Signs and Symptoms of Ringworm in Horses

If left untreated, ringworm can become a serious problem for your horse. Therefore, it’s important to be able to spot the common ringworm symptoms that may help you decide on a course of treatment. In this guide we take a look at the ringworm warning signs and offer advice on finding a cure for ringworm.

Ringworm Symptoms and Treatments

First of all, it’s important to establish why ringworm can develop into such a serious problem for your horse. If an infection of ringworm is allowed to spread, it can lead to your horse losing coat definition, substantial hair loss and changes in equine behaviour.

Before we take a more advanced look at the symptoms, it’s also important to state that the term ‘ringworm’ is a bit of a misnomer, as the ailment has nothing to do with actual worms or parasites. Ringworm is actually a fungus that can prove highly contagious – even for humans – if left to spread.

As touched on above, the easiest way to establish whether your horse is struggling with a bout of ringworm is to assess the condition of the horse’s coat. As ringworm is so hard to control once the fungus spreads, the problem should be immediately obvious. Coat hair will appear coarse and dishevelled; however before you diagnose the problem it’s important to analyse whether the problem is rain scald or the more serious ringworm.

Itchiness will be another visual indicator that the horse is in the grip of a ringworm infection. The horse will begin to scratch aggressively around the most severely affected areas, and you will recognise the extent of the problem should the horse be able to focus on nothing else but its skin irritation.

If you suspect the problem is serious, consult a vet and they will be able to analyse skin swabs to confirm the ringworm. In terms of how to treat ringworm, you’ll need to first isolate any affected horses from the rest of the herd. Mild cases may clear naturally over time, but if the fungal infection persists, use specialist anti-fungal shampoos and creams to help tackle the problem. While it may take a little time to carry out treatment for ringworm, it’s important to react quickly to the problem to keep it under control.

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