The Amazing Colour Changing Basil

[silverbullet]

Some of you may remember last year when Basil's facial skin around his nose and his eyes started going pink. It eventually faded totally.
Well we fetched him in last week and he looked like this:

Looks just like bleach has been chucked on him!!

He has no other symptoms.

We have had the vet out (and a specialist dermatologist) and know what it is, but wondered if anyone on her had come across anything like it???

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

my appys skin looks like this when she's wet, nothing wrong with her at all, just her colouring

 

[silverbullet]

His turned like it in 24 hours!!

 

[Luci07]

those lumps look raised though not just skin pigment? allergic reaction to something in the field? something bitten him?

 

[blond1]

Sunburn or him itching against post or tree would be my guess. I agree with Luci07 that it looks like it could be an allergic reaction. How is he this week and what is it?

 

[silverbullet]

Not allergy/itching.

He has vitiligo. A very rare case of it as it is usually just on their face not their whole body.

The pigment may come back or it may not, may fade more or stay the same. They don't know what causes it and its not treatable.

Doesn't effect their health/wellbeing its purely cosmetic.

It is quite shocking though!!

 

[daydreambeliever]

check out 'jenhunt' her horse has the same thing, she has a post with pics a couple down from this post.

My horse is so silly.... (with pics)

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

To me that looks like sunburn on the pink areas of skin. If it is, might be worth having a discussion with your vet about liver function.

 

[brucea]

Vitiligo? Wow, don't hear much about that these days.

Where patchess of skin lose their colour. I knew a woman who had it on her arms - looked like a bleach mark.

The clue is in his name - an old "cure" was Basil in lime juice - apparently it encouraged production of melanin. But neds to be done daily for 6 months!

Maybe your horse is trying to tell you soemthing!

 

[silverbullet]

Box of Frogs - he did get a bit burnt the day he did it (when pics were taken) is not raised now!!

Had vet out - liver tests and other blood normal.

Brucea do you feed them that or rub it on them??

 

[brucea]

Rub it in.

Vitiligo was a name used for a wide range of skin problems in roman times - including acne, excema etc.

 

[Lucy_Nottingham]

it is a hypersensitivity reaction to UV light is it not?

Is he rugged when turned out? Nothing heavy just a sheet that will cover his body and stop the light getting to his skin to make it react?

It is rare for them to get it on there bodies! But as you say he got sunburnt so there is a risk of him getting burnt again as the paler the skin the greater the risk of burn (I am a pale begger m-self so I cna relate! )

 

[silverbullet]

They don't know what causes it - he does usually have a fly sheet on but i've been out today and bought him a full neck one the is specially for reflecting UV light.

Hopefully that'll stop him getting burnt on it.

 

[orin]

i had a grey with vitiligo and his skin turned pink.looked a bit like yours

 

[HumBugsey]

If I remember rightly ToyTown has Vitiligo so he's in good company!

 

[Foxford]

I know a black horse who has it in a couple of places. Interesting!

 

[phoebeast]

my bay TB mare has this, i noticed the other day while bathing her. unfortunately no one replied to my thread.