# Rain Rot and Clipping



## Wallaby (Jul 13, 2008)

I'm not super experienced with rain rot but this last summer, at camp, one of the older horses came in with it so I got to get rid of it. Yay! haha
The stuff I used on that guy was this stuff: Amazon.com: Mane N Tail Pro-Tect Medicated Shampoo: Sports & Outdoors plus I added Vitamin A to his diet since I heard that can help. 
It only took one shampooing to really see the difference in the RR (even when this horse was standing out in the rain etc) and after 3 shampoos (I was only able to shampoo once a week, it'd probably work better shampooing more often) the rain rot was gone.  The one this I did notice about that shampoo is that you have to follow the instructions that say to leave the shampoo on for at least 10 minutes exactly. Longer is even better but any shorter that 10 minutes and you don't see any real results.

I'd imagine that blanketing Rodeo might be counter productive (not to mention having to seriously wash your blanket afterwards) since it's a fungal infection that thrives in warm, moist conditions, but I really don't know...

I hope you are able to get it taken care of quickly, rain rot is the worst.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I'm dealing with rain rot too, so subbing.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Wallaby said:


> I'm not super experienced with rain rot but this last summer, at camp, one of the older horses came in with it so I got to get rid of it. Yay! haha
> The stuff I used on that guy was this stuff: Amazon.com: Mane N Tail Pro-Tect Medicated Shampoo: Sports & Outdoors plus I added Vitamin A to his diet since I heard that can help.
> It only took one shampooing to really see the difference in the RR (even when this horse was standing out in the rain etc) and after 3 shampoos (I was only able to shampoo once a week, it'd probably work better shampooing more often) the rain rot was gone.  The one this I did notice about that shampoo is that you have to follow the instructions that say to leave the shampoo on for at least 10 minutes exactly. Longer is even better but any shorter that 10 minutes and you don't see any real results.
> 
> ...




Thanks Wallaby!! Only thing is, is that although its still getting warm during the day, by the time Im done work, and Im able to get out to the barn, the sun is just about gone, and its pretty chilly....so I dont know how leaving it in would work with it being cooler.

Its really strange weather, well for me anyways, I grew up in NH, when it was warm, it was warm, when it was cold, it was cold. Here where I am in NC, itll be freezing in the am, warm up, to tshirt weather, and then freeze off again!!! I cant get used to it, and I think Rodeo might be having a hard time adjusting to it as well. Last time I did give him a bath, it def helped....so maybe I just need to do it a few more times, and see if it clears it up?

This was the shampoo I was using....

Eqyss Micro-Tek Natural Medicated Shampoo < Medicated Coat Applications < Horse Grooming Supplies|Dover Saddlery.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Skyseternalangel said:


> I'm dealing with rain rot too, so subbing.




Its just frustrating for me! I know there are several posts on this, but Im having such a hard time with it right now

I was able to pick majority of the scabs off when it first stated, used this shampoo, and it seemed to help. But within, I dont know the past two weeks or so, it has come back full force, and he doesnt want me to mess with it a whole lot. He actually flinches if I try to pick all the scabs off. 

It actually feels like he had a cut, or scrape, and it has scabbed over, but if you look at it, its a bunch of small bumps. I just want to get rid of it for the poor guy. I know that usually it doesnt bother them, but I feel like its making him sore. He does have a small spot on his back from it that the scabs will not come off, and when I try to get them off, he flinches, and tries to walk off. 

Thanks for the info though Wallaby!! Im def going to have to do something before its too late!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Yeah rain rot attaches to the bottom of the hair so if you try to peel it off.. it pulls the hair out which hurts. My boy trusts and tolerates me a lot and he deals with me picking at his scabs and his rain rot. I was told to bathe him at least 3 times a week but it's too cold here and our "hot water" isn't even warm. And I already got yelled at by one of the managers for bathing my horse when it's not summer.

I'm conflicted.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Skyseternalangel said:


> Yeah rain rot attaches to the bottom of the hair so if you try to peel it off.. it pulls the hair out which hurts. My boy trusts and tolerates me a lot and he deals with me picking at his scabs and his rain rot. I was told to bathe him at least 3 times a week but it's too cold here and our "hot water" isn't even warm. And I already got yelled at by one of the managers for bathing my horse when it's not summer.
> 
> I'm conflicted.



