Need some help/advice

[Ruskii]

This might be in the wrong area, but have posted it in here as more traffic.

Whilst giving my boy a good groom on the weekend I noticed some hair was coming away a bit too easily along his spine, upon further investigation and grooming it looked quite scurfy (not scabby though) and a LOT more hair was falling out. However his skin didnt seem red or inflammed at all. Infact it looked it's normal pink colour - he's a skewbald and white all along in this area.

It's located to a patch, around the size of a mans hand, around the base his mane near his wither and slightly thins out to another patch near his loins, I've no idea what has caused this but as he has lived out pretty much unrugged I'm thinking it might be a touch of rainscald or similar

I gave it a damn good wash through with hibiscrub and lifted a lot of scurf and hair away from there, and it looks much much better for it, I rubbed in some MSM cream to see if that would help as well. However now I'm stuck.

I've kept a no fill rainsheet on him (lightest rug I own for him) since as he lives out and with the amount of hair that has come away he will be susceptable(sp?) in this current weather for it to burn. I obviously dont want him to get sunburn on his back, so I've kept him with the rug on.

However as it's going to take a fair bit of time for this hair to grow back I'm stuck on ideas on what to do to manage it best. Would a UV repellant fly rug do the trick do you think ? My plan was to give him another wash with hibiscrub tomorrow and see how it looked, put on some more MSM cream then re-rug for another day or two. But consider getting a fly rug as it would be lighter on him ?

OR slather on loads of sunscreen each morning and not bother with the rug ?

Which would other NR's do ? I'm a bit confused on what to do.

 

[flump1967]

Well I am no expert but mare at my yard has a UV repellant fly rug on her beacuse she is hypersenitive to the sun and burns and said rug prevents that so should work for you too.

Also being holey it would still let the hair circulate and not so hot as a rainsheet whilst weather is so warm. Believe I am right to think rainscald thrives in warm moist conditions so that is maybe a consideration?

Trouble with sunscreen I would think would be what if he rolls? Sounds like just the area where a good roll would get it all off?


Pardon me for asking but is def not lice is it? Just with you saying about all the scurf - lice do look like flakes of skin sometimes.

 

[Kc Mac]

To protect the area if it does look like it will burn, i would invest in a fly rug as it will soon be far to hot for a rainsheet, hopefully

I would also wash area again and check for mites/lice etc. From my experience rain scald is scabby and tends to affect all along the back, especially top of quarters and includes very sore and inflammed skin, which yours doesn't sound like. However i am no expert, just what i have dealt with!

I got my boy in a fly sheet as he has a little lump on his back and want it protected from insects, also as he is dark bay he doesn't fade with the rug

Sunscreen is an easy but not so effective way. My arab had sunburn on a hind leg the year i got him so i just avoid putting anything on it as not to attract the sun. I found the sunscreen needs applying regularly which isn't practical for me but since not putting anything on *touches wood* it has not since burnt

 

[Ruskii]

Thanks

I'd be suprised if it was lice as there have been no new horses to the yard for ages. (Did go through my mind though.But after writing that last night I will be getting a vet out this week anyway to check him over