Dandruff or Fungus?

DraftXLuvr · 11-17-2006, 04:18 AM

How can you tell the difference between dandruff or fungus? My horse has very flaky skin under his mane...pretty much the whole mane. He has either rubbed out the mane near his withers or it has fallen out. Now it is starting to grow back, but the dandruff looking flakes are still there. It started this past Summer and I assumed it was fungal and treat with an anti-fungal spray. Obviously this did not help. My next treatment will be dandruff shampoo. I am pretty sure it's just dandruff based on the fact that the anti-fungal spray did nothing. My question is: is there a way to tell up front if it is dandruff or fungus?

cassidy · 11-17-2006, 04:48 AM

dandruff is simply just fragments of dry skin

fungus is a growth

i suspect you are dealing with dandruff an would suggest giving it a good wash an scrub

lacy · 11-17-2006, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DraftXLuvr

How can you tell the difference between dandruff or fungus? My horse has very flaky skin under his mane...pretty much the whole mane. He has either rubbed out the mane near his withers or it has fallen out. Now it is starting to grow back, but the dandruff looking flakes are still there. It started this past Summer and I assumed it was fungal and treat with an anti-fungal spray. Obviously this did not help. My next treatment will be dandruff shampoo. I am pretty sure it's just dandruff based on the fact that the anti-fungal spray did nothing. My question is: is there a way to tell up front if it is dandruff or fungus?

I am also having this problem.

I knowticed about a week ago a little sopt underneath her mane that was really flakey. I tried brushing out the flakes and ewwww, gross. Not to mention, the winter fuzzies are in and I cant give her a bath cause it's to cold.

I will be watching this post to see what people suggest to you to put on it.

BirdieGirl · 11-17-2006, 05:46 AM

I give my horse little spot bathes with warm water when it's too cold for an actual bath. I use a rubber curry comb, it's got a sponge in the middle, and it gets deep down and gets out all of those nasty flakes. Then I just use the a regular sponge to rinse with warm water, and towel dry him as best I can, leave him in the stall to dry, then turn him back out! Oh...and I use Oatmeal dog shampoo...holy cow you wouldn't believe how silky soft it makes his coat! lol! not to mention he smells great afterward!

WolfLady · 11-17-2006, 12:18 PM

Rubbing aloe vera gel (Walmart 3.50) can help with dandruff when you cant bathe the animal (too cold ect)

Quick2Skip01 · 11-17-2006, 02:29 PM

I would take a conditioner, or the aloe vera gel that wolflady suggested, and massage it really well into the root. If you do this on a regular basis, like once a week, or once every 2 weeks it should lessen the dandruff.

(this works with humans, they're called scalp treatments, the massaging w/ conditioner helps slough off the dead skin, and helps condition the skin underneath)

unique dream · 11-17-2006, 08:55 PM

If you happen to be luck enough to have warm water in your barn, I would definitely put it to use. I would only do the mane area. My black horse had really bad dandruff and I used Head and Shoulders. Once you lather it up, let is stay on for 3 minutes then wash out thoroughly. You can also use Selsan Blue. After we did this, we would put Baby Oil or an Aloe gel on, while it was still wet, and keep him in the barn until he dried. Sometimes we would even use a hair dryer (on warm setting - not hot) to help the drying process. Good Luck.

chocchipcookie · 11-17-2006, 09:08 PM

A few people on here have previously recommended using Listerine (the mouthwash). I've tried that with warm water in winter, but I've never used it more than once so I can't say if it works or not. But the horse will smell yummy!
Good luck!

DraftXLuvr · 11-22-2006, 03:51 AM

Just an update...I used dandruff shampoo on his mane and WOW what a difference after only one wash! Flakes are gone!

lacy · 11-22-2006, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DraftXLuvr

Just an update...I used dandruff shampoo on his mane and WOW what a difference after only one wash! Flakes are gone!

Thats so awsome DraftXLuvr!

