What Causes Itching And Hair Loss In Horses?

Outside of the obvious reasons for a horse to lose hair, such as friction from poorly fitting tack or rugs, there are 3 main categories for causes of itchiness in horses; allergic skin disease, infectious causes (that could be bacterial or fungal) or parasitic (e.g. lice or mites).

Why is my horse itchy and losing hair?

Hair loss in the horse can be caused by something simple, such as environment and temperature, or it can be caused by an infectious skin disease, such as ringworm (fungus) that invades the hair follicles of the skin; dermatophilosis, a superficial bacterial skin disease; or be the result of scratching due to an

Why is my horses hair falling out?

Horses lose hair because of insects, bacteria, skin infections, heat, medical conditions, or allergies. Horses also itch and rub irritated areas creating bald spots. Hair loss can be permanent or temporary and can affect specific areas or include the entire body.

Does Cushing’s cause hair loss in horses?

The most common signs observed in horses with Cushing’s disease/PPID include: Failure to shed winter coat fully, or patchy shedding. Long and/or curly coat.

What is equine alopecia?

Alopecia is the partial or complete lack of hairs in areas where they are normally present. Hair loss is a sign, not a disease. Its underlying cause must be determined for the condition to be successfully treated. If an animal has hair loss and is also scratching the area excessively, the itching.

What can I put on my horse to stop itching?

Treatment: Antihistamines or corticosteroids may help ease the itch and inflammation, providing relief to the itchy horse; antibiotics or antimicrobial shampoos can help prevent secondary infections. Pentoxifylline can be used to decrease skin reactivity, and in some cases allergy serum is worth trying.

What can I give a horse with itchy skin?

Commonly prescribed anti-itching medications include corticosteroids and essential fatty acids. A program that stresses preventive control of parasites in the horse’s environment—including insect control and regular deworming programs—can help eliminate or reduce some causes of itching.

Can worms in horses cause hair loss?

Large numbers of larvae can cause skin inflammation of the face, neck, chest, withers, forelegs, and abdomen. Signs often include areas of scaling, crusts, ulcers, hair loss, and color loss. There may also be itching. Larvae can also accumulate in the eyes of horses.

How do you know if your horse has mites?

Mite infestations cause general itchiness, often with areas of thickened, crusty skin. Mites are too small to see with the human eye, but can sometimes be identified under the microscope from scrapings taken from the horse’s skin. Mites can also be transmitted from horse to horse, and via solid objects.

How do you know if a horse has mange?

The animal will rub and chew on its skin, causing sores and bald patches to appear on the head, neck, flanks, and abdomen. The sores start as small bumps and blisters that later develop into crusts. Hair loss and crusting spreads, and the skin becomes thickened.

What are the first signs of Cushing’s disease in horses?

Clinical signs include increased coat length and delayed shedding of the winter coat, laminitis, lethargy, increased sweating, weight loss and excessive drinking and urinating. The disease primarily affects those over the age of 10, with 19 being the average age at diagnosis.

Does Cushing’s cause itching in horses?

What are the signs of Cushing’s? Abnormal hair coat, which may be long and wavy, fails to shed normally and is accompanied by excessive sweating and pruritus (itching). Laminitis – increased digital pulse, pottery gait, standing with feet stretched out in front.

How can you tell if a horse has Cushings?

Signs of Cushing’s syndrome include:

• Failure or later shedding of the winter coat that may become really long, matted and curly especially around the legs.
• Excessive sweating.
• Increased drinking and urination.
• Lethargy and poor performance.
• A pot-bellied appearance.
• Loss of muscle and topline.

What does ringworm in horses look like?

The skin lesions (pathological abnormalities) usually start as small raised spots from which the hair is lost. These spread from these spots and usually become scurfy or a thick dry crumbly scab may form. Sometimes the lesions are sore and sometimes itchy.

Can Dewormer cause hair loss?

Side effects are rare. The most common would be the same as any medication, perhaps some gastrointestinal irritation. Oral tablets and topical medications are available for deworming. Occasionally we can see hair loss at the location of the topical application.

What parasite causes mange in horses?

Mange is caused by small insectlike parasites known as mites which live on or in the skin of the host animal. Horses are commonly affected by three different genera of mange mites—Sarcoptes, Psoroptes^ and Chorioptes—and each causes a different kind of mange, known as sarcoptic, psoroptic, and chorioptic, respectively.

What does horse dermatitis look like?

Horses with pastern dermatitis usually exhibit multiple lesions in the pastern area. Initially, patchy red skin (erythema), oozing, crusting, erosions, and ulcerations develop, followed by swelling (edema) of the affected limb(s). The skin can be itchy and sensitive.

What is a natural antihistamine for horses?

Quercetin, a natural antihistamine, belongs to a group of beneficial plant antioxidants known as flavanoids. Quercetin is a powerful antioxidant and immune booster and has been said to be similar to, or more effective than, common NSAIDs in reducing inflammation.

What does sweet itch look like in horses?

Sweet Itch leads to skin lesions which are often hairless, weeping, and in some cases, ulcerative (non-healing). Horses tend to have severe itching at the site of these lesions along the horse’s back, especially at the base of the mane and tail.

Can worms in horses cause itching?

Large numbers of larvae can cause skin inflammation of the face, neck, chest, withers, forelegs, and abdomen. Signs often include areas of scaling, crusts, ulcers, hair loss, and color loss. There may also be itching.

Can I give my horse Benadryl for itching?

Over the counter diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or comparable antihistamines can be used in an emergency for horses with severe hypersensitivity or allergy. Prolonged use is not advised. There is no literature to support the use of diphenhydramine in horses. You are using this product at your own risk.