I think it's rain rot?..how to cure it?

Question

hey i think my horse has rain rot or some kind of fungus on his elbow area. its crusty and kinda swollen. it's been there for a few weeks. i've tried putting mtg on it (continuous treatment) and it didnt do much. It's a little better..but still there. i keep it as dry as possible..rinse the sweat off after a workout and then towel dry it. he doesnt live in damp or wet conditions at all. what could it be? how else can i treat it? i intend to get some antimicrobial soap when i go to the tack shop this weekend..

do NOT tell me to get my vet out. I am going to try other options before I do that.

would iodine work?

Answer 1

hi it is not rain rot rain rot  is on the back and makes little scabs that grab hairs into clumps but as for what you describing i am not to sure what it is

Answer 2

Gotta love it DO NOT TELL ME TO GET MY VET OUT- OK, I won't tell you to spend a little money to help your friend feel better. I won't even tell you to call the smart guy and ask him for advice.  A good relationship with a vet will result in them giving you advice over the phone.

I doubt it's rainrot - rainrot typically happens all over the top side after particularly warm, extended rainy weather and is multiple sores all over the place, not one sore in one place.

You're probably seeing something like girth itch - of other type of bacterial infection due to improper care of equipment or poor equipment materials - like some types of closed cell materials can hold bacteria even though you clean them well.

The very best way to take care of it, even though you don't want to hear it is with either an ingested type of antibacterial medicine (like a pill or paste given orally) or an injection - neither of which  a person like you can purchase over the counter, they have to be given in the proper dosage for the horse and given properly.

If MTG hasn't fixed it and your ministrations haven't fixed it, it's like growing from the inside, not the outside.  Other things you might find are herbal topicals like "Calm coat" or try some Schreiner's spray on it - that's all natural stuff.  Iodine MAY help - the rain rot my gelding had as a youngster required warm baths followed by application of iodine to every sore every other day.  It was pure h**l for more than a week during a warm spell in March taking that horse to the garage, bathing him then applying iodine and picking off all the sores.

It's really sad hearing someone say how against they are taking some action such as simply calling the vet - unless you have a medical degree, which you don't or you'd know this answer, you could spend much more money trying out different products and taking the chance the horse could get worse than spending the crappy probably $100 or less to get it fixed right the first time doing what a vet tells ya to do.

Good luck  

Answer 3

immediatly STOP using MTG on it.

MTG is only for growing the hair back... once the fungus is gone, you can start using MTG on it again. but not until then.

this is NOT rain rot. this sounds to me like some kind of fungus.

if i were you i'd go to the local tack shop to get something that cures fungus. before you buy the product, read the directions on the back in case you'll need to buy any kind of antimicrobial soap, like you were talking about.

You are doing a good job keeping it "as dry as possible"

but you really should stop using MTG and start using some kind of iodine or rubbing alcohol. something that will clean it out.

you say that it is swollen... which obviously means your horse is in pain! if the fungus solution doesn't work after a month or so, you really should try your vet. You don't want to make it any worse!

Good lucK!  

Answer 4

Thats definitely not rain rot. It sounds like some kind of fungus or skin allergy. Try the antimicrobial soap and also Cowboy Magic, its a spray that I use on my horse thats cleared up skin scabs and crusties. If you aren't seeing any improvement in a week, go ahead and call your vet and explain what it is. He or she may know and can tell you over the phone what to do (saving you money). However, because you say its swollen, I'm a little more concerned...that usually means theres an inflammation of some sort so maybe your horse has an infection because of the thing on his elbow. Anyhow, like I said, if this treatment doesn't do anything for a week go ahead and call your vet. You wouldn't want it to turn into something worst.