Rain Rot in Horses

should take steps to limit impact when these environmental conditions are present.
Prevention and Treatment of Rain Rot
Prevention
Practicing good hygiene habits with your horse such as regular bathing and grooming is one of the best ways to prevent rain rot from occurring. Likewise reducing exposure to environmental factors known to increase incidence may help prevent this condition. If you know there will be heavy rainfall in your area keeping your horse in a barn or under shelter can help reduce risk. Also limiting access to muddy areas or trying to reduce the overall presence of mud may be helpful as caked mud on your horse could compromise the skin. If you are seeing high biting insect populations implement best management practices based on fly species. Some of these practices include setting up traps increasing farm sanitation introducing parasitoid wasps and spraying your horse with a pyrethroidbased insecticide.

Treatment
If your horse has a minor case of rain rot it can typically heal with a little bit of extra attention and care. Giving your horse a bath with an antimicrobial soap can help remove the scabs and disrupt the bacteria in the affected area. Additionally currying and brushing your horse can help by promoting healing and preventing the spread or worsening of the area. As you work to remove scabs the affected area may become tender to the touch so be cautious with removal. Softening the scabs first makes removal easier and more comfortable for your horse. There are also topical antimicrobial products you may want to include in your treatment routine if you find it necessary.

Keep your horse dry and reduce exposure to known environmental factors during treatment. You may also want to keep horses with rain rot separated from others while treatment is occurring to prevent spread amongst horses. Similarly be sure
to disinfect and replace contaminated grooming tools and other equipment as needed to prevent spread.
In severe cases your horse may need antibiotic injections given by a veterinarian. Skin biopsies may need to be conducted to identify if the cause of the infection and ensure it is rain rot. It is always recommended that you consult a veterinarian in any case when determining cause and making treatment plans.