Have you ever heard of a horse losing its hair? And if so, what are the causes and treatments? Have you ever run across it happening as a reaction to supplemental feed? Our horse is losing his hair and his vet hasn’t figured out why. DG, Wyoming
Dear DG,
I’m sure your vet is steering you down the right path; this just sounds like a very unusual problem. Since I haven’t seen the horse, I would need to ask a few questions first:
• where is the hair loss occurring (the whole body or just certain parts of the body)
• is the hair breaking off or falling out from the follicle with the root still attached
• has the hair changed color (lighter or darker)
• is there any skin involvement (red, raised, bumps, oozy discharge/dry flakes)
• are there any other horses with the same signs
Of course, a full physical examination is important to determine if the overall health status of the horse has changed. Bloodwork may be necessary too. How old and what breed is the horse? Also, what do you do with him, that is, is he ridden and shown and if so, what is his monthly schedule of work, training, competing, traveling. Vaccination and deworming status are an important part of the baseline as well. What is the horse eating (hay, grain, supplements) and how he is kept (stall, turnout)? Any changes to his diet or environment may also yield clues.
It sounds like the cause isn’t obvious so the veterinarian is probably performing additional diagnostics such as skin scrapings, skin cultures and maybe even biopsies. While these tests may not pinpoint the exact cause, it is hoped they at least rule out certain conditions and narrow down the list of differentials. Visit www.merckvetmanual.com for more information and to learn what conditions may cause this. I hope you and your vet are able to figure this mystery out!
Lydia Gray, DVM MA, is the Staff Veterinarian for SmartPak. Prior to joining SmartPak, Dr. Gray served as the first-ever Director of Owner Education for the American Association of Equine Practitioners. She has authored numerous articles in publications such as The Horse, Horse Illustrated, Western Horseman and a variety of veterinary journals and magazines. Dr. Gray is also a frequent speaker at horse expos, veterinary conventions and other events. After graduating with honors from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and receiving her Master's Degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication, she practiced at the Tremont Veterinary Clinic for several years. Dr. Gray is active in the American Veterinary Medical Association and Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. She enjoys training and showing her Trakehner, Newman, in both combined driving and dressage, and is a USDF “L” Program Graduate (with distinction). Find Dr. Gray on Google+
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