Nerve Damage? Discolored Hair on neck

[Flame_]

I just wondered if I could get some opinions for a friend.

For the last few months her black horse has developed a patch of light brown hair, about (guess!) 2 inches wide and eight inches long, running from the mane just above the withers downwards and across slightly. She's not thought anything of this but her EDT noticed it and suggested e-mailing a top vet for his thoughts on it as he thought it might be something worrying.

The horse has been showing resistance under saddle for a few weeks, leading the owner to question his soundness this week. She has e-mailed the top vet recommended who, according to my understanding, has said the two problems are strongly indicative of spinal injury and damage and the horse should have immediate further investigations.

Owner is obviously worried, contacts her own vet thinking he'll probably immediately refer her, but he asks which side of the neck the hair patch is on - the left - and then says that it will be nerve damage from an injection (he did have one in Spring) and nothing to worry about, probably nothing to do with the resistance under saddle.


So, has anyone else seen this? The owner is still very concerned and will be looking into the resistance problem soon anyway if it doesn't improve, but how likely is it the this nerve damage is serious or not? Any thoughts or experiences welcome. Cheers.

 

[ElvisandTilly]

My horse had a similar sweat patch on his hindquarters that started at SI and down towards sides on both sides of his bottom. He had problems on his hind end but not anything linked with the sweat patch as it was stifle problems.

My physio said it was nerve damage from injections and nothing to worry about.

The sweat patches used to bleach his fur in summer and under hard work or even on hot days in the field the patch used to sweat.

He had a craniosacral treatment with Julie Houghton and they have completely disappeared. It was an area that she found he had pain although physio and vets could never find any pain response.

I will dig a picture out of his sweat patch and put up here if I can find one.

Hope your friend gets to the bottom of the cause of the patch.

 

[paulineh]

This summer my little 21 year old New Forest mare has got areas over her back that look as if they have been bleached.

I will try and post some pictures tomorrow.

 

[Flame_]

Thank you both.

It doesn't sound like its a very common or well understood thing then?

 

[ElvisandTilly]

Don't think anyone really knows what causes the marks or how to treat. Although it completely went away after treatment from craniosacral I never did know what the cause was or if it was painful. He had it before I bought him.

There were some posts on here ages ago from people with similar marks. One was sorted by a physio using a laser therapy machine. You could search on here under sweat marks.

Hope my picture shows up! It was the same both sides of his quarters. He did also get spot sweat marks after he had nerve blocks on his stifles but these went away over a period of 3 months and have never come back. My horse must be so sensitive!!