Fungal infection

[Debbyly@aol.com]

After  almost a year of battlingback problems on my horse, Rocky Top, I have
finally come up with a diagnosis that explains the source of the problem.

Rocky has had recurring back problems with all sorts  of different saddles and
saddle pads.  I kept thinking that it had to be a saddle fit problem.  I tried
saddle after saddle and pad after pad and nothing seemed to work.  The saddle
that had been fine for him in several multiday rides in the past,  recently
would cause extreme skin soreness on his back after a ride of only ten or
twenty miles.

I started to suspect that it might be a fungal infection, but everyone I
talked to thought that that could not be the answer.  I finally convinced my
dermatologist husband to culture the sore spots on his back.  It took a while,
but now the culture is growing out great quantities of fungus.

We have started using shampoos and fungal creams, but I suspect that we will
have to use something systemic to cure this.  We have read about using
systemic griseofulvin.  Does anyone have experience treating this sort of
infection in horses.  We have access to all of the systemic medications used
for people, but are concerned about whether they are safe in horses and what
the dosage should be.

Thank you for any input.

Debby Lyon


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