Weird skin problem?

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HoneyMonster1

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My horse has developed a strange skin issue. I'm looking for advice before I call the vet out as I can't find any disease on the internet that seems to match it, and was wondering if it was something blindingly obvious I'm missing!

Basically, about a month ago my horse developed a strange, slightly leathery risen strip of skin, just where the tail strap would lie on a rug. It then started peeling off in vertical strips, with the hair attached, to reveal normal skin underneath. I presumed it to be an area of rubbed skin, as my horse can be quite itchy as it is.

However, a couple of days ago a much larger patch appeared on her hindquarters. The skin and hair has separated in to sort of diamond shapes, with cracks between each one. It is clearly going to start coming off soon. It doesn't seem to be painful or itchy, I can't see any weeping and I'm completely confused!

Please someone tell me its something simple or easily treatable... or even any ideas as to what it may be.

Thank you!
 
I have seen something like this about 8 years ago and I've just spent 20 mins frantically trying to remember what it is called. And I can't. If it is what I remember you do need to speak to your vet. It was the skin breakup in a diamond pattern that reminded me. In the case I saw (a friends mare) it was an infection of the fashia which is basically what holds the skin to the muscle beneath. The mare did survive but it took a lot of care.

Hoping this isn't the same thing. But better to call your vet today.
 
Probably totally unrelated but there is a disease which affects pigs called erysipelas, one of the symptoms of which is diamond-shaped lesions on the skin. I've just done a Google search and very few results come back about the disease affecting horses but it can happen apparently. However, the references I found were very old so not very helpful and did say that the horse would likely be exhibiting symptoms of acute pain which yours is not. I think maybe you ought to get vet out though to be on the safe side.
 
Have you used any type of product on him, especially anything in an aerosol? I once blistered my foal accidentally, I was spraying him with a Silicone based spray, for some extra shine before going in the ring, he wriggled and got sprayed at close quarters. A few days later some hair broke off, with inflamed skin showing. I sudocreme do it and he recovered in a few weeks with no scarring.

Could also be a bite, that didn't break the skin, or even a rain scald type lesion, for this wash with Nizoral shampoo.

I suggest though that you have a chat with your vet.
 
Can't get the picture to upload :(

Oh gosh, I'm ringing my vet ASAP! The only thing I have sprayed her with is fly spray- I did wonder if it could be this but I can't find anyone/horse who suffered with such distinctive patterns. Like I said, she doesn't seem to be in pain, will let me touch it. I applied sudocrem to the original patch but it didn't seem to do anything.

No idea about her breeding- everyone seems to thing she has some thoroughbred in her, and maybe some irish/connemara?

Cahill- we recently moved yards and they had painted the stable for her. She has been rubbing on the walls. What would this do?
 
The hereditary skin condition I was thinking of affects Quarter horse, so it can't be that. Probably a reaction to the spray. X
 
Cahill- we recently moved yards and they had painted the stable for her. She has been rubbing on the walls. What would this do?[/QUOTE said:
worth investigating what was used
Click to expand...
 
Cahill- we recently moved yards and they had painted the stable for her. She has been rubbing on the walls. What would this do?[/QUOTE said:
worth investigating what was used, possibly limewash or an antifungal type paint ?? just an idea....
Click to expand...
 
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