My shetlands head is getting balder... WWYD?

muckypony

muckypony

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So one of my shetlands had a bald patch on the side of his face, totally bald, no signs of irritation or anything at all, the hair just falls out..
It started off about a 1 inch circular patchh, its now gotten much bigger but just going down under his jaw. He also now has one exactly the same on exactly the opposite side of his face. Hes also got one patch behind his ear on the opposite side of his head. Much smaller and I think it is unrelated

They both had lice and were treated twice in January and since then I have seen no evidence of lice. I treated them again last week thinking that this bald patch is most likely due to lice, but its still getting balder and I STILL can't find any lice!?

What would you do? I'm loathed to keep treating for lice as I really don't think it is that. Surely if it was, he wouldn't just be itching his head/I would be able to find at least one/the other would also be itchy??? Would I be right to clip that area of his face to see what is going on?

When I touch the area, if I press on it, he grinds his teeth...
What are the chances that he is teething and itching where that is irritating him, causing the hair to fall out?

Poor pony... help please!
 
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It isn't circular anymore, just started off like that. Ringworm is fungal isn't it so surely there would be signs of it on the bare skin?

I called my vet to explain when it first appeared during the week and he said to treat again for lice... I will call again tomorrow, I'm hoping it wont just be put down to lice because I really don't think its that!
 
I'd ask the vet to take a scrap to rule lots of things out, are they coming out to do vaccinations any time soon or do they do a free call out day you could take advantage or - or even take him in for them to take a sample?
 
I would try an antibacterial shampoo, or something like hypocare spray, for a few days.

I'd also make sure there wasn't a tooth infection or something underlying that was making the hair fair out in that area.

I got the vet out for bald patches on mine - totally useless, only left shampoo because I'd asked for it and he didn't have any other ideas. The shampoo worked pretty quickly, though.
 
ringworm doesn't always stay circular.. and not there wouldn't necessarily be any evidence of it as a fungus on bare skin.
 
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