My guy let me pick it off for quite some time, but now I think its just too painful for him, he lets me get a few off, and starts flinching so. But yeah, like I said, by the time I go out to the barn after work, its pretty chilly.....Im gonna try my hardest to get out there today when its still warm. We'll see how that goes


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

If it isnt clearing up perhaps try VItamin A. Some dont even treat their horses, they simply add |Vitamin A to their diet and it clears up. We have never had a problem with rain rot but then we also make sure their supplement has Vitamin A in it so I think it works well.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

How do you usually give it to your horse.. is it a supplement powder you buy and sprinkle over their grain? He's never ever had rain rot.. it started when I moved to MD and it appeared on his rump and on his shoulder


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

Ours is fed in a supplement. Here is an article about VItamin A requirements for horses. Its a bit of a long read but it does give you amounts and requirements etc. I was told it can also be fed orally but we have never done so.

VITAMIN A and HORSES 
Dr. Frederick Harper 
Extension Horse Specialist 
Animal Science Department 
University of Tennessee 
Many individuals take a multiple vitamin daily. Some people even take individual 
vitamins such as vitamin A. 
So, vitamin A should be well-known by most horse owners. Do you know that your 
horse may need a source of vitamin A now? 
Vitamin A is important in vision, reproduction, digestion and respiration. The 
epithelium cells which line the reproductive, digestive and respiratory tracts require 
vitamin A to be normal and healthy. Vitamin A also is important in bone remodeling in 
young, growing horses. 
Vitamin A as such is not found in nature. It occurs as carotenes, which are 
commonly called provitamin A. The carotenes are converted to vitamin A in the lining of 
the small intestine of horses. Horses are not as efficient in converting carotenes to vitamin 
A as are some other animals. This is the reason that the blood plasma of horses is rather 
yellow. 
Carotene is in high concentration in green forages and is also found in yellow corn. 
Since light and heat destroy carotenes, sun cured hays are lower in carotenes than fresh, 
green forages. Hays cut at late stages of maturity, rained on and/or with extended field 
curing are of poorer quality and have less carotenes than good or high-quality hays. High-
quality hays, such as alfalfa, can contain rather large amounts of carotenes. Carotenes 
from alfalfa hay is more available than that from grass hays. 

It has been shown that in winter the horse=s blood levels of carotene and vitamin A 
decline. Another decline is often observed in mid to late summer. These lower plasma 
values are correlated to forage intake. In winter, horses are fed hays which have a lower 
carotene level than spring pasture forages. In mid to late summer, pasture forages are less 
productive. The fact that blood levels of carotene and vitamin A increase in spring and in 
fall reflect the value of green pasture forages as a source of carotenes. 
Some of the problems noted in a vitamin A deficiency are night blindness, tearing, 
poor skin, poor growth, impaired reproduction, respiratory infections, rough hair coats 
and declining plasma, liver and kidney vitamin A levels. 
Feeding excessive vitamin A also can cause problems. Unthriftiness was noted in 
ponies fed excessive vitamin A for 15 weeks. Following the unthriftiness, the ponies had 
rough hair coats, poor muscle tone and were depressed. After 20 weeks, large areas of hair 
were lost. The ponies were periodically in-coordinated, severely depressed and laid down 
most of the time. 
The toxic level of vitamin A is 454 IU (International Units) per pound of body 
weight. So 544,800 IU of vitamin A would be toxic for a 1,200 pound horse which is more 
than 10 times the recommended level. 
Recently data from Virginia Polytechnic Institute noted that broodmares with 
access to pasture during the winter had a depletion in their vitamin A levels. If the 
broodmares were fed two-year-old hay and a grain mix without any vitamin A in dry lots, 
they became marginally vitamin A deficient within two months. 
These same researchers showed that the serum vitamin A levels of weanlings were 
lower than for their dams on the same feeding programs. These weanlings were kept on 

