Fly spray scald, fungus, or just dirty?

[johnnysauntie]

My gelding has some black sticky scurf on his body (neck, shoulders, barrel, hindquarters) that is isn’t easy to remove - currying won’t get it all, nor did a bubble bath last night.

The variables:

• He’s out on a mostly dry lot, lots of dirt/dust
• I groom him thoroughly each day (generally) and he gets rinsed off after work.
• He’s sprayed daily with Bronco when goes out in the a.m.
• Every few days I will also spray him with Ultrashield
• It’s hotter than Hades here right now (temps well into the 90’s+) and they’re all sweating in turnout

The scurf sometimes looks like it’s peeling, other times, it’s the texture of fine pencil eraser rubbings. It’s always black and tacky.

There’s no hair loss, tenderness or visible difference in the skin on the affected areas.

The condition was exacerbated when I was away for a few days. I sprayed him liberally with Ultrashield before I left, and he was spayed with Bronco but otherwise not groomed except for rolling in the dust.

Is this a fungus or scald, or is my gelding just grungy?

[MunchkinsMom]

Might be fungus:

http://www.equiderma.com/fungus.html

I highly recommend Equiderma for skin issues like rain rot, fungus (great on that black cannon crud).

[LDavis104]

My grey and his grey friend both get that black skin funk. I think it does have something to do with fly spray and sweat…

What I’ve found to help is to scrub it with medicated shampoo (I used a chlorhexidine shampoo and my friend used some kind of neutrogena medicated shampoo), using some kind of little scrubby or fingernails. It still comes back, but if I scrub it when it’s small, it will clear up for a few days and not spread.

Good luck!

[tasia]

Might be a chemical burn from the flyspray.

[ex-racer_owner]

How interesting, I was going to post something similar and I also use UltraShield on my horse. Our main area of black crud is over the hindquarters. I have used UltraShield for years and never had this happen before. My boy is on stallrest right now, so no access to anything other than what is in his stall, which would be bagged shavings and the occassional use of SweetPDZ. I may have to do an experiment and try using a different flyspray…

[Bif]

By chance a quarter horse?

My neighbors have 1 quarter that’s worse (one other does it a bit less) that is just a sweater, and an oily horse, too. She gets gummy gunky stuff, possibly what you are talking about. Both are bright red chestnuts.

Fly spray doesn’t seem to matter for her “condition”. Her’s will come off with a good curry during hosing, and recommend the Eqyss med shampoo.

[johnnysauntie]

@Bif, nope, the horse is an OTTB. I had the same issue with another OTTB too, but not with a third.

@ex-racerowner - I have given my guy a break from the Ultragard for a few days after bathing him with Microtek. He’s sprayed with Bronco in the a.m. and then at night I’ve been using Nature’s Defense. So he’s not getting any of the long-lasting, sweat-resistant sprays. The crud is gone.

Last night I sprayed him with Endure, which I’ve heard some horses tolerate better. I’ll let you know how my experiment goes.

[katarine]

If he’s not sweating well, I’d worry: our anhydrotic QH did this when he got sick.

If he’s sweating fine,I’m thinking he’s just summer-nasty Bathe with dandruff shampoo, let it set a spell, like 5-7 minutes. Rinse well.

I love Vetrolin bath in the summer time. I’m in Alabama, the horses have a tough time all summer. Vetrolin seems to soothe their coats. I follow with Infusium in a spray bottle (the super liquigy kind, I think it’s #3?) soothes the coat.

[AA_Hunter]

M-T-G works well for all kinds of skin ailments.

[OTTB_FTW]

[QUOTE=johnnysauntie;5729920]
@Bif, nope, the horse is an OTTB. I had the same issue with another OTTB too, but not with a third.

@ex-racerowner - I have given my guy a break from the Ultragard for a few days after bathing him with Microtek. He’s sprayed with Bronco in the a.m. and then at night I’ve been using Nature’s Defense. So he’s not getting any of the long-lasting, sweat-resistant sprays. The crud is gone.

Last night I sprayed him with Endure, which I’ve heard some horses tolerate better. I’ll let you know how my experiment goes.[/QUOTE]

I’d be careful changing sprays and bathing with new things all at the same time. I’ve had some that scurf with chemical fly sprays, and some that can’t take any natural products. Current horse can’t do natural/botanicals without hives and swelling of skin, and Microtek causes SEVERE skin swelling. As you change products, I suggest you spot test them one at a time first. Lots of TBs have VERY sensitive skin. My current “chemical only” horse will scurf if I spray heavily and it gets to skin. Ultrashield is the only spray I’ve found, when sprayed lightly, that won’t scurf her. I got a lot on her legs once, and a spot scurfed heavily, then seemed to change to “scratches”. I think the irritation of the skin left it susceptible to other organisms.

[aahunterjumper]

Add mine to the list

Started with one huge lump that seemed like a bee sting. Then the dark won’t quite come out scurf. Mine is allergic and swells so no aggressive scrubbing and only gentle stuff. For what it’s worth haven’t used Ultrashield or any of the synthetics this year.

