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Discussion on Extreme hair loss with bald spots
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New Member:
emiller
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Posted on Friday, Apr 30, 2010 - 9:26 pm:
I have a 4 yo paint gelding that was recently treated for tape worm. He had lost some weight (assumed from the tape worm) and was shedding excessively. Now after treatment he is putting on weight and behaving normally, but he continues to lose his hair by the handful and has now started to show bare spots on whithers, ribs and rump with thinning hair at the base of his ears and chest. No lesions, pus or puffy areas at bald spots, just pink skin. Any ideas? We had started mixing his feedings 60% grass hay, 40% alfalfa about 4 or 5 months ago. I read something about Selenium toxicity?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 11:00 am:
Welcome Erin,
Normally tapes do not cause weight loss and the recent improvement is condition is most likely the improved nutrition and less challenging weather of spring. Selenium toxicity generally causes wide ranging multisystemic symptoms. If there are no lesions on the skin and the balding fairly symmetrical your gelding may be just blowing the winter coat before the summer coat comes in. It is a common occurence. For more on these subjects see these articles:
1)HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Parasites and Worms » Tapeworms, Cestode spp.
2) HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Hair and Coat Problems / Itching / Irritated Skin » Overview of Hair Loss & Irritated Skin.
3) HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Selenium in Horses.
DrO
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New Member:
emiller
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Posted on Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 11:48 am:
Thank you so much for your input. It makes me feel better to know that it may be something harmless as winter hair shedding. I will read the recommended articles. Thank you again.
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