in no time.

[caballus]

Took the words right outta my fingers, JB *grin* ...

The organism dermatophilus congolensis causes rain rot. Dermatophilus congolensis is not a fungus. It is an actinomycetes, which behaves like both bacteria and fungi. The organism is carried on the horse’s skin and horses with compromised immune systems will fall prey to it.

I've treated a couple of horses with rain rot using simple Gold Bond Foot Powder. I've tried the MTG, the Listerine, the what-have-you's but the GB works the best. Pick off the scabs that can be removed easily without too much discomfort. Then, comb the hair backwards as you sprinkle the powder onto the affected areas. That treats the organism, itself BUT does nothing to address the root cause - the immune system. Vitamin C and Echinacea are two things you can add to the feed that are relatively inexpensive and effective. 4000 mg. of Vitamin C daily and 1 oz. of Echinacea daily for 3 weeks. You can also help the liver to cleanse the blood more efficiently by feeding Milk Thistle herb - an oz. daily.

A weakened immune system is also signs of an imbalanced 'life force' energy. I use Homeopathics to treat the individual with excellent results for a myriad of different conditions.

Vaccinosis may also be a cause of your horse succumbing to Rain Rot ... You can read more about that here: http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/petvacc.htm with many veterinary statements on the condition. A google search on "vaccinosis" will also bring up more information.

Good luck! Rain rot isn't a fun thing to deal with. It's a real PITA.

[kindredspirit]

I used this product: http://www.silverliningherbscanada.com/products/equine/27.html

In one week the rainrot was gone and has not returned after 10 days of rain.

Kathy

[goeslikestink]

Wait until the rain rot is gone and skin has fully healed up. Isolate from close contact with the other horses if possible. Fly sheet may irritate horse's skin.

also bring in when rianing and have high hygene protocal and treat all horses as its contagious
plus have a foot bath on entry exit

[Lori B]

I have a horse who for the longest time had a little, and sometimes a lot, of rain rot in particular spots (front of hind legs, top of butt, etc.). Tried betadine bath, tried listerine. Most approaches would sorta tamp it down, but nothing would decisively knock it out. But per the excellent advice of Equibrit (I think), I tried a bath of Nolvasan surgical scrub. The rain rot was just gone, and stayed gone. Around about 10 months later, I saw some suspicious scurfy-ness, and hit it again with Nolvasan, and the scurf was GONE.

So now I mix a little nolvasan into her bath soap bucket every few months, and there is just not anymore of it. I cannot recommend this highly enough. I also shampoo with head & shoulders (CVS or Target brand), and I think that helps too, keeping down dandruffy crud on the skin but not overdrying the skin.

A stall rested horse is, I think, a bit vulnerable to skin stuff -- increased stress level, rolling in their stalls a lot, and unless you pick out the stall every 5 minutes, they're going to roll in icky stuff.

[JSwan]

Hey La Gringa -

Sorry - didn't read all the responses so apologize if someone told you this already.

I've got the same problem here - place is a swamp and one horse is covered in rain rot. I'm surprised moss isn't growing on him, it's been that wet.

Anyway - you asked about vinegar and it's got mild astringent and anti-bacterial properties. I think the Amish and a lot of horse people use it to treat scratches and other skin irritations. I don't think there is any actual harm in using it and I don't believe it will sting unless the horse's skin is raw or bleeding. If it does sting - it won't sting as much as Listerine. Either product would be diluted - listerine more so than vinegar, I'd think.

I've used diluted Listerine (dollar store knockoff) for grungy scurfy tails.

If you're looking for a very inexpensive product vinegar is certainly cheap - and has other uses if it doesn't work on the horse. If the horse is really bad off you may not want to experiment and go with something like Nolvasan. Also, when purchasing truly medicinal products go to a real feed store - the kind local farmers use. Check product labels VERY carefully but you will usually find very good products that don't have the equestrian markup.

Good luck and I hope all is going well with you.

[Leather]

A recent thread with some suggestions.

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=203711

The organism that causes rain rot does not like oxygen, so I clip the area, shampoo with Malaseb (leave it on for at least 10 minutes) and then keep the area dry. No topicals.

[Equibrit]

Bathe with shampoo and NOLVASAN. Poof it's gone !

