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  Discussion on Loss of skin pigmentation
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Member:
corinne

Posted on Sunday, Aug 8, 2010 - 7:37 pm:

Dr O,
I have been gone for three weeks during some extremely hot and humid weather here in the south. My horse was regularly groomed while I was gone. When I went to the barn yesterday I have noticed what you describe as mottled loss of pigmentation anywhere he sweats, under his mane, his vental midline (in patches), some small patches on his ears and his chest. There is no associated hair loss and the areas don't appear to itch. He doesn't have breaks in the skin, there is no swelling, it isn't sensative to touch. He was last dewormed about four weeks ago. He is flysheeted for turnout but there aren't many flies at the barn because we have superb manure management. I have cleaned all the areas and given him a Microtec bath. I am just not sure what to make loss of pigmentation without any other associated symptoms. Once again all the mottled skin depigmentation is in areas where he sweats. I know this sounds silly but I have always put Gold Bond baby powder on him during these months and it seems to keep him comfortable. He has always had skin sensativites and has always responded to topical antibacterial or microbial treatments. Just not sure what to do in this case and a review of your links under hair/coat problems the only place I found mottled depigmentation was in the ventral midline belly dermatitis article and he only has the depigmentation symptom. Can it be dermatitis with just this one symptom? Please advise when you get the chance! Thanks so much.

v/r
Corinne
Member:
paul303

Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2010 - 12:38 am:

Hi Corinne! Any chance you could post some pictures of Demetrius' mottled skin? I have a deep red ( shoot, I always called her sorrel, but since the discussion on "chorrel" I don't know what to call her )mare, with dark skin, that developed a sensitivity to white clover. She actually got sunburned on the top of her muzzel and developed a round scabbed sore. Her skin is all dark, but where that sore was is now pink.....and I cover it with sunscreen thru-out the "Jersey Shore" season.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2010 - 10:52 am:

Hi Corinne. A lot of Arabs get a condition called something like "leukhotrichia" where they loose pigmentation and develop white spots. It's not a disease and as far as I know there is nothing you can do about it. However, this condition usually develops randomly all over the body. I've also seen horses that developed pigmentation loss in areas of either heavy sweat or fly irritation, especially from gnats.

btw, are you sure D's own brushes are being used on him? I ask because where my sister-in-law boards the grooms are supposed to use a horse's own brushes, but it's quicker to just use one brush on all the horses. so that is what they were doing and consequently many horses, inc. Kathy's, developed a fungal infection. Am wondering if this could be a possibility? I don't know if there is something that causes loss of pigmentation that can be passed from horse to horse.
Member:
corinne

Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2010 - 11:25 am:

Hey guys. Thanks for the input, I will get some pictures tonight after lessons. So far from the research I have done since posting I believe it's rather benign. I am not sure Sara if his own brushes were used on him when I was gone but the teen who groomed him usually uses his grooming bag of supplies. Will disinfect those this evening. Coincidentally the vet is coming out today to start falls vaccs and to do fecals and he happened to specialize at one point in equine derm so I will see what he says. Someone mentioned Fading Arabian synDrOme but that doesn't seem to add up with the presentation and the onset. It was extremely hot here while we were in Greece and other's were riding him. He might have been put up after some lessons without having been hosed off thus leaving excess sweat in those areas that commonly sweat during work. I had a groom out twice weekly. Will let you know what the vet says, interested to hear what Dr. O says and will post pictures this evening.
Member:
cometrdr

Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2010 - 12:06 pm:

hey guys I will be watching this very close. My Big guy Comet has these sores and now the little one is getting it too - hes all black except his 3 ankles - where he has since gotten the sores. had the vet out he said scratches of Grease heel what ever you call it but he noted quite specific ally that it is Photosensitive reaction. rather the sun make any thing worse. there new turn out is magnificent - but it has trees and a large sandy wash - there are Gnats. they bite the ankles and create sores. so we have topical cortizone & antibiotical ointment every day and I keep fly boots on all 4 legs for both now. it is appearing to abate some with this diligence. I have no way to keep them out of the sun - we have shade covers but an open arena area with a lot of small trees and that lovely huge sandy wash. they have about a acre plus to roam at will. so cover and treat is all i can do. Some lady said to try Desitn on their ankles with some other stuff in it something flowers something - if any one can remember - health food additive - please let me know, but she said it rids the scratches in less than two weeks when it appears! again the photosensitivity exaggerated the affect of everything - so perhaps Corrinne your big D is affected by the sun as I believe he is a grey?
Member:
corinne

Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2010 - 4:42 pm:

PS Muffi where you been? Missed you on FB

Anyway, just got a report from my trainer who was with the vet...seems to think it's from a copper deficiency and recommended a specific supplement (that he sells) that has enough copper in it. Was told most supplements don't. If he is referring to vitiligo I would like more information on the whether or not a specific concentration of copper will help, said to try that first before going to biopsy.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Monday, Aug 9, 2010 - 5:19 pm:

Corrine,

This has happened to my gray Arabian horse when I have sprayed him with a DEET containing spray on areas where he was sweating such as inside of his upper legs and on the belly near those areas.

