What could be causing this wrinkled skin on my mare?

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Silverfire

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Anyone know what could be causing this wrinkled skin on my 5 year old mare? Shes had it at least two years now. Her skin is good otherwise. Her blood Protein levels are normal but she does have low potassium (blood test) for some reason. The wrinkles on her neck and body you can only see when she turns to itch but the ones on her throat latch, elbows and top inside thighs are there when she is stood still. Exercise makes no difference to them, its like her skin is a size too big for her.

Neck and body.
0000000aRwrinkledskin.JPG


Throat
0000000aRwrinkledthroatskin.JPG


Neck and front of chest
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Legs
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Elbow and girth line
0____rosieelbow.jpg
 
What does your vet say?

I usually associate wrinkly skin with dehydration, which may tie in with low potassium. I would look to rectify her electrolytes as far as possible, rather than just salt, but I would consult the vet.
 
I was going to say dehydration too, although it does look like her skin is too big lol! If you pinch some skin when it's not wrinkled does it spring back or stay pinched when you let go??
 
Thanks for your replies.

Red-1 said:
What does your vet say?
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Nothing much thats why I'm asking on here.

Red-1 said:
I usually associate wrinkly skin with dehydration, which may tie in with low potassium. I would look to rectify her electrolytes as far as possible, rather than just salt, but I would consult the vet.
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The skin on her neck is actually quite tight to do the dehydration test but it does go straight back to normal so shes not actually dehydrated. One of the vets suggested giving either an electrolyte supplement or lo salt so have her on NAF electro salts till I can get some lo salt. Just not sure at moment why she has low potassium anyway and whether a supplement is going to make any difference.
 
Nessa4 said:
Would she eat bananas? They are full of potassium and might be worth a try (wouldn't do any harm, at least).
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Yes she loves banana's and has been having at least one a day for a year now. She also has a small handful of bran in each feed, bran is also high in Potassium - thats why its odd she has low potassium.
 
I am sorry to say that it looks like overweight to me. It is difficult to say really about OP's horse as the pics are not of the whole horse but I am afraid that the pony's wrinkles certainly seem to be caused by excess weight.
I speak as someone who bought an overweight horse who had exactly similar wrinkly skin.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I am sorry to say that it looks like overweight to me. It is difficult to say really about OP's horse as the pics are not of the whole horse but I am afraid that the pony's wrinkles certainly seem to be caused by excess weight.
I speak as someone who bought an overweight horse who had exactly similar wrinkly skin.
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I would say this too but one of mine ( the bay) is ok weight. Could tone up and loose some but not huge.

[
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The pal had less wrinkles and is fatter
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equi said:
I would say this too but one of mine ( the bay) is ok weight. Could tone up and loose some but not huge.

[
C0AA7E9B-46BB-4870-BAA5-B68394CE98BF_zpsnkoj4nqw.jpg

0912C98F-E947-4944-BA23-A9225109974A_zpsuvmjrwtj.jpg

The pal had less wrinkles and is fatter
A4E14F43-40D6-4A42-9E87-9A95DF2500EC_zpsfvrhtzyi.jpg
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The bay is definitely fatter then the pally, just look at the fat pads on her rump! The bays conformation is poor so she will never look traditionally fat with huge shoulders and cresty neck.

The wrinkles on the OPs horse and the ponys above look like weight related wrinkles. Peoples views of ideal condition is pretty distorted these days.
 
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fawaz said:
The bay is definitely fatter then the pally, just look at the fat pads on her rump! The bays conformation is poor so she will never look traditionally fat with huge shoulders and cresty neck.

The wrinkles on the OPs horse and the ponys above look like weight related wrinkles. Peoples views of ideal condition is pretty distorted these days.
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The pics don't do justice. I can feel her ribs under there and it's not a conformation shot her conformations actually quite good lol she's lost weight since that pic too but it had the wrinkles in it so I posted that. I can't feel the pals rubs with digging and she's solid crest and arse.

947DCD91-4E3F-439E-AC14-7765DB782F46_zps4wbjwx1r.jpg


Think this was same day so she's again thinner.

She's larger than the pal and a different breed so can't be compared directly in body condition.
 
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This is my horse, I think to say the wrinkles are because of fat is a rather throw away comment. My horse has actually had skin biopsies due to the wrinkles and a general bloatedness almost looking fat along with a very poor coat. It turns out that he has hair follicle atrophy, his epidermis is only 1 to 2 cells thick and generally the skin has no integrity and is actually not fat. The vets think we are dealing with a paraneoplastic skin response to a tumour somewhere in his body and I would love to hear from anyone who has a horse with similar symptoms to try and help me find other possible causes.
 
islandspirit said:
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CF00F006-FE97-4C91-8754-CB1B3A56BCE9-915-0000012296B3410B.jpg

