Foal rubbing hair off

[1keegan]

Our 13 week old colt has started to rub his head and his hinder against anything he can. We though perhaps he's just losing his foal coat, as the hair around his eyes, ears and muzzle have shed, showing a darker color underneath. However, he has rubbed the hair totally off a couple spots on his head, and partially off his rear. I've been putting a vet aloe cream on the spots on his head.

We're in the midwest, so have had off & on heat and humidity. His mama has been completely shed out for several weeks.

The vet was here today to geld him, and checked him over very carefully for lice, etc. and found no evidence of them. He was perplexed at what the cause of the itching might be. He said usually foals this age aren't bothered with allergic reactions to ragweed or bug bites. He also felt that he was too young to have an absence of anything essential from his diet, as he gets pasture grass, grass/alfalfa hay, and a small amount of 16% mare & foal grain and a bit of Equishine daily.

What are your thoughts, and how would you 'treat' the rub spots?

Thanks,

LG

 

[WhiteTailsMinis]

All of our foals do that too - so we try to clip them as soon as possible as the temps increase. You may not think your temps are warm enough to affect them but they are in their baby fur and even if the temps aren't hot - the sunshine on them heats them up I think too. You stand out there in even in 60 degree weather in the bright sun in your winter jacket ......... it's hot LOL

We actually clipped alittle earlier this year in an attempt to ward off that rubbing. That rubbing will go all the way to the skin, deeper than a normal clip. We found that if we waited too long to clip, you could still see those areas/patches even after clipping.

My worry was that they would continue to scratch/rub until they were raw or sores - - so I just rid them of that thick baby fur before they start doing it themselves.

We normally don't have foals before late March. When the weather gets warmer we at least do their heads down to their chests. Seems they get the itchiest (is that a word?) around their neck and breast/chest.

Might just be me - but I think you'll find alot of responses that foals simply get too warm and they rub to relieve the itchiness. You can use whatever lotion etc works for you - but if it gets rubbed so bad it leaves sores, you may want to use something medicated that'll coat it and keep the flies off this time of year.

 

[kaykay]

Also be sure to deworm him as that causes itching too. We deworm foals every 30 days as they are so close to the ground and pick them up quicker.

I have got to get 2 of mine clipped this weekend. They arent rubbing but dont look comfortable in this heat

 

[barnbum]

I have two foals--one is never itchy and the other is always itchy. I clipped both. But for the itchy one I've been using MTG on her tail and even on some other spots she seems to itch more. She does most her itching on a post in her stall--rarely in the pasture. No hair is off.

MTG is good for so many skin ailments... I bet it'll help.

 

[mizbeth]

Ditto on the deworming, that is most likely your number one culprit. It is hard to rid worms in babies since they put anything they can into their mouths. Each 30 days is a good rule of thumb. I use Safeguard (Panacur) on the young ones.

B

 

[Marty]

He was perplexed at what the cause of the itching might be. He said usually foals this age aren't bothered with allergic reactions to ragweed or bug bites.

That's a new one on me. I don't buy it and don't discount the lice just because the vet didn't see it. Lice and bug bites are causing all kinds of problems right now. Keep your fields mowed down too.

Absolutely clip that baby fur off. I've already done my foal twice now. When he began to itch I bathed him in Johnsons Baby Shampoo and added some drops of Tea Tree Oil into it which helps all sorts of skin problems. He's pinto with a lot of white so I do keep him out of the sun in the heat of the day so he doesn't burn and that too will cause itching. I don't leave him out in the rain either. You are also feeding a lot of high protein which could add to it too, not sure but don't over look that possibility. I also have de-wormed him now twice. No more itching. Good luck.