Nolvasan Disinfectant

Nolvasan (chlorhexidine diacetate), the only EPA-registered chlorhexidine disinfectant, works against at least 60 different bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and viruses. Nolvasan is non-corrosive, has minimal to no skin irritation, and retains antimicrobial activity in the presence of organic matter. Nolvasan’s unique binding to skin proteins provides residual activity for as long as 2 days. SCENTED

This was the cheapest I could find and is ALWAYS good to have on hand anyway !
http://www.allivet.com/NOLVASAN_SOLUTION_DISINFECTANT_1_GALLON_p/aap311.htm

[JB]

also bring in when rianing and have high hygene protocal and treat all horses as its contagious
plus have a foot bath on entry exit

Define "contagious". If it's "contagious" in that it's all over the place, all the time, sure. But honestly, if one horse gets rain rot or scratches, it really, really does not matter if you take that same brush to another horse. If it were so "contagious", then all horses would need to be in a vacuum bubble as the only way to not be in contact with the organism(s) - it's *in the dirt*, it gets airborn, you can't get away from it.

[Jenn2674]

I used to think there was something wrong with their immune system when they would get these skin problems, and when one horse out of twenty gets it, then yes there is something about that horses immune system that caused him to catch it. My cushings horse gets it every year on his legs and he has always had an excellent diet. But this year for the first time since I've had him, my other horse and the TB that goes out with him are covered in it. The TB has been there for several years too and never had a problem. I could almost understand it if just my horse got it since he is older but the TB is 12 and healthy and it is just too ironic that they got it both at the same time. Something is up with the conditions in the area because the barn up the road that I boarded at for three years, well several of those horses that have never had it also have HUGE outbreaks.

We have had alot of rain and I imagine that perhaps because of the drought the summer before last, the bacteria is just booming.

Equyss is not working one iota and we have all three products so we have moved on to the chlorahexadine and it is improving more quickly.

[Seven-up]

Yup, Nolvasan. One bath. Gone. Here in the dirty South ;) we know how to get rid of rain rot. Get rid of, not help a little bit.

Nolvasan surgical scrub, scrub off scabbies, let sit 10-15 min. rinse well. Clean brushes, blankets, saddle pads, whatever. Beat yourself over the head for wasting your time with anything else. The end.


ETA: I noticed Equibrit accidentally posted the disinfectant. That's for surfaces. Make sure to get the surgical scrub.

ETA: Part II, haha, it looks like both contain 2% chlorhexadine, so I suppose they would work the same, but the surface stuff is like water, and the scrub is shampoo-like. I have always been told the surface stuff is too strong to put on a horse...anyway...scrub is easier.

[Lori B]

Amen, Nolvasan.

[Seven-up]

Amen, Nolvasan.

:lol:

All hail, Nolvasan!


I haven't used anything besides Nolvasan for at least 15 years. And I've had the same 16 oz. bottle for about 7 years.:yes:

[myalter1]

this thread was so timely b/c our cushings pony came in with rain rot on his ears and face the other day. He is turned out only from 8-4 then comes in to his stall, never gets turned out when the weather is inclement and is groomed almost every day. I thought maybe it was b/c he has a bushy forelock and is now wearing a flymask w/ ears. Thought maybe that was holding in moisture (sweat).

I thought i read something somewhere about cushings horses/ponies having a compromised immune system. maybe this is why the poor thing is afflicted. will try nolvassan...It's all over his forehead and he doesn't exactly love having his face washed...

[goeslikestink]

No need to isolate the horse. The organisms that cause rainrot (same ones that also cause scratches) are *everywhere* in the soil.

One horse gets skin issues like this, when others don't, because something about that horse's immune system isn't up to par.

hate to say this but it is contagious so proper hygene prtocol is needed plus treat one treat all

[Equibrit]

Yup, Nolvasan. One bath. Gone. Here in the dirty South ;) we know how to get rid of rain rot. Get rid of, not help a little bit.

Nolvasan surgical scrub, scrub off scabbies, let sit 10-15 min. rinse well. Clean brushes, blankets, saddle pads, whatever. Beat yourself over the head for wasting your time with anything else. The end.


ETA: I noticed Equibrit accidentally posted the disinfectant. That's for surfaces. Make sure to get the surgical scrub.

ETA: Part II, haha, it looks like both contain 2% chlorhexadine, so I suppose they would work the same, but the surface stuff is like water, and the scrub is shampoo-like. I have always been told the surface stuff is too strong to put on a horse...anyway...scrub is easier.

I actually said to put the disinfectant in with shampoo - cheaper 'cos you need very little ! A gallon will last you years.

Stinky - it is NOT contagious but caused by a bacteria that is present EVERYWHERE, and more so when there is a lot of moisture about. Some horses are more able to fend off the bacteria than others.



