STOp THE SPREAD

to stop the spread of a condition like rain rot or ringworm, follow these simple rules:

don’t share equipment between horses. each horse should have his own grooming equipment, tack, halters, saddle pads and blankets.

disinfect your horse’s equipment on a regular basis. Bleach and wash saddle pads at high temperatures. dip brushes in a dilute bleach solution, rinse thoroughly, and let them dry in the sun.

advise barn staff or visitors to wash their hands in between tending to or petting horses.

if you suspect a horse has a contagious skin condition, isolate him in a stall or small pen until the veterinarian arrives.

horses with compromised immune systems are more likely to develop skin conditions like ringworm or rain rot. practice good preventative maintenance on all horses, but especially geriatric horses or horses that travel frequently.

“preventative care is a big part of taking care of your horse’s immune system,” notes rosanna marsella, dVm, a veterinary dermatologist at the university of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. “make sure your horse is fed properly, dewormed and vaccinated, and decrease stressors, like frequent transportation. Going from show to show isn’t ideal, so if the horse’s lifestyle can be a little more relaxed, that goes a long way toward keeping him healthy.” sella. “Some horses may become itchier than others because they develop allergies to the mites. When you have mites, you’ve got mange. To treat mange, you have to kill the mites with a treatment like a lime sulfur dip. If a horse is diagnosed with mites, everybody in contact has to get treated whether they’re symptomatic or not. The life cycle of the mite is three weeks, so treatment has to be at least that long.”

RingwoRm

Pastern dermatitis, also known as “scratches,” is common on white legs. it can be treated with anti-bacterial shampoo and prevented with socks or coverings on the legs.

Ringworm is a common skin infection caused by a fungus, not a parasite. Ringworm presents as round, raised lesions on the skin that may be itchy.

“They call it ‘ringworm’ because it will develop a round lesion on the skin, but it’s actually caused by a fungus,” Marsella explains. “It is transmissible, so you need to treat the horse for it.”

Ringworm can be transmitted from horse to horse by direct contact or by sharing infected tack, brushes, clothing or other equipment between horses. Marsella recommends using an antifungal treatment, such as a lime sulfur dip, to treat ringworm.

“Lime sulfur is very effective at killing fungi and helps with the itching,” says Marsella. “It will also kill mites.”

Dealing with any kind of skin condition— especially before it gets out of hand—not only allows your horse to look his best, but it helps him stay comfortable, happy, and itch-free.

Two of the most common types of pastern dermatitis include bacterial infections and mange.