Dermatophytosis aka ringworm on the cheek of a horse. T is in- fection could easily be transmit- ted from horse to horse through sharing halters or bridles and by the owner’s hands.
the clinical signs, but this has been shown to lead to overdiagnosis. Microscopic evaluation of the hair roots as well as a culture should be performed. Most cases of ringworm will self-cure, meaning the horse’s immune system will combat the
fungus and resolve the signs. We treat these cases, however, in order to prevent the spread from horse to horse. Treatment should include antifungal shampoos and topical treatments with a natamycin-based antifungal cream. Additional topical treatment can include a 2% lime sulfur dip that can be sprayed on the
cleaned areas. Lime sulfur is very eff ective but will stain white-haired areas, your hands and clothes a light yellow and it has a terrible smell, which makes it an unpopular choice. T ere is no sci- entifi c evidence to support that oral anti-fungal medications will help resolve cases of ringworm. In order to prevent the spread, you must treat the environment and equipment as well as the
horses. A 1:40 diluted bleach solution is eff ective at killing the culprits and is dilute enough it should not be harmful to tack. Personal hygiene is also extremely important at containing an outbreak. Wear gloves when working on an infected horse and wash your hands between horses.
EQUINE PASTERN DERMATITIS, AKA SCRATCHES The last skin condition we
will cover this month is the most frustrating of all—scratches. Scratches is not a unique dis- ease entity but a term used to describe a variety of infl amma- tory skin conditions that occur on the horse’s pasterns. T at is why it is so diffi cult to treat (or why there are so many differ- ent treatments on the shelves), because what we see and call scratches could be caused by a variety of things—bacterial, fungal, parasitic or a combina- tion of them all. The bacteria that are most
While Equine Pastern Dermati- tis aka scratches can begin on the pastern, if leſt untreated it can creep up the limb caus- ing signifi cant swelling, pain and lameness.
commonly impl icated are Staph. aureus and Dermatophi- lus (sound familiar?) but it can also be a combination of bacteria and fungus. Horses infested with mites can develop scratches from a hypersensitivity reaction to the mite bites that can subsequently become infected with bacteria or fungus. As the name Equine Pastern Dermatitis implies, the pastern area of the limb is most com-
monly aff ected though if leſt untreated this condition can climb up the limb. We already know these bacteria and fungi like warm, wet places so it is no surprise that horses with feathers are more likely to be aff ected. Feathers also provide a good home for mites and lice, which can con- tribute to the disease. Scratches is also more oſt en seen on white/non-pigmented skin as it may provide less of a protective barrier and is also sensitive to irritation by the UV-light of the sun. Treatment of scratches depends on the causative agent. Bacterial and fungal cases should be treated with topical antibiotics or antifungals based on sensitivity results; horses infested
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