Issues with old horse skin and coat

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SJB33

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Any help would be appreciated.

Sorry if I've put this in the wrong place.

I have a 30 year old Arab cross with horrendous skin. I haven't clipped her this year as she suffers with wounds on her withers if rugged. She has been ok and plenty warm enough all winter but has had terrible skin. It looks like some sort of bacterial infection that I have been spot treating with malaseb shampoo as advised by my vet when this has cropped up previously (I haven't consulted the vet yet this time).

Now however, she is starting to shed her hair in patches. So she has a nice fine coat on half of her neck and loads of hair on the rest for example.

I'm very tempted to clip her for two reasons

1) It will remove all this uncomfortable hair that she is shedding gradually and
2) I will be able to treat larger areas of the itchy spots

My only concern is that I would have to then try rugging her.

Any advice would be appreciated, she is otherwise healthy.

Thanks
 
I know of a 34 y o pony who rubs himself until he has a raw patch and then stops. The hair then grows back. Last week the vet said that old ponies do this. Is that the kind of thing that happens to your mare?
 
My friends mare had this when she was in her 30's, having seen other animals with it when elderly I wonder if they lose the ability to produce oils for their skin and coat. Two things that you could try are linseed and also a spray on product called Humilac. It's not cheap but it's worked absolute wonders for an old dog I know who's coat was dry, flaky and dull. She now has a lovely coat with a good sheen.
 
I haven't had her tested for cushings as although this is in the back of my mind she doesn't have any other symptoms. I am still considering testing her though, I just wanted to know if anyone had any similar experiences first. Also don't horses with cushings struggle shedding their coat?

Daughters groom - the itchy patches appear to be completely separate to the shedding of coat, I think she's rubbing because she is itchy but the shedding has started much later.
Super trooper - I am just about to order some linseed.
 
If the pony has cushings it will have a compromised immune system which could be the reason for the skin complaint. In your shoes my most immediate action would be to get the pony tested.
 
SJB33 said:
I haven't had her tested for cushings as although this is in the back of my mind she doesn't have any other symptoms. I am still considering testing her though, I just wanted to know if anyone had any similar experiences first. Also don't horses with cushings struggle shedding their coat?

Daughters groom - the itchy patches appear to be completely separate to the shedding of coat, I think she's rubbing because she is itchy but the shedding has started much later.
Super trooper - I am just about to order some linseed.
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I think essentially many old horses become a bit 'cushingy' if there is such a term and yes, it is part of getting old as their immune system does not work as well. My pony is 28 and I guess started showing some signs a couple of years ago. About 18 mths or so ago he would get the odd patch of baldness that he would rub raw and then the hair would grow back darker. He also started getting itchy legs.

I've had him 20 years this year and he's always had a fab coat but last year he didn't shed properly and he also dropped some weight (unheard of for him!). We had him tested for Cushings as it was free and he was positive although has no other symptoms ( ie laminitis etc). However, thinking back he had seemed a little more down and had had some movement issues that we had put down to arthritis but I suspect they were all associated.

I have put him on hormonise for now and he also had acupuncture for his back problem. Touch wood, all seems fine and he has started to moult already so I am interested to see how he looks this spring/summer. Worth getting the test to see as I think it's still free (although the vet call out isn't!)
 
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