What is wrong with my pony?

lialls

lialls

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 February 2008
Messages
1,428
Location
The Hills
Visit site
My Shetland pony Brian has become very itchy, i thought it was just the time of year and malting his winter woolies but he hasnt malted much, iv been brushing him daily but hes still holding on to it. Hes become so itchy that hes been rubbing himself raw in places. I gave him a bath with some NAF shampoo last week but it dosnt seem to of helped. His neck looks like he has got sweetich, its gone crested and got like rinkles across his mane (sorry cant explane it very well) he was fine last year. Hes 14 years old. I though sweetich was hereditry(sp) so he would of had it last year? Could it be someting else?

Here are some pictures of it. Were his summer coat has come through is where he has rubber himself.

http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk153/purplepollydot/Brian 19 05 2010/
 
I did wonder wether it could be lice, i thought that a sign of lice was that they droped weight too? He deffently hasnt lost any weight. Where do horses catch lice from? Hes just been out in the field all winter with his 2 other normal field mates, they are both fine, have lost there winter coats and arnt itchy.
 
I'd say it's most likely to be lice. They pick up lice from other wildlife, not just ponies, so could be deer passing through the field etc.

One of mine always got lice without fail every spring, whereas the others seemed not to get them, although I doused them anyway with powder just in case. He didn't lose weight with it, but one day in the field he just rubbed his neck until his skin was raw and weepy.

I found a three-pronged attack best.

1. Clip as much hair off as you can - it's warm and he won't miss it, plus if he is not moulting it will help him feel cooler. You can always pop a little rug on at night if it's wet/horrid.

2. Bath with one of the insecticide shampoos that you should be able to buy from local tack shop. Usually have to leave it on for about 5 mins to be effective, then rinse well.

3. Apply lots of lice powder. I used an organic one which seemed to be made from cornflour - presumably it chokes the little blighters! Put loads in the mane as obviously you don't want to hog that gorgeous lion effect! Also put some powder on any rugs, round stable etc.

Some people disinfect everything to stop reinfection, but I usually found doing the above then repeating a few weeks later got rid of them.

Some ponies do develop sweet itch as they get older, but from the photos it looks like he is rubbing his back and neck more so I would put my money on lice.
 
I agree could be lice. I bought a yearling with lice, we treated her with Coopers and it cleared up easily. But I would get a skin scrape done just to check for anything else. Better to be safe than sorry.
 
Another vote for Cooper's Fly Repellant Plus, our elderly mare mysteriously rubbed bald patches in the late Autimn, one day when she had had a rug on. We thought at the time that she had got too hot but louse powdered her. Her 2 companions showed no signs of any problem. During a vet visit I learned that geldings in neighbours' field were apparently suffering fwith lice. The Cooper's has been very successful but has needed repeated applications to get rid of everything. We also removed the mare from access to the geldings over the boundary walls. My only problem now is that she has just gone back onto the top field. I'm watching closely for signs of itching!
 
This photo worries me :(

DSC00505.jpg


Have you had him tested for cushings?
 
I agree with puppy and suggest you talk to your vet about getting him tested for cushings. Has he ever had laminitis?

Good luck getting to the bottom of it.
 
Just wondering why that worries you? Hes was rubbing himself on the gate. I did wonder about cushing but he had a lovely summer coat last year and i havnt seen any other signs really. Hes holding on to his coat but he has malted alot of it already.
 
Cider loving mare - No hes never had Lamintus, He is stood like that as he was rubbing on the gate. I am happy with his weight atm, i keep a very close eye on it as i am paranoid about lamintus. I know his feet are in need of attention, the farrier is coming next week to trim them.
 
Puppy were you refering to the way he was standing? Sway backed? He was rubbing on the gate behind him as the photo was taken, so i guess it just looks like that. This is what he looked like in december, standing how he normaly stands
DSC02342.jpg
 
I can see why puppy is thinking cushings the coat looks typical, not sway backed OP, more that his stomach has dropped a bit too.

I would also suspect lice.

His feet look like they badly need trimming.

I would get him a vet visit tbh.
 
What about his coat makes you think that? How quickly can a horse develope crushing? His summer coat last year was fine, can it come on that quickly?
 
It is longer and curlier than might be expected for the time of year, particularly around his face/on his cheek bone. I would also say he looks older than 14, particularly around the head, and yes it could have come on over the last year.
 
With the onset of Cushings, you will notice the coat changes in one year, i.e., ok one year then noticable the next. Your pony at the moment is displaying an very late uneven shedding of his winter coat, which is a classic symptom of cushings.
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgu...+disease+in+horses&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbs=isch:1

However, this obviously the patchy rubbing could also be caused by lice, this is why people are suggesting getting him checked over by a vet. Just to be on the safe side.

F
 
I have to say that I think the first piccie shows signs of cushings. Is the area above his eyes bulged out? (where it usually dips in a bit) I don't know if it's just the picture but his tummy looks bloated which is another sign. Is he drinking any more than he used to do? He may only just be developing it and they often develop it at different rates. He may not have lami now but cushings ponies are more succeptable to it in autumn.
I think if you're really worried about him then it is best to get the vet. They can blood test him if they think it is that and you can decide where to go from there :)
 
I was going to treat him for lice tonight but dont want to treat the wrong thing and if the vet needs to be called dont want to complicate things. I shall speak to the vet tomorrow then. He was 14 last year when we bought him, so now 15 sorry. He is a registerd shetland so his age should be correct on his papers, his papers say hes 15 this year.
 
I would still treat him for lice tonight if I were you. Delousing wouldn't hurt even if he isn't lousy. It'll give him quick relief if he has lice & hopefully stop him being so itchy. Then if you dont see an improvement in his coat, at least you have ruled lice out, so you'll be a step ahead.

Also, make sure his wormer is up to date too as a worm burden can cause a pot belly, which also happens to be a symptom of cushings.

Rule the simple things out before you worry about the bigger things.


Remember to follow up delousing with a second dose (i think it's 10 days later, but read the instructions) to catch the eggs, and do any rugs & your brushes too.
 
lialls said:
I was going to treat him for lice tonight but dont want to treat the wrong thing and if the vet needs to be called dont want to complicate things. I shall speak to the vet tomorrow then. He was 14 last year when we bought him, so now 15 sorry. He is a registerd shetland so his age should be correct on his papers, his papers say hes 15 this year.
Click to expand...

Let us know how you get on :) , I am not very good at describing why, his age is likely correct if registered and I do think he is looking older than that.
 
He looks quite normal in coat for a shettie to me! (other than the rubbed bits I mean)

I would go for the lice treatment first a foremost.
 
Brandy this is what i though, all the shetlands and miniture horses iv seem still have quite a thick coat atm. I will de-lice him and see what happends. Thanks everyone though.
 
lialls said:
Just wondering why that worries you? Hes was rubbing himself on the gate. I did wonder about cushing but he had a lovely summer coat last year and i havnt seen any other signs really. Hes holding on to his coat but he has malted alot of it already.
Click to expand...

His coat is a big part of the reason I say that. He may have had a lovely coat last year, but right now it looks like a classic cushings coat. :( Plus, it looks like he now has a dropped back & hind quarters, and a pot belly. It's hard to tell for sure from the photo, but it looks like the top part of his neck is cresty in a cushings way too. Cushings would also explain the itchy skin, as it can make them have skin trouble.

Don't panic, just ask your vet to have a look and test him :)
 
Great. Let us know how you get on :) Cushing isn't the end of the world (my veteran, now 24, whom I've owned for over 13 years was quite recently diagnosed) but you need to know so that you can manage them the best way possible :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top