It is interesting that you noted those areas where the horse sweats heavily, as strong fly spray in those locations when a horse is sweating can cause skin that is usually dark-colored to turn pink and somewhat mottled with some horses like my gray boy Lance.

In my experience, this was a temporary condition.
Member:
cometrdr

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 - 10:28 am:

hey Corrine - I stink at FB... really online all day for work and FB is a prohibited web site from the work pc . so never go there. I be very curious if the copper helps - keep me informed - that could be a missing peice in Comets diet as well .... interesting. anyway good to see you and Demetrius out riding again - when is baby # 2 gonna come along?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 - 2:18 pm:

Hello Corrine,
No I don't think this sounds like a chronic dermatitis depigmentation. Is the hair just lighter in color or has the skin turned pink?
DrO
Member:
corinne

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 - 4:52 pm:

Dr O. I apologize, with the heat yesterday I was unable to get some good pictures. The hair is not lighter (well can't really tell as he is grey) it's his skin underneath that has turned pink in mottle spots. There are large areas on his neck under his mane (it hangs right). Some pink spots on his face where even the black skin around his eyes seems to be fading. There are also large areas of depigmentation on his belly and back of legs. There is one other grey in the barn and another at a farm a few towns away (owner is a friend of mine) who are exhibiting the same symptoms. When the vet said it could be possible copper deficiency he recommended supplementation with at least 1400 PPM of copper daily. Well the horse is already on Mega Cell which has 80 ppm less than that...I don't think he knew that. When I spoke with the office today he said to keep him on the Mega Cell and I could add half of a scoop and monitor. I just am just mystified. We have had the horse for six years in all varying climates and I have never seen this. Nothing in his diet or his grooming regimen has changed. He is on safechoice, hay from a local dealer (Old Dominion hay), the multivitamen and his cimetidine. He is turned out for a few hours a day in a well kept groomed pasture. He is current on all vaccinations and was last dewormed four weeks ago with Quest plus.
Member:
corinne

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 - 4:57 pm:

Have you heard of Fading Arabian SynDrOme? The other two horses are Arabs as well.
Member:
canter

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 7:32 am:

Weird, Corinne. I just noticed 1 small eraser size area on Sparkles last night (she's a grey too) that was pink instead of black skin. It's on her side, near where the right hind connects into the belly. If it's the same thing as Demetrius, then it can't be Fading Arabian SynDrOme as she is a Holsteiner.

We've had unusually long stretches of record heat and humidity, bug are unbelievably blood thirsty this year and I'm soaking her in fly spray so that she doesn't stomp her shoes off. I'm guessing a combination of negative environmental factors are causing this irritation. So far, it doesn't seem to bother her but I'll be interested to see if it spreads (hopefully not) and to see what everyone comes up with in explanation.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 9:09 am:

As others have noted above such mottling degigmentation is common as horses age and often it is without cause. You can read about copper mineral deficiency in horses at HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Minerals and Electrolytes for Horses, an Overview. You will note from the article that the problem with copper is a decrease in coat color in cows but not reported in horses.
DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 10:05 am:

I have found that many of the fly sprays will cause lose of pigmentation, at least on the Arabs. Some oils and topicals, like baby oil and Swat, will cause loss of hair when left on for very long or when used continuously, and sometimes will cause loss of pigmentation. I don't know if this holds true in other breeds. All the "gunk" put on horses for the show ring is always rinsed off after classes (or should be) for that reason, and I am very careful about what goes on our horses' skin/hair.
Member:
cometrdr

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 11:36 am:

hey Fran - have you tred fly leggins? Kensington makes them - they are fantastic. I use them on all 4 legs - keeps them from stomping. started it years ago when I had a horse with bad hooves, quarter crack - works like a charm and lasts for ever. The folks where I live here now never saw them before and were all like wow we should do that too. I may of started a new Summer Equine Fashion statement in Prescott AZ. but. really they work great - all the on line horse sites have them.
Member:
canter

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 1:01 pm:

Hi Muffi, I have used the fly leggings. Started 2 or 3 years ago when I came back from a trip to find my mare with bloody, chewed up ankles, even tho she had been regularly fly sprayed during my absence. However, she first wore out the rear pair (Cashel - I really liked them for fit) and just recently, wore out the 2 pairs I had for the front legs (can't remember the brand). The fabric on all became stiff and bunched up and started to cause rubs, so earlier this week, I tossed them out. Given the bug season we've had, I need to order some more because I do agree, they really make the horse more comfortable. Last night, I stole my husband's heavy duty bug spray he uses when out in the field hunting ( I need to replace it before he notices). I thought it had DEET in it, so sprayed my mare's ankles really well with it. Don't know how well it will work though - when I got back in the barn, I looked at the ingredients and discovered it was DEET free. Now I need to steal the other bug stuff from his hunting gear before I go out tonight!
Member:
corinne

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 11, 2010 - 5:11 pm:

Thanks Dr O and yes I did read that article a few days ago before the vet came out and I am not convinced that this is copper def since he is on a well rounded supplement and nutrition program. I get age but they appeared in the three weeks while I was gone and was not gradual in any way. I am going to take pictures tonight if the lightning stops and I can get out to the barn. If you think age after seeing the pictures I will feel comfortable with that. Thanks so much!
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