I wish I had hot water. My girls mane is so nasty and full of dandruff. I try to scruff it out with a wetted down rubber curry.

Its way to cold to wash with cold water here.

11-17-2006, 04:18 AM	#1
DraftXLuvr Full Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 95 Images: 12	Dandruff or Fungus? How can you tell the difference between dandruff or fungus? My horse has very flaky skin under his mane...pretty much the whole mane. He has either rubbed out the mane near his withers or it has fallen out. Now it is starting to grow back, but the dandruff looking flakes are still there. It started this past Summer and I assumed it was fungal and treat with an anti-fungal spray. Obviously this did not help. My next treatment will be dandruff shampoo. I am pretty sure it's just dandruff based on the fact that the anti-fungal spray did nothing. My question is: is there a way to tell up front if it is dandruff or fungus?

11-17-2006, 04:48 AM	#2
cassidy Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: england - its sunny sometimes honest! Posts: 21,406 Images: 815	dandruff is simply just fragments of dry skin fungus is a growth i suspect you are dealing with dandruff an would suggest giving it a good wash an scrub __________________ May your life be like toilet paper - Long and useful A horse doesn't care how much you know until he knows how much you care. - Pat Parelli http://www.freewebs.com/linz88055/myprofile.htm

11-17-2006, 05:46 AM	#4
BirdieGirl Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Redneck Central, Wisonsin Posts: 1,358 Images: 158	I give my horse little spot bathes with warm water when it's too cold for an actual bath. I use a rubber curry comb, it's got a sponge in the middle, and it gets deep down and gets out all of those nasty flakes. Then I just use the a regular sponge to rinse with warm water, and towel dry him as best I can, leave him in the stall to dry, then turn him back out! Oh...and I use Oatmeal dog shampoo...holy cow you wouldn't believe how silky soft it makes his coat! lol! not to mention he smells great afterward! __________________ Jetta and Tucson: Golden Retriever and 2005 APHA Gelding Not many people are lucky enough to find their soul mate. I was lucky enough to find two of them.

11-17-2006, 02:29 PM	#6
Quick2Skip01 Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts: 3,902 Images: 285 Blog Entries: 7	I would take a conditioner, or the aloe vera gel that wolflady suggested, and massage it really well into the root. If you do this on a regular basis, like once a week, or once every 2 weeks it should lessen the dandruff. (this works with humans, they're called scalp treatments, the massaging w/ conditioner helps slough off the dead skin, and helps condition the skin underneath) __________________ IBHA GLBA Hi-Pt Youth 2007 IBHA GLBA Hi Pt Performance Horse IBHA GLBA Reserve Hi Pt Open Horse

11-17-2006, 09:08 PM	#8
chocchipcookie Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia... Posts: 2,390 Images: 111 Blog Entries: 14	A few people on here have previously recommended using Listerine (the mouthwash). I've tried that with warm water in winter, but I've never used it more than once so I can't say if it works or not. But the horse will smell yummy! Good luck! __________________ Live for today, we'll dream tomorrow.

11-17-2006, 12:18 PM	#5
WolfLady Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 30 Images: 4	Rubbing aloe vera gel (Walmart 3.50) can help with dandruff when you cant bathe the animal (too cold ect)

11-17-2006, 08:55 PM	#7
unique dream Full Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: horse country, Maryland Posts: 121 Images: 13	If you happen to be luck enough to have warm water in your barn, I would definitely put it to use. I would only do the mane area. My black horse had really bad dandruff and I used Head and Shoulders. Once you lather it up, let is stay on for 3 minutes then wash out thoroughly. You can also use Selsan Blue. After we did this, we would put Baby Oil or an Aloe gel on, while it was still wet, and keep him in the barn until he dried. Sometimes we would even use a hair dryer (on warm setting - not hot) to help the drying process. Good Luck.

11-22-2006, 03:51 AM	#9
DraftXLuvr Full Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 95 Images: 12	Just an update...I used dandruff shampoo on his mane and WOW what a difference after only one wash! Flakes are gone!

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