Allergic to his own sweat

[*OEH*]

I was wondering if any of you have any experience of horses that are allergic to their own sweat?

It appears that my Clover is.

He comes up in a rash when he gets hot. If he gets very sweaty then the rash stays and each little bump goes pussy. Then all his hair at that point falls out. Not good. It is much much worse in the winter, in the summer we only get the bumps, no scabs etc.

It started just where the sweat trickles down just below his numnah, but today it has spread under the saddle patch to where he isn't clipped, it's clearly quite uncomfortable so I didn't ride him today.

I'll get some pics to show you tomorrow.

We've had the vet out to look at him, she thinks that this is the correct diagnosis, but has done some blood tests to see if she can find out any more. She gave me some shampoo to wash him in- I think called Malaseb, she thinks that this might get rid of what she thins might be an infection getting in through the rash.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh.

Anyone have any experience of this?

You can just about see the rash on his face and neck in this pic.

 

[Portia]

Not to the extent you describe, although I've known them being very itchy if not hosed off and scraped through after hard work.

There were threads on NR back in the late autumn early winter discussing something along this line (believe it related to horse sweating up under too heavy rugs), with the suggestion that an infection similar to rain scald caused by the bacterium Dermatophilus congolensis was the cause of the skin irritation. Have a read of this link for more information -
http://www.horseconnections.co.uk/pages/rainscald.cfm

Hope your boys' feeling more comfortable soon, he's lovely btw.

 

[*OEH*]

Thanks Portia- it does look very much like that. I'll have a word with vet and YO to see what they think.

Poor boy, he's very stoic about it, but I think now it's under where his saddle goes it's really bugging him. I think I shan't ride till that bit's cleared up, which is a shame as we were meant to be hunting on Saturday.

 

[jembo15]

You need to go hunting on Sat, who is going to pick me up when I get carted across the park??????
Is it really uncomfortable for him?
Poor Clover horse, give him a carrot from me!
Actually, do you feed lots of carrots as I have known quite a few horses with carrot allergies!
Also as it is sweat, is there a salt inbalance?

 

[*OEH*]

Just bumping this up in case anyone has any experience of this................

 

[Lgd]

Yes - to the point my friend's horse became unrideable with it.

Three days of treatment and he was a different horse. He has to be wiped off every time he is ridden. Initial treatment was with an alcohol based gel rub which kills off bacteria and fungi (his was thought to be fungal with secondary infection) and a mild steroid lotion to settle it down. Now just has to have the gel rub a couple of times a week.