Horse Rain Rot, also known as Rain Scald, is a common skin disease/infection in horses caused by a bacterium called Dermatophilus congolensis. It's possibly one of the more common horse skin infections, and although it looks bad, it’s not as serious as it appears.  It is sometimes associated with poor horse care, but in many cases, that is not the case.  The bacteria thrive on your horse's skin in warm, wet conditions, such as occur in the spring and early summer, but, can also crop up in the winter when fluctuations in temperature cause horses to sweat under their blankets.

Rainrot is caused when these bacteria multiply to the point that they irritate and infect a horse's skin hair follicles.  The hair follicles gradually die, and the hair starts to fall out. The first sign of this skin condition is a scabby, scaly or crusty area of skin along the run-off pattern of water over a horse's back and on his rump, as shown in our case study below.

What does rain rot look like on a horse? Below are some images of a horse that has rain rot and images of the same horse after treatment with Banixx (just 2 months!)

In these photos, you see Jazz with rain rot on January 26th, 2016 (above/left) and then Jazz on March 29,2016 ... after using Banixx to resolve the rain rot. What a difference!

The most common symptom of rain rot is hair loss along with a rough, scaly looking skin. Your horse's hair will appear to rise up as little tufts as opposed to the sleek, smooth look of a typical healthy horse, and the hair will fall out if lightly rubbed or brushed. A mild case will leave an open, smooth, hairless skin area, but a more severe case will give way to small scabs or even open sores. These open sores or small scabs can then easily become infected and lead to greater problems.

Will rain rot heal on its own? Very mild cases might heal on their own; however, without special attention rain rot usually spreads. Treatment is simple with our Banixx
solution; merely spray it liberally against the direction of your horse's hair. Do not remove the scabs; Banixx assists your horse in debriding these scabs painlessly and naturally with its unique pH solution. In order to get the full benefit of your Banixx application, make sure that you saturate the entire affected area remembering that it's a good idea to spray a little beyond the edges of the visible area in order to really contain the infection. As you spray, gently pat Banixx into your horse's skin infection to ensure good saturation. How long does it take rain rot to heal? With consistent use of Banixx (2-3 times daily) as a rain rot treatment for your horse, you should begin to see results in 2-4 days. Full recovery can take a week or two if the rain rot is covering large areas and the tissues are heavily infected. However, new hair growth is difficult to see in the early days since it has a gossamer type quality, so the process takes patience, but as our pictures show, you will be well rewarded.

If the rain rot scabs are particularly hard or thick, begin treatment with the help of Banixx Medicated Shampoo with Marine Collagen to soften them.  This prepares the skin surface to accept the application of the regular Banixx spray. Simply wet the entire area well and apply Banixx medicated Shampoo.  Allow the shampoo to sit on the afflicted skin for 15- 20 minutes. Our soap-free formula shampoo contains 4% chlorhexidine that delivers a punch to bacteria/fungus i.e. rain rot or scratches. Chlorohexidine carries a residual effect which means it continuously works. Hose your horse off gently, blot with a towel and apply Banixx spray.  Really stubborn cases may require several of these treatments but since our medicated shampoo contains zero detergent (aka soap) it will not have the harsh, drying effect of most medicated shampoos. Banixx medicated Shampoo with chlorhexidine also contains the nourishing, regenerative Marine Collagen benefit that is applauded by veterinarians.

Is rain rot contagious to humans? Rain rot is caused by a bacteria, and that bacteria can be spread to others; so washing your hands after handling a horse with rain rot, disinfecting grooming tools, equipment and anything else that comes in contact with the infected horse is recommended. The likelihood that the bacteria will cause an infection in a human is very low as the conditions for the bacteria to thrive need to be present.

In addition to treating your horse or pet’s skin infections, it’s always a good idea to learn what to do to avoid a recurrence of that particular skin infection. To learn more about common skin conditions in horses (and how to avoid them), click here.

NOTE: The symptoms of Cushing’s disease can often mirror certain skin conditions. If you suspect your horse has Cushing's disease, contact your veterinarian. While Cushing's disease has been recognized for more than 70 years, only recently are there improved diagnostic and treatment options. A horse with Cushing's disease can live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. Learn more about Cushing's disease.