pasture and fed hay or hay and concentrates. They concluded that weanlings should be 
supplemented with vitamin A regardless of diet. 
Where low-quality hay was fed this winter, vitamin A status of horses could be 
marginal at best if they were not fed a grain mix that was fortified with sufficient 
vitamin A. This could especially be a problem for broodmares that will foal and be re-bred 
this spring or open mares designated to be bred this spring as well as young, growing 
horses that turned a yearling this winter. Since hay quality was lower than normally 
recommended to be fed to horses in some areas, broodmare and yearling owners which had 
these conditions this winter needs to consider feeding a supplemental vitamin A source this 
spring. 
Spring forages are a good source of carotenes; however, in animals with a low level 
of vitamin A, it will take longer to replenish their body vitamin A stores. This delay could 
be occurring when mares are getting ready to foal, produce colostrum and/or being bred. 
Yearlings normally have a growth spurt associated with lush spring pastures. Their 
growth could be less or delayed until vitamin A levels are restored from spring grass. 
Vitamin A can be supplies by fortified grain mixes, alfalfa hay or a vitamin 
supplement. It is advisable to select a vitamin supplement that has 10 parts of vitamin A to 
1 part vitamin D. For individuals who have their feed mixed or mix their feed on the farm, 
they can add a vitamin A pre-mix to these grain mixes. 
Pregnant broodmares that weigh 1,200 pounds in their last trimester or early 
lactation need about 50,000 IU per day. Feeding a slightly larger amount of vitamin A 
would aid in replenishing vitamin A stores. 
Yearlings weighing about 775 pounds need 24,400 IU of vitamin A daily. 

Broodmares and/or yearlings on good quality spring pasture probably only need a 
vitamin A supplement for one to two months.


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## Annnie31 (May 26, 2011)

Sky if you pm Cherie about vitamin A she is the one who got us on the Vitamin A bandwagon so to speak. She would likely reccemend you feed 5cc of injectiable Vitamin A orally for a few days to get rid of the rain rot. PM her though. She is very well read on Vitamin A. Hope this helps


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Alright


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

What else have you tried besides the MTG?


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

mls said:


> What else have you tried besides the MTG?




I tried the MTG, a friend on another forum told me to remove all the scabs and use desitin, and neosporin, that didnt work. A trainer at my barn said that there is some concoction in the Med. Cabinet that clears everything up, but that didnt work either.

I gave him a good rub down with this

Eqyss Micro-Tek Natural Medicated Shampoo < Medicated Coat Applications < Horse Grooming Supplies|Dover Saddlery.

and that seemed to help for a few days, but then the rain rot came back full force.

I went out there today, and checked everything out, its def rain rot. It didnt seem like it because it just seemed like a big scab, but its the same thing I posted pics of a few weeks ago just much larger scabs, and much more of them. So I sprayed down the affected area, and followed to directions word by word, and step by step with that Eqyss Medicated Shampoo, that says it gets rid of rain rot. So maybe I just need to scrub that onto him every few days?


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

You know what helped me with our new guys? Ivory dish soap and Iodine. Three of our six new guys have rain-rot, and this is the only thing that really seems to be helping our little filly, and it's easy on her skin. You just mix the two together, two parts soap to one part iodine, put on a glove (that iodine stains like you wouldn't believe ._.) give your horse a good soaking, and lather away. Leave it on for 5-10 minutes, and rinse it off. I'm doing this about once every 5-6 days and it's already starting to make an improvement, although I think it generally takes 2-3 months to clear completely...

I'd just worry about it staining Rodeo  might want to try some under this belly or something first, if you're going to be scrubbing any white areas. All of the OTTBs are bay, brown, or black, so we didn't have to worry about it.

And I'm sure you already know this, but just a friendly reminder to keep everything STERILE! Don't want to get rid of it mostly, then accidently give the bacteria back to him on a brush or a rag!


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Endiku said:


> You know what helped me with our new guys? Ivory dish soap and Iodine. Three of our six new guys have rain-rot, and this is the only thing that really seems to be helping our little filly, and it's easy on her skin. You just mix the two together, two parts soap to one part iodine, put on a glove (that iodine stains like you wouldn't believe ._.) give your horse a good soaking, and lather away. Leave it on for 5-10 minutes, and rinse it off. I'm doing this about once every 5-6 days and it's already starting to make an improvement, although I think it generally takes 2-3 months to clear completely...
> 
> I'd just worry about it staining Rodeo  might want to try some under this belly or something first, if you're going to be scrubbing any white areas. All of the OTTBs are bay, brown, or black, so we didn't have to worry about it.
> 
> And I'm sure you already know this, but just a friendly reminder to keep everything STERILE! Don't want to get rid of it mostly, then accidently give the bacteria back to him on a brush or a rag!




Thanks for the tip!! Ill have to give that a try if this medicated shampoo doest work. Sadly,he really doesnt have too much white. He has the white stocking, a few spots on each side of his neck, and one on each side of his barrel, and then of course he has the sock, and funky strip going up his one rear leg. 

