Little mare losing her hair?

[lennysmith]

Sorry I know this should be in vets, but was hoping for a bigger 'audience'.

Am posting on behalf of a very good friend of mine. She has had it really rough over the past year or so with her veteran arab (she's 28ish I think now, maybe a bit older) She was diagnosed with cushings about a year ago now. Has quite bad arthritis,and had such a serious case of colic a few weeks ago they nearly lost her. My poor friend adores this pony and now yet something else has been sent to try her.

Poor little mare's hair is falling out by the handfull. She has lost nearly all her thick beautiful mane and her tail is probably half the thickness it was. Has anyone else heard of this? I thought cushingoids were meant to hold onto their hair? Not drop it all on the floor? Has anyone any suggestions? Mare is happy and pottering about as usual, friend is just abit worried this might indicate something else?

Thanks very much xxx

 

[airedale]

In humans that is called alopecia (sp?) and is usually caused by stress....!!

hairloss in clumps can also be a sign of lice infestation - so maybe a louse powder ? - but then lice usually go for the mane and base of tail area and are more common in cold temps than hot.

horses (and human hair) does get thinner with age - but it is not normally as sudden as you describe.

TBH it sounds a bit like a mineral imbalance or deficiency to me (rather than vitamin)

Has the horse changed field recently ? if so then change it back to where it was before immediately.

Has a horse companion this mare was close to recently left the yard ? that could cause stress.

Blood test from the vet will be the best diagnosis.

Another thought - is she on any vet. medication for the cushings (or has she recently been put onto any herbal or 'alternative' treatment by the owner ?) if so - in the first place talk to the vet and in the second case stop the supplement

 

[lennysmith]

It could be stress you know. she is a typical stressy arab.

Nope same firled she's been in for a while now.

She is on Per -something or other, for the cushings. Could this possibly be it?

Poor little mare, Such a lovely girl, would just be nice to find something to help her owner x

 

[Ariella]

Well I dont know how the pastures are where she is kept or what supplements she is being given.....

But an overdose of Selenium will cause them to lose their hair in patches and go quite bald!

We found this out when managing a TB stud..... There was selenium in their supplement as well as with us having been in severe drought and then getting some much needed rain.... the paddocks shot back all of a sudden and resulted in them getting an overdose!

 

[lennysmith]

Oh i see. mmmm I'll go and have a lookie and a chat with her owner as to what/ if any supplement she's getting. Thanks xx

 

[Ariella]

Oh, meant to say, it doesnt have to be a very big overdose of Selenium to have their hair fall out!

It is only needed in a trace amount - but it is needed within the body - it effects fertility... but it doesnt take very much to take them over the limit into the problem zone!

As I said happened where we worked, it was only due to the wierd climate conditions (drought and then rain and sudden growth of the pasture) that the levels were raised enough in the soils/pastures and with what they were being supplemented with containing a small amount of selenium as well... it just gave them a bit too much in the system!!

Within a few weeks it had settled itself down and they were back on the supplement again as the levels in the pasture had gone back down again.....

I can tell you it had us and the owners puzzled as to just what was going on there for a little while!