[wishnwell]

Same thing??

I’m dealing with something similar and hope someone can help. I’m not sure if it’s the same thing or not.

It’s almost like small, tiny patches of peeling skin but dark in color, not sticky though. Hair doesn’t typically fall out with it.
Our TB has this up high on all 4 legs inside and out, and noticed it in a few small spots on the belly today.
We gave him a Betadine bath the other day, I don’t want to do too much but not sure what I’m dealing with. It doesn’t seem to bother him. It keeps coming back.
I’d like to post a picture I have of it, just don’t know how.

[johnnysauntie]

Well, it’s nice to know I’m not alone, I suppose.

He scurfed with Endure as well. I’ve bathed again with Microtek and squirted some microtek spray on a couple spots of scurf. (Microtek isnt new to this guy.)

I’m going to swith him to a non-waterproof/sweat-resistant/systemic spray and see if that one is better tolerated. Curious to hear how others fare too!

[Frizzle]

Since you’re currently looking for a new fly spray, let me tell you: Don’t use the Pyrhanna Wipe N’ Spray if your guy is sensitive! My TB got exactly what you’re describing – blacky, scaly stuff all over his neck – from that spray. Another boarder used it on her guy and he developed hives so bad that they had to call the vet.

I’ve started using Flysect Citronella on the advice of a fellow boarder whose App is very sensitive. So far, it’s working well and not giving my guy the black neck grungies. I’ve also used Mosquito Halt on him with good results and no scurf.

(And do you really need to use Microtek? If the flaky skin is being caused by the fly spray, I wouldn’t be treating for fungus. With my guy, I just curried until all the scurf was gone. You might be further irritating his skin.)

[aahunterjumper]

Mine had extensive swelling - so much I had the vet out. Ours is diagnosed as rain rot. Not the way I’ve seen it but this horse seems allergic to it. We’re treating by keeping it dry, currying the scurf off and keeping the fly sheet off when in barn. Last week, the mare was sweating under it while in barn under fan. Scrubbed brushes and horse gear, but leaving horse as dry as possible. Some of the other posts sound like mild chemical burns. As I recall “scalding” is in the warnings of many fly sprays.

[alterhorse]

Is it not very water soluble?
Is it sort of thick and sticky like tar, and sticks together the horses hairs?

I once had a similar mystery.

It turned out that there was an old tree in the pasture that had a large branch removed near ground level. The tree bled sap down the side of the trunk, and as it dried it turned black and tar like.

The sap covered tree was the horses favorite place to scratch.

A pasture inspection for sappy trees, or creosote covered fence posts, may yield an answer.

[Dressage.For.Life]

My horse (also an OTTB) has been getting dry, flaky skin in some areas (although it’s not black). He’d sometimes occasionally get it behind his elbows (usually one application of baby oil would easily fix that) but for the past week or so more areas have been getting this way (more on the upper portion of his front legs, his shoulders, a few patches on his neck, hindquarters…), and it does not want to go away!

Currying helps with removing the flaking skin, but is there again the next time I turn around! Horse has been getting rinsed off more after being worked (but he was sponged before it got this hot and he didn’t have this problem then).

I use Endure fly spray on him and I have since the flies began coming out. It’s been much hotter than usual here and very humid, too, so I’m chalking it up to that and the combination of fly spray, sweating, etc.

I must ditto alterhorse, too, though, as my horse had that exact problem later last summer when the trees began producing sap. The stuff was a mess–sticky, looked black in horse’s coats, was impossible to remove by currying or bathing, etc.).

[Roxx]

same thing too

My TB mare has the EXACT same thing, just noticed it on Monday while rinsing her off after a lesson. Dry black and only the skin comes off not the hair. This is the first year she has been clipped and I too think it’s a ‘too much fly spray’ deal. Although unlike most of you I only use flicks fly spray. I scrubbed and picked it with a betadine wash last night and sprayed some cothivet on it and hoping it looks better this morning. Hers is only on one side of her neck

[luvmyapp]

same thing here - my App had black gunk on his neck, skin peeling off. I was told it was fungus but I thought it odd for him to get rainrot on his neck - especially considering he has never (thankfully!) suffered from that. I was using two different sprays too - switched between the Farnam TriTec to the marigold spray. I thought maybe it was the chemicals reacting to each other so I just used the Farnam. I did wash microtek then sprayed vectrcyn (not sure that is spelled correctly). It cleared up and he is fine since I am just using the one fly spray.

[luvmyapp]

same thing here - my App had black gunk on his neck, skin peeling off. I was told it was fungus but I thought it odd for him to get rainrot on his neck - especially considering he has never (thankfully!) suffered from that. I was using two different sprays too - switched between the Farnam TriTec to the marigold spray. I thought maybe it was the chemicals reacting to each other so I just used the Farnam. I did wash microtek then sprayed vectrcyn (not sure that is spelled correctly). It cleared up and he is fine since I am just using the one fly spray.