But yes.....right after it started, I sterilized everything of mine!! I also am not using the barn brushes, they are open for anyone to use, they sterilize them from what I have been told, but I just have a thing about using other brushes on my horse. Thanks again!!


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Endiku! You made such a good point! I didn't think about sterilizing the brushes to prevent it from spreading.. duh! That's probably why is keeps coming back.

Urgh I feel like an idiot.. but thank you for bringing that up!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Clip him down really short in the affected areas. That will also pretty much clip the scabs off too and once you can get air down there, shampoo him with the Microtek and leave it on for 15 mins then rinse. After he's dry (once the short stuff is dry) then you can spray Microtek spray or gel on the affected areas and leave it on. It should clear up in no time once you've clipped him. Adding Vit A is good and will help but the clipping worked the best for me.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> Clip him down really short in the affected areas. That will also pretty much clip the scabs off too and once you can get air down there, shampoo him with the Microtek and leave it on for 15 mins then rinse. After he's dry (once the short stuff is dry) then you can spray Microtek spray or gel on the affected areas and leave it on. It should clear up in no time once you've clipped him. Adding Vit A is good and will help but the clipping worked the best for me.



Well that was my idea.....I was thinking that he was getting the rain rot because he was sweating due to his too thick of a winter coat. I was thinking that the coat was holding all the moisture in, causing the rain rot. My question is though, if I do clip him where the affected area is, will I have to blanket him in the cooler weather, or will he be okay?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I think he'd be okay, just have a few bald spots 

I was thinking of doing that but I'm going to try the vitamin a first and see how it goes in about a month's time.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

It will depend on how large the clipped area is. I have LOUSY self discipline and always end up clipping the whole horse because the balded patches look 'funny'. So I end up having to blanket. If you can live with the horse looking patchy and it doesn't remove most of his hair all over, he'll probably be fine without. If you end up clipping a bunch over his spine, I'd probably blanket him until the hair grows back a little.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

csimkunas6 said:


> Eqyss Medicated Shampoo, that says it gets rid of rain rot. So maybe I just need to scrub that onto him every few days?


Keep up with the treatment! As often as recommended.

Your vet may recommend antibiotics or a steroid to help kick this out of his system too.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Dreamcatcher Arabians said:


> It will depend on how large the clipped area is. I have LOUSY self discipline and always end up clipping the whole horse because the balded patches look 'funny'. So I end up having to blanket. If you can live with the horse looking patchy and it doesn't remove most of his hair all over, he'll probably be fine without. If you end up clipping a bunch over his spine, I'd probably blanket him until the hair grows back a little.


Its starting to creep up his spine, but not as bad as it is all over his hindquarters!!! I did it again today since I wont be able to go out there until probably Sunday, or even Monday, and its pretty bad on his hindquarters. Looks like a bunch of white eggs....but they are def scabs!!!

Thanks



mls said:


> Keep up with the treatment! As often as recommended.
> 
> Your vet may recommend antibiotics or a steroid to help kick this out of his system too.



Thats the plan for now. How long does it usually take to clear up? Is this something that will most likely be a yearly thing? Or is it just random, and I got lucky with it this year?

Was thinking about giving the vet a call today, I just feel bad for the poor guy! Thanks!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

It can become a yearly thing if you aren't careful, or if it's spread from horse to horse. That's why we try to make a point to have seperate brushes for every horse, and cleaning them once every two or three weeks. If you were to clip him down if he sweats a lot, before it becomes an issue, and keep him as dry as possible though; he hopefully won't get it again.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Endiku said:


> It can become a yearly thing if you aren't careful, or if it's spread from horse to horse. That's why we try to make a point to have seperate brushes for every horse, and cleaning them once every two or three weeks. If you were to clip him down if he sweats a lot, before it becomes an issue, and keep him as dry as possible though; he hopefully won't get it again.


Thats what I was thinking. Well now that he has it, hopefully next year I can bite it in the butt before it happens! Thanks


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

Clippers have been bought! Thanks to all the suggestions on here.

Poor boy is going to look somewhat silly for a little while, but Id rather speed up the process of getting rid of this stuff than continuing to fight it the way I am. Got quite a few more scabs off today though....it just seems to never ending at this point. Will try to get some pics next time I am out.

Thanks again!


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## cakemom (Jul 4, 2010)

Also, check into zinc and copper supplements for his food. Many times horses low in those will have continued issues with rain rott
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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