What does horse rain rot look like

Rain Rot rain scald is an infection of the skin caused by bacteria. Rain rot occurs the most when the weather is rainy or humid and warm.

This condition can be a sign that a horse is not being cared for properly but this is not always the case as some horses have sensitive skin and are more susceptible.

What does horse rain rot look like. While most often found on the horses topline rain rot can be found on numerous areas of the horses body including their rump face and legs. Therefore it is important that regular thorough full-body examinations occur. Hands-on palpation may be needed when examining your horse for rain rot particularly during winter months as increased coat length makes visual assessment difficult.

Youll typically spot rain rot along the horses dorsal surfaces usually beginning at the croup and spreading to the neck back and hindquarters. Often mistaken for a fungal disease the condition can be characterized by the development of crusty scabs that peel off removing clumps of hair with them and result in infected bare patches on the horses skin. What does rain rot look like.

If your horse develops crusty scabs that peel off with clumps of hair and leave bare spots on the skin then they have probably contracted rain rot. This condition is aptly named as it is caused by rain or moisture on the horses coat and is fairly common. Rain rot can appear as large crust-like scabs or small 14 inch matted tufts of hair.

There is usually dozens of tiny scabs that have embedded hair and can be easily scraped off. Underneath the scabs the skin is usually but not always pink with puss when the scabs are first removed then it becomes gray and dry as it heals. Rain rot which is otherwise known as Rain Scald is one of the skin infections that affects horses.

Rain rot is caused by the bacteria Dermatophilus congolensis. Although rain rot is one of the common skin infections that affects horses it isnt as severe as it looks. The down side is it takes time for hair to grow on the affected parts that has experienced hair loss.

Not to worry at we. The legions that form from rain rot causes the skin beneath them to die succinctly making your horses skin very itchy. The horse may be scratching or biting the area to soothe the itch but this will only spread the disease further.

On rare occasions rain rot on. Rain rot comes from the bacterium dermatophilus congolensis. This bacteria is in a family called actinomycetes these little things act like both bacteria and fungi.

Horses naturally have these organisms on their skin. They lay dormant until rainy wet conditions cause it to flare-up. What does rain rot look like.

Rain rot can appear as large crust-like scabs or small 14 inch matted tufts of hair. There is usually dozens of tiny scabs that have embedded hair and can be easily scraped off. Underneath the scabs the skin is usually but not always pink with puss when the scabs are first removed then it becomes gray and dry as it heals.

It is usually hard to differentiate. Rain rot occurs the most when the weather is rainy or humid and warm. The areas that are usually affect with rain rot are the areas that are most exposed to rain.

The back shoulders head and top of the neck. It is rarely seen on the underside of the body or the legs. The bacterial spores cannot penetrate healthy skin tissue.

Spores can only enter damaged tissues or unprotected tissues. Rain rot on horses looks to terrible but treating the condition is not difficult. However there is a lot to more to this infection than an ugly coat.

Rain Rot rain scald is an infection of the skin caused by bacteria. This bacterial infection can look bad but is not too difficult to treat when caught early. Curing rain rot can often be as simple as bathing the horse with an antimicrobial shampoo cleaning or replacing grooming tools and keeping the horse dry and separated from other horses with active cases when possible.

The usual treatment presents a bit of a problem during a Michigan winter however in that bathing horses is a challenge for many. Topical antimicrobial products may be useful. Rain rot symptoms most commonly show itself as scabs and lesions on a horses skin.

Sometimes mistaken for ringworm or staph infection rain rot is a bacterial infection rather than a fungal infection. The bacteria that causes rain rot is alive underneath the surface of the skin which is why the scabs that appear on your horse can ooze. Rain rot in horses looks similar to mange in dogs but is not the same thing and cannot be managed the same way.

This condition can be a sign that a horse is not being cared for properly but this is not always the case as some horses have sensitive skin and are more susceptible. If your horse is suffering from rain rot first try to fix the environmental factors that led to the rain rot. Then try additional treatments for rain rot if that does not work.

One of these options should clear your horses rain rot up so they arent left with irritated skin or bald patches. Try to catch rain rot right away for the most effective and simple treatment. The signs of rain rot are unmistakable.

A few hours after coming in from the rain your horses coat begins to stand up in a peculiar pattern either bordered by the drip line of rain runoff or in patches. As you begin to smooth it down you feel a radiating heat. The most common symptom of rain rot is hair loss along with a rough scaly looking skin.

Your horses hair will appear to rise up as little tufts as opposed to the sleek smooth look of a typical healthy horse and the hair will fall out if lightly rubbed or brushed.