ALOPECIA

Alopecia is a local or general loss of hair and is usually associated with some types of inflammatory skin diseases.

Most skin conditions that cause itching result in some degree of hair loss as the horse rubs and bites at the skin.

Alopecia is the partial or total hair loss in areas of the body where hair usually grows.

Causes

• Ringworm is a fungal diseases affecting the skin.
• Skin Scald
• Rain Scald
• Selenium Toxicity
• Fever
• Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction known as Cushing’s disease is a cause of hair coat abnormalities in older horses.
• Injuries to the hair fibres caused by the horse continually rubbing or biting the areas of the body
• Infectious diseases,
• self inflicted injuries.

Normal shedding of hair is constant process and occurs most rapidly in the spring when there is changes in the temperature.

Auto-immune disease in which auto-antibodies targeting various hair follicle antigens are produced and T-lymphocytes infiltrates the follicular bulb.

The long winter coat is shed in response to warmer spring temperature and increased hours of sunlight.

Diagnosis

Skin scrapings for microscopic examination.

Fungal cultures are commonly performed on horses with hair loss, as ringworm (which is caused by a fungus) is one of the most common causes of this condition.

Animals with seasonal alopecia lose hair on their flanks and other body parts during certain times of the year.

Successful treatment depends on the underlying cause and specific diagnosis.

Reference

Horse veterinary Encyclopedia by Cheryl Rogers and G.Jeanne Wilcox