I have a horse that has dry flakey skin on his back and neck. He also has tiny dry scabs coming off when "picked." It isn't extreme and he isn't bothered by them. He is on a 12% feed, fed timothy hay, has a salt block available, and is current on all shots and worming. I have only owned him for a couple of months. I don't think he was grained by his previous owners. He was raised on good pasture which is not a bad thing. He was in good shape when I bought him and still is aside from his minor skin issues. Could his system be going through a change due to the feed/time of year?
Posted 2008-10-20 12:10 PM (#93277 - in reply to #93273) Subject: RE: Skin
Veteran
Posts: 114
It sounds like he has Pic's Disease which is a lot like rain rot. Just give him a good betadine soap bath or rung on some betadine solution and it will clear it right up. My horse seems to get this everytime his coat grows out in the fall. His is exactly as you described.
Posted 2008-10-21 9:33 PM (#93386 - in reply to #93273) Subject: RE: Skin
Elite Veteran
Posts: 681 Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
I agree with the betadine bath.. There are some that swear by tea tree oil shampoo also...have you tried adding some corn oil to his feed? Sometimes that helps.
Posted 2008-10-27 5:09 PM (#93737 - in reply to #93273) Subject: RE: Skin
Expert
Posts: 1391 Location: North of Detroit, MI
If it were me, I would double dose with Ivermectin and wait 2 weeks and double dose with Ivermectin again. It sounds like parasites called Neck Thread Worms emerging (they do NOT reside in the stomach or intestines, they become long threadlike worms that reside in the ligaments of the legs and neck - Onchocerca).
Yes. Horses in MIchigan will probably need some good quality grain or supplements since the soil is missing many essential nutrients.
Posted 2008-10-27 8:02 PM (#93753 - in reply to #93273) Subject: RE: Skin
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
I have been checking on him periodically and it has drastically reduced by itself. The flakes are gone and there are only a few tiny scabs left. He never lost clumps/patches of hair. The scabs only took a minute amount of hair when picked. I am still baffled as to what this was......In all of the years I have owned horses I have never seen this before. Weird......I should have taken pictures.
Skin
