HANDS ON: Winter syndromes of mud rash and rain scald 02 October 2015 Premium

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02 October 2015

Irish Field Contributor on 02 Oct 2015

HANDS ON: Winter syndromes of mud rash and rain scald

With winter fast approaching, horse owners will once again be battling the symptoms of ‘mud rash’ and ‘rain scald’. Jacqui Yeomans, of Ratoath Veterinary Clinic, discusses symptoms and treatment

Irish Field Contributor

2 October 2015

Jacqui Yeomans with Native Banker and Rolo

With mud rash scabs and crusts develop, whilst in bad cases one can see weeping, thickening and fissuring of the skin.

Poor horses in bad condition or ill health are particularly prone to rain scald.

As winter is fast approaching, many horse owners will once again be on the lookout for symptoms of mud rash and rain scald among their equines. These syndromes are associated with the long periods of wet weather that winter invariably brings (and summers too, in Ireland).

No more than ourselves, who can suffer pain, redness, cracks and eczema when our hands are overexposed to ‘wet work’, if a horse’s skin is constantly damp and wet, getting little opportunity to dry out, it can suffer too.