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Cathy Guffey
New Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 1
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Monday, Jul 7, 2008 - 9:58 pm: |   |
My 12-year old gelding has this very odd "hair loss." The darker hair in the photo is shorter, the lighter hair is longer. This appeared suddenly, within a day. You cannot pull the hair out, there is no obvious itching or bumps. He does not appear to be in distress. He has it all over his body, including his legs and underneath his belly. When I curry him, his hair does not come out and he does not mind being curried.
He did not have any changes in his grain, no new medications or fly sprays or shampoo's. We did have some hay that had fowl feathers in it, which we ended up burning. But they did have some of it for about a week. His pasture buddy has this as well, although not to this extent.
Any suggestions? I'm at a loss! Thanks!! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 20976
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 - 9:02 am: | |
Hello Cathy,
That is unusual looking but it is hard to get details from the image. The underneath newer coat looks quite healthy but the older hair coat has an odd color and texture in the image. Could we get a good, in focus, close up image of the margin of the old and the new coat?
Did they shed their winter coats normally this year and did the replacement hair look like a normal summer coat?
DrO |
Cathy
New Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 2
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 - 10:05 am: | |
He did shed his coat normally and it was normal summer hair. I will take another picture this evening. Thanks for your help in advance. |
Sara Miller
Member
Username: sdms
Post Number: 171
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 - 6:04 pm: | |
Hi Cathy. Are you sure that the hair is different lengths? Since this happened within a day do you see the patches of hair on the ground anywhere or rubbed off on a fence?
I only ask because your picture looks exactly like one of my horses last summer when he developed a bad case of hives. The hives raised the skin and made it appear as if the hair was longer. There was also a definite difference in color. And he, like your horses, showed no discomfort when being brushed. The appearance was his only symptom.
Since you say he and his pasture buddy have the same symptoms I wonder if they've found a weed that's causing an allergic reaction? Just my 2 cents and it might be worth looking into. |
Cathy
New Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 3
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 - 9:03 pm: | |
SaraI had the same idea but since this is two weeks out, wouldn't the hives have settled down? How long will hives last?
Dr O: I have a larger close up on Photobucket that may be easier to see:
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii130/foxtrotter_08/closeup2.jpg
Thanks to all! |
Ann
Member
Username: dres
Post Number: 1875
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008 - 10:43 pm: | |
Hives can be on going...
Interesting up close it is almost like the hair pattern has changed directions.. ?????
On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 20987
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 9:18 am: | |
This is so unique I have attached the above photo here:
Cathy your horse appears to have gone through a incomplete second summer coat shedding and replacement. I think the different texture is due to the environment, particularly the sun and direction of the shafts is due to the effects of gravity and recurrent wetting bending the shafts downward.
Are you sure you have two horses doing this? Did this happen all at once or progressively and is it still ongoing?
DrO |
Cathy
New Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 4
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 10:19 am: | |
Dr O: I am out with him daily and noticed it one evening. It stood out so noticeably. Two nights before, he did not have any of this that I observed.
His pasture buddy only has it on his neck that I can see and right now, you cannot really see it at all. Just on this gelding does it remain so prominent.
I was combing out bot fly eggs last night and this older looking hair was coming out pretty easily.
I'll take a pic of his pasture buddy to see if I can capture it tonight.
If he is shedding again, what could I do to hasten this hair to fall out? Would bathing him help?
I'll take another shot of him later, as the older looking patches are getting smaller now. I sure hope he doesn't do this again! lol |
Cathy
New Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 5
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 12:22 pm: | |
Also, could this have been caused by the hay? I'll take a pic of the hay and post it. It is very "twiggy" and had feather's in it. Thanks! |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 6
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 10:57 pm: | |
This is my gelding's pasture buddy. His hair problem is not and has not been as bad. But you can see he does/did have it. His became visible the day after my horse's. And this guy had it more on his neck and shoulders than anywhere else. My guy has it over most of his body. |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 7
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 11:06 pm: | |
My horse has always looked worse. This is how his belly, chest, neck and front legs look. His rump and down his topline do not have any. If you put a string directly around his hindquarters in front of his back legs, from that point back, his hair is fine, even on his legs. This is just so odd.
 |
Lee
Member
Username: paul303
Post Number: 1130
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 11:09 pm: | |
Cathy: is there any edema evident in this coat change pattern? If you press hard with one finger, is the imprint left in the affected area? |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 8
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 9, 2008 - 11:14 pm: | |
Lee,
No, there is no edema when pressing hard. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21001
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 9:04 am: | |
Cathy similar events are reported and have been referred to as "telogen defluxion". Usually these events are in association with a systemic illness or a reaction with something the skin has come into contact with, which this looks most like. What happens is the hair growth is prematurely interrupted then within 3 months they shed out and replaced with new hair.
You certainly should review your feeding program and evaluate your premises for the possibility of a toxin. The overall good health speaks against these described problems but should be checked. For more on nutrition see the Overview of Nutrition article. If it was one horse, and I admit the photo of the second horse is not impressive from a diagnostic standpoint, I would also put in some sort of odd autoimmune reaction which sometimes occurs in a patchy way.
I do not recommend feeding hay with evidence of small animal contamination, feathers in this case, due to the possibility of botulism poisoning. For a farm review for toxins I would enlist your veterinarian or local extension service to review your farm.
As long as any problems are identified I would expect a normal fall shedding event but I would love to have you check in and keep us appraised.
DrO |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21002
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 9:12 am: | |
PS I forgot to ask, could we have a full front, both sides, and rear shot of the horse to get an idea to the overall pattern?
Thanks DrO |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 9
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 12:07 pm: | |
I will take those pics and post them for you this evening. Do you believe his coat will remain this way till his fall coat comes in?
I will keep his progress reported here. And thank you again for all your help. Your expertise given on this site is wonderful! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21009
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 6:28 pm: | |
I really don't know Cathy, I think it is possible even lean toward likely, but we will have to wait and see.
DrO |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 10
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 10:31 pm: | |
Dr O: Here are the links to the pictures you requested. If these shots are good enough, let me know and I can redo them.
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii130/foxtrotter_08/front.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii130/foxtrotter_08/leftside.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii130/foxtrotter_08/rear.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii130/foxtrotter_08/rightside.jpg
I think it shows in the pictures that he doesn't have it on his hips or hind legs. Thank you again for your replies. I am very appreciative! |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 11
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - 10:45 pm: | |
Dr O: One thing I remembered. About two days after we got this hay (we no longer feed it and haven't since June 29), my horse got diarrhea for two days. Then this hair problem cropped up on the 28th of June. At that point we had the hay right around a week. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21015
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 6:25 pm: | |
I don't know Cathy, the already grown out new hairs suggest something older.
DrO |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 12
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Saturday, Jul 12, 2008 - 10:02 pm: | |
Dr O: So it would have been something older than the hay? The only thing I have used on him older was his shampoo. I used the MTG Shine shampoo. Maybe I didn't rinse it out well enough? Maybe he is allergic to it? Thanks! |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 21025
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 - 9:47 am: | |
If there was no notable reaction at the time of use I don't think that is it Cathy.
DrO |
Cathy
Member
Username: catbil94
Post Number: 13
Registered: 7-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2008 - 8:18 pm: | |
No, there was no noticeable reaction at the time of use for the shampoo. His coat seems to be staying just the way it is. No more loss, no more new growth. He's fine other than it looks funny. |
