Loss of pigment around eye - iron deficiency?

measles

measles

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Our bay horse has over the last month or so lost the dark pigment over one eyelid and now it is spreading to the skin around the eye. There's no scabs or rought skin, just white skin.

I've not seen anything like it before and someone suggested an iron deficiency?
 
Or possibly copper deficiency? Has he got reddish ends in his mane or tail? Copper and zinc deficiencies are really common in horses just out on grass as certain soils don't contain them. It shows up most in darker horses as copper is needed to produce the skin pigment.
 
could be vitiligo - this is the most likely cause. Luckily it causes no harm, its purely cosmetic, however it is idiopathic (cause is unknown) so there is no treatment. Otherwise sometimes a copper deficiency causes similar depigmentation bu this is usually only seen with a major deficiency and there should be other signs like "red" tips of the mane and tail. Other causes can include melanomas or squamous cell carcinoma but there will be some growth(occasionally mild) of the tissue associated with thse tumours.
 
Sounds like vitiligo - humans can get it too where the skin loses pigment. My bay gelding got it about 2 yrs ago. It started as a small area next to his eye and it gradually spread around his eyes and muzzle in patches. The hair either grows in white or it stays bald.

I did a bit of research and there is some suggestion of a link with copper deficiency but I gave him a supplement with no effect. Apparantly sometimes it comes and goes. My boys has recently got less for no apparant reason but I don't think it'll ever go away. Doesn't bother him, just not as pretty as he used to be! (He's WelshxTB by the way)
 
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