How do you treat rain rot--as cheaply as possible?

Question

So after asking a question about 'dandruff' and all the answers telling me it was probably rain rot, I went out and searched my mares over really well... and I think you guys might be right, especially on my QH.

So now I've done online searches about how to treat it, and I'm reading a lot about different kinds of baths... and not much else. It's chilly here, (It IS November, after all...) and a bath is pretty much out of the question. I don't need a horse with a chill as well as rain rot.

Also, money is fairly tight right now, so I just want to treat it as cheaply and easily as possible. A cure I could buy in a grocery store would be AMAZING, though probably not likely..? XD

And another thing: can you ride a horse with rain rot? Or not? I know it's probably not recommended (Especially since I just washed my saddle pads today... D: ) But just in case it happens again, I'd like to know. XD

I'll love you forever if you go into as much detail as you can for me. I don't wanna screw something up. XD

Thanks in advance! xoxo

Answer 1

Listerine works great. It's antibacterial and it kills basically everything. Don't do bleach, that's a caustic chemical and I don't trust it on a horse's skin. Just dump it on and let it dry. MicroTek also makes a good product that you don't need to bathe for.

You can also use MTG, which is an oil-based product that doesn't require a bath. I LOVE mtg because it also helps the hair regrow.



However, the two most important things about curing rainrot are good nutrition and keeping the horse dry. If it's rainy, stall the horse. A horse with rainrot shouldn't be pasture boarded. Don't put a blanket/sheet on the horse, the rainrot needs to "air out" to dry and get better quickly. Once the rainrot is completely gone, then blanket the horse to prevent it from recurring.



Next, evaluate your horse's body condition. Skinny horses are WAY more likely to develop infections such as rainrot.

http://www.kritters.net/hen/hen.html

Use that scale to evaluate the horse's body condition. If the horse is too thin, talk to your vet about what you can feed to boost its weight.



You can ride a horse with rainrot as long as the horse is otherwise in good condition and the rainrot isn't under the saddle area. Just try not to work the horse up to a sweat, because again, the moisture feeds the rainrot.



Make sure to thoroughly clean your brushes- you can use bleach on them, just rinse it off very well.



ADD-- Lyla, MTG doesn't provide an environment for rainrot at all. It's oil based, not water based, and it's antifungal (to get rid of the rainrot).

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2fd984b6-f5ac-4323-a639-1d059477370f

Answer 2

As some people have said listerine works but as long as the rain rot is not bad sometimes the best thing to do is to let it be until spring when they will shed it out,otherwise you will probably make it worse so long as you continue to get any rain. If it is bad the best thing to do although it can be a painful thing for the horse is to try and get it off or at least exposed (it can't continue to grow when exposed to oxygen) then rub listerine or an iodine product on it do not use bleach It can kill the skin and if to strong burn it off. Then to mmoisturize it use either corona on MTG either will work. Then just try to keep them dry.



Oh, and you can continue too ride unless you feel the horse is becoming agitated by it, just make sure you spray a 1:5 bleach mixture on the blankets and any brushes that you use on the affected horse.

Answer 3

I would say no to the riding your horses with rain rot. It'll do more bad than good at this point.



Not, to treat it.

Your suppose to wash them with medicated shampoo about 3 times a week. But, as you said its November.

I would start with regular grooming. You need to keep them clean in order for their hair to start growing back and getting healthy again. After each grooming, clean your brushes. This will help it not to spread and to keep it healing more than spreading. You need to take gloves and break the scabs off of your horse. This will promote healing and will help air out the skin. BEWARE, this is somewhat painful to your horse and will take some time to do.

Since you can't wash your horse with a medicated shampoo, I would try to spray them with an iodine based product that will help get the crustiness off of your horse. I would use Betadine. This needs to be applied for at least 5 days daily.

The best way to prevent it is to use clorox and as I said wash the brushes and your hands after each treatment. You also need to disinfect everything as in: halters, lead ropes, saddle pads, brushes, where he rubs: fences, stalls, and the list goes on.

When you remove the scab, that's the only painful part, the skin maybe oozing pink or a grayish color.

Thats basically all I can think of that your gonna need to know, I hoped I helped somewhat.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

How do you treat rain rot--as cheaply as possible?

