I think he ate something - skin reaction

Daffy Dilly

Daffy Dilly

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Dec 5, 2004
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*background* In December (Christmas eve I think I first noticed) Daffy's chest got dry, scurfy and he lost most of the hair. There were a couple of other infected patches too, on his back, neck and bum. Some of the skin underneath was very tender. I had the vet out who said he thought it was a fungal infection. Cue a long process (spanning a good few weeks) of changing anti rub bibs every day, washing every rug he'd worn in the last month with antifungal/bacterial wash and bathing him daily in winter with Malaseb shampoo as provided by the vet.

It's starting again now. I noticed it on Friday. It's started (as before) as lumps which then get more scaley and then the hair/skin drops off. He has one "ring" on his chest and the others are "normal" lumps. Scurfy, but minimal hairloss at this point. It's spreading though.

I'd never come across it before, and none of the other horses on the yard are showing the same symptoms. The only thing I can thing of which may cause it, is that we walk out on the bridleway and he gets to graze - we did this over winter too. I'm not too up on poisonous plants, but I suspect something has disagreed with him.

What should the next step be? He's showing no discomfort or any other symptoms of any sort, I'm trying to fix it with the Malaseb and E45, and we're keeping an eye on it. The vet is coming to the yard on Thursday, so if there is no improvement I'll get Daffy booked in, but I'm not sure exactly what they can do?
 
This is slightly unusual, but I have read threads on COTH which suggest this sort of skin inflammation can be caused by neck threadworm.
 
It could be bacterial, but why have none of the other horses got it, and where on earth did he get it from? :confused:

I also sort of think that the Malaseb shampoo would've cleaned it up a lot faster last time if it had been bacterial or fungal. In any case, he's being treated with the Malaseb so if it is bacterial it should clear up nicely.

I don't know anything about neck threadworm, off to do some research.
 
Sometimes, if it is a bacterial infection and it is in the follicles, it won't clear up with only shampoo, although that will help to keep the levels down. Ideally, if it is a bacterial infection it will only really clear with oral antibiotics.
 
last summer jerry got "rings" and they were really sore and scabby - they literally were perfect rings where the inside was normal skin. after investigation it was put down to an allergic rection to biological washing powder, i could of kicked myself!

a couple of weeks ago i noticed what sounds like the other syptoms you mention. he has raised lumps, the size of a 5p which are crusty and yellow, almost looks like when he was stung by wasps but he got a different reaction then. Jerrys allergic to most things so i'm confident its an allergic reaction and i am just washing it and keeping an eye on it.

I'd imagine a vet will either give him steroids if they think its a reaction or take a skin scraping to see if there's a bacteria infection or similar.
 
A horse on our yard had a similar rash appear on his face. The owners put it down to him leaning over the fence in his field and eating something foreign. They put some electric tape up, kept cleaning the rash. It went away and hasn't come back so in all likeliness it was probably something he ate.

I'd just keep them clean, wearing gloves to touch them yourself incase it is something infectious and watch where he grazes. If none of the other horses have contracted it, this would be what points me in the direction of something he would have eaten.
 
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