Rain Rot
by: Chad Mendell, TheHorse.com Managing Editor
May 01 2008, Article # 11948
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While spending as much time as possible at pasture can be good mentally for your horse, if you live in an area with wet or very humid conditions, your horse might be at risk of contracting a bacterial skin disease commonly known as "rain rot."
Ann Swinker, PhD, an extension horse specialist at Penn State University, explains what the infection looks like, how to treat infected horses, and ways to prevent horses from getting or spreading the infection.

Cause

"Rain rot or rain scald (also known as dermatophilosis) is caused by bacterial infection, and it often is mistaken for a fungal disease," Swinker says. "The bacteria live in the outer layer of skin and cause from pinpoint to large, crusty scabs."

Dermatophilus congolensis, the bacterium found to cause this infection, lives in dormant within the skin until the skin is compromised in some way, which can happen when there's prolonged wetness, high humidity, high temperature, or attacks by biting insects, according to The Merck Veterinary Manual. Warm temperatures and high humidity can also cause an increase in the number of biting insects (particularly flies and ticks) present that can spread the infection from horse to horse.

Rain rot occurs when the infective zoospores (created by D. congolensis bacteria to propagate themselves) reach a compromised skin site. Swinker says, "The zoospores germinate and produce hyphae (threadlike tentacles), which penetrate into the living epidermis and spread in all directions, resulting in an acute inflammatory skin condition."

Diagnosis

It's easy to diagnose rain rot, generally on visual confirmation of the skin lesions alone, but a more definite diagnosis can be made by examining a skin scraping for Gram-positive bacteria under a microscope or by culturing the bacteria.

Horses with long winter coats will develop paintbrush lesions (raised, matted tufts of hair) along their dorsal surfaces, which include the neck, withers, back, and croup, as well as on the lower limbs. Light-skinned areas are usually more severely affected. As the lesions get larger and join together, they will progress to a crust or scab formation that when removed will expose yellow-green pus between the necrotic and living skin layers.

Swinker says, "If rubbed, the 'bumps' might rub off in the form of scabs with a small, hairless spot of skin showing."

Treatment

Most acute cases of rain rot can heal on their own; however, Swinker recommends treating even minor cases because the lesions can spread and worsen. The lesions also interfere with use (especially if they are located along the horse's back or withers) and they can be painful for the horse.

She says, "In early or less severe cases, simply removing the scabs (by bathing the horse) with antimicrobial shampoos and currying will take care of the problem." However, more severe cases in which the infection has affected deeper skin layers might require your veterinarian to give antibiotic injections (such as procaine penicillin and streptomycin). Unlike most skin conditions, rain rot is not itchy, but it can be painful to the touch. Be cautious when bathing or removing the scabs.

Prevention

Practicing good hygiene, such as daily grooming with clean brushes, along with reducing environmental risk factors (constant wet and/or humid environments and biting insects), are the best ways to prevent your horse from getting rain rot. Also, be sure to use a separate set of grooming tools and tack (if the infection is light enough to continue working the horse without causing harm), and disinfect these items between each use.

[foursocks]

As someone else mentioned, we've had excellent results with Malaseb shampoo, as well as that spray-on athlete's foot stuff. My horse had some on his bum, and scratches on one heel- three days after his bath and spray, they are both nearly gone.

But maybe I'll do a good Nolvasan scrub to stamp it out for good....thanks for the suggestion! :D

[Fairview Horse Center]

Rainrot is not all the same. As my old vet said, 50% of rainrot cases will clear up with Azimycin injections, the rest will not. All responded well to Welladol shampoo. Unfortunately, neither of those are available. Choice 3 is Captavet - also not marketed anymore, :mad: but it is captan, the rose fungicide. We use to put it in a spray bottle with water, and spray the area daily. I don't remember what the mix was though.

What I have seen is a genetic association with who usually gets it or not. I have one mare that both her and her foals get it on occasion, but none of the rest do.

[Piney Woods]

Benzalconium (sp?) chloride. There are a number of products to treat fungus in horses with benzalconium chloride as the main ingredient. BC is used for sterilization in labs and will kill the fungus within several applications. DO NOT use shampoo or soap before applying! Give the horse a good grooming to remove the scabs, wet the area with water, use the sweat scraper to remove the excess water, spray with the product and massage it in with your fingers or curry. Apply every 2nd or 3rd day and the scabs will be gone in a week to 10 days. I've used this method successfully for 25 years in a wet climate. Good luck.

[Seven-up]

I actually said to put the disinfectant in with shampoo - cheaper 'cos you need very little ! A gallon will last you years.



So much for me reading, huh? :lol: