Rubbing tail raw any idea?

[Ashley]

I dont know what to do about this boy. The top 2-3" of his tail almost totally raw with very little hair. I thought maybe it was cause his tail was healing from ticks but his tail is fine now. There are no ticks. He is current on deworming(he is at 3 weeks) but thought about hitting him again. I keep him fly sprayed down. I do not see anything wrong with his tail or butt, and no ticks.

I put salve on his raw spots but dont know what else I can do about it. Anybody got any ideas?

 

[Sue S]

I have that problem with my mares, Their breaking there hairs off, wish I knew what to do to stop them.

 

[Jill]

One of my big horses (the one we just had put to sleep) did this one year. What I did was shampoo his tail head in novosalan (sp?) shampoo. Then I put mane & tail conditioner on it (rubbed it in) and kept re-applying the mane and tail (like a moisturizer) every day for awhile (a week? I don't remember). This did the trick for him.

 

[billiethekid40]

Check his sheath, it may be dirty and causing him to itch (dirty udders will do the same for a mare btw, so check those too) If their sheath is dirty they will often try to scratch, and since its a kind of hard to reach area, they rub their tails in an effort to get relief.

 

[Buckskin gal]

.....and do try some MTG rubbed into the tail after shampooing. cleaning sheath etc.

:

 

[nootka]

My girl that did this turned out to have allergies which she luckily outgrew.

I think the suggestions you've had so far have been good ones, but it also wouldn't hurt to worm him again.

Good luck, it looks awful, doesn't it?

L.

 

[Ashley]

I am glad you mentioned that Nootka. I have often though he might have a slight allergy to bugs. He gets lumpy where ever he is bit. I can check his shealth but he doesnt look dirty. And being a stallion I see him hanging out pretty often and I know that part of him isnt dirty at least.

 

[Amy]

:

We put Listerine on the tail top & under the tail area-- also try worming for pinworms -- I have done a tail wrap as well - keeps them from breaking the hairs -- always seems to happen when getting ready to show LOL

 

[CKC]

It may not be that the sheath needs cleaned. I had one that had a bug in there that was driving him crazy.

 

[sedeh]

I'd check and make sure he doesn't have lice.....that can cause tail rubbing big time! It's more prevalent than you think.

 

[Ashley]

He doesnt have lice. I know that. He has no hair for them to hid in, plus he is in the sun alot so if he did they would be dead. Havent seen any on him since about March.

He isnt just breaking the hair of. Its litterally gone in most spots.

I am going to deworm him again, clean his sheath, and she if that does the trick.

I dont want to put anything on him that is going to burn with a raw tail.

 

[Amy]

I should have added I mix the Listerine 1/2 to 1/2 with baby oil.

No burning -- seems to give them relief.

 

[CKC]

I've used the diluted listerine with water didn't know about the baby oil. Will have to try that when needed again.

My gelding that has had the rubbing problem would also, rub his stomach when there was a problem with his sheath. I had never seen another horse do that before.

 

[River1018]

Hey Ashley, have had the same problem here.

You won't always catch the lice, could even be near the base of the mane etc.

Good Luck!

 

[disneyhorse]

I've had some horses come in that were out on pasture, most had rubbed raw tails.

I keep them clean (sheath, under the tail, just a bath in general) and put MTG on their tails. Works most of the time.

In addition, make sure they are parasite-free inside and out.

Andrea

 

[Ashley]

I can check for lice again. HOwever he was clipped with a 15 not to long ago so dont have alot of hair to hide in. HIs mane............well lets just say he has a typical appy mane........aka not much there. However he didnt have the typical appy tail. It WAS full and beautiful......not so cute now thou.

Ill try takeing a pic of it when I go out after class to do everything else with him.

 

[Erica]

Ashley, most of my boys - up showing, do rub if they need their sheath cleaned, but again I think some do it out of boredom (but if he's rubbing RAW) then surely not doing it "just because"

One thing I did with a horse I bought to show and he was rubbing his tail bad when I got him and still when I got him home (had been wormed ext......) but what I did was put wormer on my fingers and smeared it under this tail area (in case he had pinworms...) I don't know but it did the trick.

 

[Ashley]

I will try everything suggested and see what happens. He shouldnt be bored. He is not locked up, he has free roam of a pasture and is with his girls. He also has play toys and plays with the dogs that are penned with him and the girls.

Im heading to the store after class to get some lice poweder and a few other things. All I have is liquid dewormer so will have to pick up a tube of something different.

Any remmendations on what dewormer to use?

Oh and i have never actually cleaned a sheath before, always had the vet do it. What do you use?

 

[River1018]

We use a spray that is concentrate that you mix with water just for lice etc that we purchased from our Vet. Works wonders. Can't remember the name, but I"ll look and post later. I had never heard of it before.

 

[Ashley]

Here is his tail tonight before I did anything to it.

I sprayed it with wound spray. PUt mostiureizer all over it. and put some Equa Spot I think it is called on him.

Doing the rest tommorow.

He is also starting to do this in his forlock as well.