mane dropping out!

[Deleted]

I just thought i would see if by any remote chance anyone else has seen or heard of this.
Mistys mane has just about dropped out, but only from her withers to about a third of the way up. she is very sensitive on it, cant stand anyone touching her there, she is awful to tack up and if you touch even one of the remaiming hairs is drives her mad! She has been treated witn imaverol which seemed to clear it up last time, but then it has flared up again. I think it has something to do with the rug she had as it had a high neck which came up to exactly where the poorly bit finishes, the top 2 thirds of her mane is fine, full thick welsh unruly mane. But the vet didnt think it could be the rug.
He said to try bathing it for 2 weeks in head and shoulders, that made her even worse after one bath!
im using imaverol again but it doesnt seem to be working this time, the vet is coming again next week to do teeth and jabs so he is going to have another look but i think he is getting baffled! They are going to take skin swabs i think.
Its not sweet itch as she isnt itchy and never rubs.
Im at a loss!
Going to put it on h&h see if anyone there ever heard of it.

[Anna]

Is she still wearing her rug?

If so, maybe take it off now the suns here, I've seen mane fall out before from over-heating caused by wearing rugs or general itching caused by over-rugging which in turn could cause the sensitivity now? If it wasn't rug related I would expect it to go all the way up her mane, not be selective? Is there any marks on the neck or rubs? Or is it literally just no hair?

[Debbie]

It may also be that the rug is pinching nerves across her withers, causing a nerve reaction to being touched along there. The pressure from the rug could indeed be causing the mane to fall out.

It would be a bit like having your hand go to sleep, then as the blood rushes back in, you get pins n needles and it hurts and itches like mad. Touching doesn't feel good til the blood's been properly restored.

Fingers crossed you can get to the bottom of this soon.

[nars]

Over heating due to rugs has caused all 3 of mine to lose large chunks of mane this year and we are now having to put them out without neck covers on and use a product from the US that improves hair growth.



The only other thing I can suggest is delousing.

[taffydales]

Sam my grey cob lost loads of his mane a few years back and it was deffinately a rug problem and only one particular rug all the others were fine!

[Deleted]

No she doesnt have the rug on, she only has that one on if its really cold, she only had it on a couple of times then i noticed she was getting twitchy again so i chucked it away, she hasnt had it on for at least 3 months. I havent put any rugs on with neck covers since she started again. she is clipped so she just has her stable rug on during night and unless cold she is naked during the day as she is a very warm horse.
there are no marks i can see, just abit scurfy, she never rubs it because i think its more painful than itchy. Its so strange i will have to try get a pic to show you guys! I do think its a bit puffy though.
She has a tiny bit of mane left but it is all at the nearside!!!
We will se what the vet thinks next week.
I was thinking iv heard people giving piriton for allergies, maybe worth a try if we are all baffled.

[Debbie]

Does she show signs of sensitivity further up her neck, lower onto her back or into her shoulders?

[valerie n scout]

oh gosh sounds awful for her, Scout does have sweet itch so I know a little of what she and you are going thru, I do hope you can get to the bottom of the problem x

[Deleted]

Debbie, Its hard to tell really she doesnt seem to have any problems other than mane.
The vet has been today and he is baffled! He has hogged the part of her mane that is bad, oh yes does she look daft!! He said the skin is normal and healthy and he cannot understand why it is only the bottom half of her mane. She actually seems happier with it hogged but she looks ridiculous, but if she is happier then so am i.
He has left me some steroid cream to put on everyday and he said we could xray the area if she doesnt improve, i dont quite understand but it could be something to do with 2 vertebrate touching but he said it is very unlikely due to the area that is sensitive. Iv asked on horse and hound but i seem to be the only one in the country with a wierd horse!!
Thanks for all your suggestions.

[southerner]

may be worth trying some stop it all which covers most things !