This is my horse, I think to say the wrinkles are because of fat is a rather throw away comment. My horse has actually had skin biopsies due to the wrinkles and a general bloatedness almost looking fat along with a very poor coat. It turns out that he has hair follicle atrophy, his epidermis is only 1 to 2 cells thick and generally the skin has no integrity and is actually not fat. The vets think we are dealing with a paraneoplastic skin response to a tumour somewhere in his body and I would love to hear from anyone who has a horse with similar symptoms to try and help me find other possible causes.
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It most certainly was NOT a throwaway comment. I was commenting on OP's horse and Equi's pony, not yours, islandspirit. If your vet hs found a problem, I will c ertainly not argue with him/her about a horse I have never met, or even seen a full photo of. I am afraid that I am still of the opinion that equi's pony is fat. OP should consult her vet.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
It most certainly was NOT a throwaway comment. I was commenting on OP's horse and Equi's pony, not yours, islandspirit. If your vet hs found a problem, I will c ertainly not argue with him/her about a horse I have never met, or even seen a full photo of. I am afraid that I am still of the opinion that equi's pony is fat. OP should consult her vet.
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But that was the point I was making, my horse looks fat but he isn't. His skin is so puffy that it makes him look fat to anyone that doesn't know his diagnosis which I hope proves not be true. Had I posted a full photo with no diagnosis how many people would have just told me he was fat? The one thing I have found is that not a lot is actually known about horses and a lot is guess work and forums should be about helping each other. The OP has consulted her vet to no avail and she's reaching to a bunch of people she has never met for help. I know that it is so easy for us to jump to conclusions but sometimes maybe we ought to think outside the box and work as a community. Please don't take this as a personal attack because it really isn't meant that way. It's a bit like walking down the street while my 6ft 14 year old son is shouting and screaming with people staring at me and jumping to conclusions about his behaviour and my parenting skills when a smile would help far more and put me at ease as he's autistic and suffering a meltdown. Sometimes a horse is just fat but the owners that know, know and are doing something about it and the owners that don't are in denial and will never listen anyway.
 
Actually, islandspirit, your horse doesn't look fat to me. The wrinkles in your pony's skin are very different from those in OP or equi's photos. And by the way, as a teacher of children with SEN, I am very familiar with children/teenagers with autism.
 
islandspirit said:
But that was the point I was making, my horse looks fat but he isn't. His skin is so puffy that it makes him look fat to anyone that doesn't know his diagnosis which I hope proves not be true. Had I posted a full photo with no diagnosis how many people would have just told me he was fat? The one thing I have found is that not a lot is actually known about horses and a lot is guess work and forums should be about helping each other. The OP has consulted her vet to no avail and she's reaching to a bunch of people she has never met for help. I know that it is so easy for us to jump to conclusions but sometimes maybe we ought to think outside the box and work as a community. Please don't take this as a personal attack because it really isn't meant that way. It's a bit like walking down the street while my 6ft 14 year old son is shouting and screaming with people staring at me and jumping to conclusions about his behaviour and my parenting skills when a smile would help far more and put me at ease as he's autistic and suffering a meltdown. Sometimes a horse is just fat but the owners that know, know and are doing something about it and the owners that don't are in denial and will never listen anyway.
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Never heard of hair folicle atrophy before. Any more info on it to add to my knowledge bank?

I've had this mare six weeks. Think I can get a break folks?
 
islandspirit that is really interesting, my horse is rather wrinkly, always looks a bit bloated/fat, although fennel seed powder seems to help the bloating. He also has very very sensitive skin, suffers from sweet itch, mud fever, allergic to everything etc. he is 17 and has always been like this though, I just presumed he was very sensitive in the same way some people are.
 
Liane said:
islandspirit that is really interesting, my horse is rather wrinkly, always looks a bit bloated/fat, although fennel seed powder seems to help the bloating. He also has very very sensitive skin, suffers from sweet itch, mud fever, allergic to everything etc. he is 17 and has always been like this though, I just presumed he was very sensitive in the same way some people are.
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My mare also itchs a lot, has lumps on her right side which have been there a year now - definitely not fat lumps as they are now bald, she has very sensitive skin, very thin coat except over her loins where it is a bit longer and she constantly moults. My 22 year old thin cushings horse also has this same wrinkled skin - I will post pics of him tomorrow.
 
the first pic in the OP does look like a fat horse but obviously its hard to tell from a pic

I can understand this being caused by a medical condition but two horses in the same home with the same wrinkles would be too much of a coincidence really and would point more towards the weight (similar husbandry)
 
WelshD said:
the first pic in the OP does look like a fat horse but obviously its hard to tell from a pic

I can understand this being caused by a medical condition but two horses in the same home with the same wrinkles would be too much of a coincidence really and would point more towards the weight (similar husbandry)
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Why would being fat cause wrinkles? Seen many pics of fat ponies over the years but never noticed wrinkles. Surely like fat humans you have less wrinkles if your skin is pulled tight over fat, very confused by the (odd) fat comments.
 
I don't know the ins and outs but it does! I attend shows up and down the country and see this every weekend especially among natives or native types
 
PollyP99 said:
Why would being fat cause wrinkles? Seen many pics of fat ponies over the years but never noticed wrinkles. Surely like fat humans you have less wrinkles if your skin is pulled tight over fat, very confused by the (odd) fat comments.
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Fat people also have 'folds' of skin, their skin is not stretched tight.

I do wish horse-owners would learn to condition-score their animals.

Equi, if you have only had the bay for six weeks then most of the responsibility for the pony's condition must lie with the previous owner but unless your vet has told you that there is another problem, your pony looks fat. I would score it at 4 1/2. I would definitely put this pony on a diet to avoid health problems over the summer.
 
That is a fat horse Welsh D. The skin conditions of the ponies shown here are something else. It does look to me like some sort of breakdown in the collagen in the skin. I hope you find out what is causing it. I wonder if their is a genetic cause such as a mild form of Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia.
 
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