So after asking a question about 'dandruff' and all the answers telling me it was probably rain rot, I went out and searched my mares over really well... and I think you guys might be right, especially on my QH.



So now I've done online searches about how to treat it, and I'm...

Answer 5

Get some Betadine from a pharmacy. It's around ten bucks or something, I forget. You don't need to give a full out bath... just need to apply the Betadine to the infected area. The horse will be ok with being slightly damp for a couple minutes in cold weather. Best if you can pick the scabs off first.



Here's an article:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4444083_treat-horse-rain-rot.html

Answer 6

This works, every spring my horse gets rain rot a little under his belly.



Get a small bottle of iodine(I am pretty sure any food store sells it). You can ether mix it with water or shampoo. I mix about 9 or 10 drops with 1/2 a bottle of shampoo. Wash him with it, let it soak for only 5 minutes then rinse. I am pretty sure I had to do it 2 times(2 days apart) last year.



Good luck!

Answer 7

i've just been picking the scabs off my gelding and slowly but surely the rain rot's going away. being exposed to air kills the fungus, but you MUST pick the scabs off first. it'll take forever, but it has to be done. i spent an hour and a half picking scabs off a horse saturday where i volunteer and i still didn't finish. it'll take you a while. after you pick the scabs, you can rub some betadine or iodine in the scab areas. its pretty cheap and you can get it at like Walgreen's.



and yes, you can ride a horse with rain rot as long as its not in a place where the saddle/pad/girth goes. that could itch or hurt. my gelding has it on his butt, so he's perfectly fine with me riding him.



edit: i would have to disagree with the MTG. it provides a perfect environment for fungus to thrive in, so not a good plan when it comes to rain rot.



edit: i never knew it was antifungal. because its oil based, it doesn't allow air in, helping the fungus to survive. just like if a person was to get a foot fungus or something. its best to not add lotion and its best to air it out. i guess if its antifungal though...

Answer 8

I just treated my horses for rain rot like a month ago... super simple and super cheap heres what i did.



Well thankfully we had one nice day after i noticed that they got it, so i did take them out and scrub their backs, but i think you'll be fine without this step.

Next I got a bottle of MTG (Mane Tail Groom, I got it from Fleet Farm for like $12 i think) and squirted that ALL over their backs, where ever the rain rot was. Wear plastic gloves though cause it is pretty oily and smells nasty lol. So yea I rubbed it in pretty good with the gloves until it was down to their skin and covering all the rainrot spots.

So I let that sit it overnight so it could soften up the little scabbies and stuff, the next day I took a flea comb (like you use for dogs, we had one layin around but im sure you can get em really cheap at walmart or somethin) and went over their backs with that and it totally took the scabs and stuff right off. I've got three horses and one of them I had to reapply the MTG to cause I don't think i put enough on her the first time, but that was it for the other two. Lets see.. I ran through their coats with the flea comb once a day for the next few days to get any remaining scabs, but that took care of it! Like I said, really cheap and simple. Hope that helps you! Oh, about riding, idk for sure but I think that you're not supposed to ride them with it on.. it can spread easier and it may be kinda uncomforable for them, but i'm not 100% sure on that one.

Answer 9

Listerine OR a diluted chlorine bleach solution will probably help. I would go with rubbing straight listerine into the affected areas. The next day or so, groom and see how things are progressing, then Listerine them again. I would not ride if the rain rot is under the saddle area, but if it is on the hips, where I usually see it, ride away. Be sure to sanitize your grooming tools too.

Answer 10

I don't think you should ride a horse with rain rot, it would be bad for them.



I don't know anything other then giving them a bath for it, since my horses never got hurt or sick over at my house. Maybe try calling a vet and asking them?

Answer 11

Listerine or a knock off

Answer 12

You should contact a vet and ask questions. If your up front about your budget, they should be able to offer you the best advice.

Answer 13

rose dust. i think the brand might captains but im not sure.it is a fungicide just sprinkle it on and rub in daily till it is better. a vet told me about it. its cheaper than iodine solutions

Answer 14

If you use Listerine use baby oil as well

Answer 15

M-T-G is available at most tack or feed stores. Their web site has a retailer locater. http://www.shapley's.com