hair loss on tail...rubbing? explanatory pic....

th72 · 06-13-2005, 02:30 PM

hey all. I noticed on one of my mares that she has a bare spot near the top of her tail. I've attached a picture so you can see. do you think this is just from rubbing? or could it be something else? I gave her a bath today, and was sure to clean the top of the tail as well as I could.

thanks for any help!

(ew that looks gross....*lol*)

3WishesDun · 06-13-2005, 02:36 PM

Pinworms perhaps? sometimes you can see a sticky type substance underneath her tail on her rectum, where the pinworm lays her eggs.... mites? does she rub her mane?
could be culicoides(sp?)gnats that drive horses nuts along the mane, tail, midline etc.....

sher327 · 06-13-2005, 02:37 PM

ouch, looks like something is bugging her. I've heard they can do that for anything from itchy bites,ticks,worms etc. and sometimes for no reason. I don't know anything about mares, could it be her being in heat and rubbing her back end on stuff? that may be dumb, I don't know but I have no idea!

3WishesDun · 06-13-2005, 02:39 PM

may also want to check her udders...they sometimes itch their tail when the udders are the culprit. May just be in heat, - you can also check her rectum and vulva - perhaps thoroughly hose them clean-check for signs of infection.

zorse · 06-13-2005, 02:39 PM

My first guess would be worms.
However, Sunny's doing the same thing and she's UTD on dewormers.
So I'd be curious if you find out.

th72 · 06-13-2005, 02:48 PM

thanks for your quick replies, everyone.

well, she IS acting like she's in heat.....her tail has been up a lot over the last couple of days, and she is squealing a lot with my other mare. *lol*

but someone also mentioned a sticky substance....I thought I kind of saw something a little bit liquidy (like brownish) on the underside of her tail today, but I figured it was just from her being in heat.

wow, hm, lots of interesting stuff here.....I'll try checking for these things you all have mentioned. and no, she isn't rubbing her mane. I think it looks like she has been rubbing her tail, though...ya know, the hair on top is all stiff and stuff.....however, the hair loss is on the inside, more, of her tail. I had to lift the hair to see it. but I'll keep an eye on her, and it, and read up a little on some of this stuff.

I appreciate the input.

--tara

th72 · 06-13-2005, 06:16 PM

any other thoughts?

Expressa · 06-13-2005, 06:46 PM

It could also be Summer Itch. Expressa gets this in the summer and the first place she rubs her tail is on the sides (which is where it looks like in your pic). So that could possibly be another option if your horse has been wormed.
If that is it I would get some anti-fungal gel (same kind of gel you would use on rain rot, girth itch, etc...) and put some on there everyday. Many anti-fungal gels/shampoos will say on the front of the bottle that they help treat Summer Itch. This usually keeps Expressa from scratching so bad and in a couple of weeks her tail starts growing back out again.

th72 · 06-13-2005, 08:34 PM

cooool, thanks for that tip about the anti-fungal gel. I'll look into it.

thanks everyone!!

BlackAsMidnite · 06-13-2005, 10:18 PM

o goodness...i hope something helps your horse. My horse did the same thing...he rubbed his tail against the barn...i have nooo clue why..but he stopped it all at once

06-13-2005, 02:30 PM	#1
th72 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 695 Images: 67	hair loss on tail...rubbing? explanatory pic.... hey all. I noticed on one of my mares that she has a bare spot near the top of her tail. I've attached a picture so you can see. do you think this is just from rubbing? or could it be something else? I gave her a bath today, and was sure to clean the top of the tail as well as I could. thanks for any help! (ew that looks gross....lol) Attached Thumbnails

06-13-2005, 02:36 PM	#2
3WishesDun Senior Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: At My Wit's End Posts: 16,881 Images: 655 Blog Entries: 27	Pinworms perhaps? sometimes you can see a sticky type substance underneath her tail on her rectum, where the pinworm lays her eggs.... mites? does she rub her mane? could be culicoides(sp?)gnats that drive horses nuts along the mane, tail, midline etc..... __________________ Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep. -Frost I've Been Snowballed!

06-13-2005, 02:37 PM	#3
sher327 Senior Member+ Join Date: May 2004 Location: illinois Posts: 7,132 Images: 624	ouch, looks like something is bugging her. I've heard they can do that for anything from itchy bites,ticks,worms etc. and sometimes for no reason. I don't know anything about mares, could it be her being in heat and rubbing her back end on stuff? that may be dumb, I don't know but I have no idea! __________________

06-13-2005, 02:39 PM	#4
3WishesDun Senior Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: At My Wit's End Posts: 16,881 Images: 655 Blog Entries: 27	may also want to check her udders...they sometimes itch their tail when the udders are the culprit. May just be in heat, - you can also check her rectum and vulva - perhaps thoroughly hose them clean-check for signs of infection. __________________ Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep. -Frost I've Been Snowballed!

06-13-2005, 02:39 PM	#5
zorse Senior Member+ Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 6,604 Images: 474 Blog Entries: 331	My first guess would be worms. However, Sunny's doing the same thing and she's UTD on dewormers. So I'd be curious if you find out. __________________ To an ordinary human being, love means nothing if it does not mean loving some people more than others. -George Orwell http://flippingpages.wordpress.com/

06-13-2005, 02:48 PM	#6
th72 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 695 Images: 67	thanks for your quick replies, everyone. well, she IS acting like she's in heat.....her tail has been up a lot over the last couple of days, and she is squealing a lot with my other mare. lol but someone also mentioned a sticky substance....I thought I kind of saw something a little bit liquidy (like brownish) on the underside of her tail today, but I figured it was just from her being in heat. wow, hm, lots of interesting stuff here.....I'll try checking for these things you all have mentioned. and no, she isn't rubbing her mane. I think it looks like she has been rubbing her tail, though...ya know, the hair on top is all stiff and stuff.....however, the hair loss is on the inside, more, of her tail. I had to lift the hair to see it. but I'll keep an eye on her, and it, and read up a little on some of this stuff. I appreciate the input. --tara

06-13-2005, 06:16 PM	#7
th72 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 695 Images: 67	any other thoughts?

06-13-2005, 06:46 PM	#8
Expressa Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Tx Posts: 2,364 Images: 151	It could also be Summer Itch. Expressa gets this in the summer and the first place she rubs her tail is on the sides (which is where it looks like in your pic). So that could possibly be another option if your horse has been wormed. If that is it I would get some anti-fungal gel (same kind of gel you would use on rain rot, girth itch, etc...) and put some on there everyday. Many anti-fungal gels/shampoos will say on the front of the bottle that they help treat Summer Itch. This usually keeps Expressa from scratching so bad and in a couple of weeks her tail starts growing back out again. __________________ "Horses can't talk but they can speak if you listen." Expressa (5/9/87-7/28/06) Dash (4/6/93-9/29/04) "The love of horses knows not it's own depth till the hour of separation." I've been snowballed!

06-13-2005, 08:34 PM	#9
th72 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Utah Posts: 695 Images: 67	cooool, thanks for that tip about the anti-fungal gel. I'll look into it. thanks everyone!!

06-13-2005, 10:18 PM	#10
BlackAsMidnite Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Horse capital of the world =)) Posts: 823 Images: 79 Blog Entries: 9	o goodness...i hope something helps your horse. My horse did the same thing...he rubbed his tail against the barn...i have nooo clue why..but he stopped it all at once __________________ ~The things that arnt expected, are the things that become great~ By: BlackAsMidnite

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