Horse Hair Loss around Eye (Vitiligo?)

[Myotto]

My 7 year old warmblood gelding has developed a small bald patch above his eye. Its not inflamed or textured. Just a smooth area without skin.

A very small patch (a few millimetres) appeared a few months ago but it has grown slightly. Its now probably about 20mm wide and 5mm high. His coat is otherwise very healthy looking and very shiny. His diet is balanced and I'm using Thunderbrook feeds.

My vet had a look and thinks it a case of Leukoderma (Vitiligo) and that it's harmless. Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment.

I'm keen to try and stop it spreading further and have read that applying cod liver oil/wheatgerm oil to the area can help.

Has anyone had any experience of managing Vitiligo or know of any effective treatments?

 

[iknowmyvalue]

I know it can sometimes be related to a mineral deficiency (usually copper). Might be entirely unrelated but H used to have a waxing/waning patch around his eye which has shrunk noticeably and not grown again since I added a vit/mineral supplement with copper into his diet

 

[PurBee]

Check your calcium/phosphorus ratio of the diet.

I say this because my cat developed exactly the same thing - both eyes affected, hair loss...after 8yrs of life no health issues, then this symptom crops up - so i converted all my dogs/cats to grain-free wet and dry foods. My cats eye hair regrew within 8 weeks and no issues at all. Obviously commercial pet food is grain/soy/saitan lumps ’posing’ as meat chunks - so its a very high phosphorus diet. All us mammals need a certain calcium/phosphorus ratio.
So thought it worth mentioning in your case with your horse.

As mentioned above, copper and skin health are highly crucial so worth trying that.

Is it a seasonal symptom? Comes on in winter, not so bad in summer? That can give a clue as to cause.

 

[Myotto]

I know it can sometimes be related to a mineral deficiency (usually copper). Might be entirely unrelated but H used to have a waxing/waning patch around his eye which has shrunk noticeably and not grown again since I added a vit/mineral supplement with copper into his diet

View attachment 64131View attachment 64132

Yes that looks very similar. Which supplement did you use?

 

[Myotto]

Check your calcium/phosphorus ratio of the diet.

I say this because my cat developed exactly the same thing - both eyes affected, hair loss...after 8yrs of life no health issues, then this symptom crops up - so i converted all my dogs/cats to grain-free wet and dry foods. My cats eye hair regrew within 8 weeks and no issues at all. Obviously commercial pet food is grain/soy/saitan lumps ’posing’ as meat chunks - so its a very high phosphorus diet. All us mammals need a certain calcium/phosphorus ratio.
So thought it worth mentioning in your case with your horse.

As mentioned above, copper and skin health are highly crucial so worth trying that.

Is it a seasonal symptom? Comes on in winter, not so bad in summer? That can give a clue as to cause.

He's on a very natural diet. Thunderbrook meadow nut mash, Thunderbrook base mix balancer etc. I've only had him since June so can't really tell if its seasonal.

 

[willowblack]

When my horse was a 3 year old he developed the look of a pirate pretty much over night with a bald patch around his eye. I quickly realised it was a copper deficiency and he’s been on a supplement since (he’s 13 this year) he sometimes puts himself on feed strike and has to have the copper withdrawn for a few days til he forgets ? and it comes back straight away. He has Copperplus from Equine America.

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Yes that looks very similar. Which supplement did you use?

I think I used the forageplus on to start with, but now he’s on benevit from Feedmark. Nothing wrong with the one from forageplus, just the Feedmark one makes it easier as I can get it in a mix with his other supplements!

 

[ester]

In the way back of my mind I think TB base mix is not the highest in copper re. that sort of balancer. As I won't use them for other reasons I have never done a deep dive to compare.