Rubbing hair away on face

Kezzabell2

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What would you do, if anything....

if a horse that shared a field with yours, was rubbing patches of hair away? mainly on its face but earlier in the year it was all over his body! most of it grew back but now its started to rub its face badly again.

I'm pretty sure its nothing contagious as the other horses are fine but there is clearly something not right with this horse.

He is about 21/22 years old, and prone to laminitis, not in an real work, maybe a 30 min hack once a month.

I've suggested to his owner that she gets him tested for cushings as in later stages of the disease its not uncommon to get fungal and skin infections, as well as mites etc . The owner had asked me for my opinion on what it could be but my suggestion of cushings was not taken very well. He was tested for cushings 2 years before, which was the reason for not testing again!

She was going to get the vet out last time but the vet that did a free zone day wasn't available that week. So she just gave him anti histamines for a week and the hair started growing back!

she did also try anti fungal shampoo and lice powder last time too.

I'm afraid to mention anything else about the way his face is looking again, as I know it won't be taken well!!

So, I'm not sure what to do, but it really upsets me having to look at the poor horse in that state!! there is clearly something going on, horses don't rub themselves like that for the fun of it! Advice?
 

Antw23uk

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I rarely care who I upset when it comes to animal welfare. Either speak to the owner again or ask the yard owner to speak to them. This is neglect and it is not acceptable!
 

Kezzabell2

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Thank you!! We don't have a yard owner as such, I private rent the yard from the farmer and my two friends are now liveries there with me, so in a way I'm sort of responsible for the place, as the farmer doesn't get involved!! So I guess I'm going to have to man up and tell her its not okay, aren't I!
 

Antw23uk

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Thank you!! We don't have a yard owner as such, I private rent the yard from the farmer and my two friends are now liveries there with me, so in a way I'm sort of responsible for the place, as the farmer doesn't get involved!! So I guess I'm going to have to man up and tell her its not okay, aren't I!

Its just a conversation, if you keep it light and friendly you really only need to plant the seed in the owners mind. Perhaps suggest a supplement you've just been reading about and thought might be of interest to them .. something for itchy skin? Maybe say you saw a sweet itch rug on fleabay the other day and thought of them because there horse is itching again ... you can approach this lots of ways but yeah, I personally think you should be having a word. Good luck :)
 

Fiona

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Our pony was rubbing hair off his face in march though none of the others were affected.

We treated it as lice with deosect (two sponge on treatments a week apart) and his hair straight away started to grow back.

Its a simple thing to try in the first instance, and deosect is a great fly repellant too so the rest won't be wasted...

Fiona
 

Kezzabell2

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Our pony was rubbing hair off his face in march though none of the others were affected.

We treated it as lice with deosect (two sponge on treatments a week apart) and his hair straight away started to grow back.

Its a simple thing to try in the first instance, and deosect is a great fly repellant too so the rest won't be wasted...

Fiona

I've not heard of deosect. I'll Google it and see if I can drop it into conversation

Just worried about making suggestions that might not help as I think he needs a vet. Some of the sores look like cuts, bless the poor thing
 
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