Knots under your horse's skin can potentially be many things from dermatitis to an allergic reaction. It is difficult to diagnose from a distance, and this Web site is not designed as such. It would be best to have your veterinarian examine the horse to determine the cause and best treatment. Your veterinarian should be an active partner in diagnosing and treating skin disease, particularly one that does not resolve in one to two weeks. Many horses with allergic skin disease can develop contact hypersensitivity to medications or insect repellents used to treat the disease, making the original lesions worse. For that reason, your veterinarian might request that you stop treatment with all topical compounds and shampoos (except for one or two) while preliminary diagnostic work is performed. Horses kept in hot, humid areas can develop dermatophilosis. This disease, also called rain scald or rain rot, is caused by bacteria and often is mistaken for a fungal disease. The bacteria live in the outer layer of skin and cause from pinpoint to large crusty scabs. When removed, the base of the hairs can be seen sticking through the bottom of the scab. In early or less-severe cases of this disease, simply removing the scabs with shampoos and currying will take care of the problem. More severe cases in which the infection has affected deeper layers of the skin might require antibiotics. Once a diagnosis is made, specific therapy can be recommended to resolve the condition.

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