What could this be?

[Spyda]

My mare has developed these weird skin patches. The hair thins, the skin thickens a bit and looks dark. She had one on her ear, on her face, and two either side of her neck and now a new larger area has appeared on her flank. I've been bathing the face and neck ones with Hibiscrub and applying Fungatrol ointment and they're looking a lot better, but the one on her flank is new. I'll treat it the same way, but wondered if anyone knew what they were? Vet looked a couple of weeks ago when teeth rasping and suggested a skin infection. He prescribed some powders but madam wont eat them and the vet said only other treatment was by daily vein injection. He was a bit vague about what it could be, so I've been treating with the Hibiscrub and Fungatrol and do think they're curing it. Just worried me when the new one appeared today, when I've been treating the older ones successfully. You might also be able to see that her skin is very scurfy and greasy ATM. Nothing seems to be helping that, and I'm wondering if the two problems are related?

 

[Bryndu]

Looks like Ringworm to me...Mr vet would need to see it to advise best treatment.
Used to be a course of Fulsin.....but not sure now...
The good news is it is totally curable.
Best wishes
Bryndu

 

[Spyda]

Looks like Ringworm to me...Mr vet would need to see it to advise best treatment.
Used to be a course of Fulsin.....but not sure now...
The good news is it is totally curable.
Best wishes
Bryndu

Interesting you say that as initially both I and the YO thought that's what it might be, but over the past couple of months two different vets have looked at them and said it's not that. Neither said what it WAS though Best offer of help I got was from the last vet who suggested it was a skin infection - and gave me the inedible powders to feed her for 10 days.

 

[Bryndu]

Hmmm...if Mr vet is not sure...ask for a skin scraping to be sent away to be analysed....that would probably give you a defo answer......not wishing to sound funny...if my vet said not sure I would be a bit miffed! Most of us call the vet when WE are not sure...not to have Mr vet confirm what WE already don't know..ha..ha..!

Bryndu

 

[Spyda]

Hmmm...if Mr vet is not sure...ask for a skin scraping to be sent away to be analysed....that would probably give you a defo answer......not wishing to sound funny...if my vet said not sure I would be a bit miffed! Most of us call the vet when WE are not sure...not to have Mr vet confirm what WE already don't know..ha..ha..!

Bryndu

Yeah, I know! but TBF on these occasions the vets were out looking at something else and I jumped in with an unwelcome, "Hey, could you have a quick look at this whilst you're here, please?" I haven't really been worried about them until today's new patch appeared at completely the opposite end of her body to where the previous outbreaks have been. The old areas are healing with the treatment I'm giving, but it's worrying new outbreaks are still occuring.

 

[Bryndu]

Fair enuff!
Would still get a scraping done...if not Ringworm...may be some mite thing in your stable/field which you need to despatch...and the skin scrape will tell you...
Not expensive at all....and the results are pretty quick...
Bryndu

 

[Spyda]

Fair enuff!
Would still get a scraping done...if not Ringworm...may be some mite thing in your stable/field which you need to despatch...and the skin scrape will tell you...
Not expensive at all....and the results are pretty quick...
Bryndu

Yeah, you're right. If new patches are still appearing, then whatever's causing it is still a problem.

 

[Bryndu]

Good luck.
Bryndu

 

[Spyda]

Thanks Bryndu!

 

[islandspirit]

My horse also has these, one on his front leg at the moment and one on his neck but he has also lost the bottom half of his mane, from underneath and the skin here is thickened, greasy, and dandruffy. He has has skin scrapings which didn't turn up anything and I haven't, as yet found anything that treats it. Tried Hibiscrub, anti bacterial shampoo and steroid lotion.

 

[Spyda]

My horse also has these, one on his front leg at the moment and one on his neck but he has also lost the bottom half of his mane, from underneath and the skin here is thickened, greasy, and dandruffy. He has has skin scrapings which didn't turn up anything and I haven't, as yet found anything that treats it. Tried Hibiscrub, anti bacterial shampoo and steroid lotion.

Yes, sounds very similar. Any luck treating yours so far? Bummer not knowing exactly what they are

 

[Monkers]

Definately get a skin scrape. We had an outbreak of something very similar many years ago. It wasn't ringworm, but there are infections caused by other types if fungus, which can give similar symptoms.

 

[Monkers]

My horse also has these, one on his front leg at the moment and one on his neck but he has also lost the bottom half of his mane, from underneath and the skin here is thickened, greasy, and dandruffy. He has has skin scrapings which didn't turn up anything and I haven't, as yet found anything that treats it. Tried Hibiscrub, anti bacterial shampoo and steroid lotion.

Have you tried anti fungal medication? The treatments you discribe above won't help if it is a fungal infection.

 

[Spyda]

Have you tried anti fungal medication? The treatments you discribe above won't help if it is a fungal infection.

Sorry, in my opening post I said I'd been using Fungatrol too. That does seem to help the patches disappear but it's just worrying that new areas are cropping up whilst the treated patches are healing. Seems whatever's causing it, is still active.

The vet suggested a bacterial skin infection which is why I've also been using the anti-bacterial products. IMO the Fungatrol is helping most.