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Discussion on Scruffy dandruffy areas on points of hips
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 8, 2005 - 8:12 pm:
My mare has had this for YEARS. She used to have the same condition on her elbows but it has cleared up there. The skin right at the point of her hips on both sides sheds flakes, like dandruff. There is no hair loss. If I scratch it, the skin beneath the hair feels scabby and a bit greasy, and if I curry it, the flakes just come and come. I have tried baby oil, Scheiner's, basitracin, aloe, witch hazel, rubbing alcohol, and any number of other remedies. Nothing has any effect. It's not a cleanliness issue, as she is groomed well and regularly. It doesn't seem to bother her--not painful or itching. Any clues or suggestions?
Thanks.
Zoe
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Member:
Suzeb
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Posted on Tuesday, Feb 8, 2005 - 10:26 pm:
Hello Zoe,
Tell us what you did or did not do to clear up the elbow area.
My clue is that maybe you are grooming too vigorously in that area and the skin has now become calloused.
My suggestion is to leave it alone, quit applying all the stuff and to gently brush the hair only to distribute the oils through the hair shaft. I have found a soft shoe brush made with horse hair  , works well for this purpose and does not raise the flakes that you are seeing.
Hope this helps.
Susan B.
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 9, 2005 - 6:10 am:
Hi Susan--
I did nothing different to the elbow area at all, it just cleared up on its own. The scruffy area isn't connected to grooming--it persists whether she is groomed or not. I have at times been away for up to two weeks, and there are times when she is blanketed 24/7 and not groomed at all when I am away, and the area stays the same. I have not applied anything to it in about a year now--those experiments with the different applications were done early on. I think it is some kind of fungus or something--maybe Dr. O has some hints.
Zoe
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 9, 2005 - 7:54 am:
Zoe does your horse ever lie down?
DrO
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 9, 2005 - 8:18 am:
Dr. O. Sure. I am guessing you are wondering about abrasions. But the scruff continues even when she is blanketed 24/7. ???
Zoe
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 10, 2005 - 7:35 am:
Not abraisons but the pressure. I suspect the erosions, hyperkeratosis, and sebborhea is from the extra pressure these prominent bony spots get when lieing down. It is pretty common in all horses that lie down a lot.
DrO
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Member:
Nonie
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 10, 2005 - 8:23 am:
Sounds right on the money, Dr. O. Thanks. Any particular recommendations about how to ease the problem?
Zoe
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Feb 10, 2005 - 9:45 pm:
With you already blanketing they would have been my first suggestion. The only other thing you really have control over is the bedding in the stall to make it as deep and soft as possible.
DrO
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Member:
Chrism
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Posted on Wednesday, Feb 16, 2005 - 12:03 pm:
What is the flooring of the stall, Zoe? Sometimes a mat can help, especially over concrete.
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