Diagnosis of nodular necrobiosis can be made through signs and symptoms, history of high protein diets and through biopsy or aspiration and histology.
Treatment is administration of corticosteroids for inflammation or surgical excision. Decreasing the protein content of feeds may reduce the signs of nodular necrobiosis and protecting against insect bites may limit the spread of nodules.
Seborrhea Seborrhea is commonly called
.
The cause is idiopathic, and its occurrence is uncommon in the horse.
Seborrhea can be primary, which is rare but seen on the mane, tail & hind dorsal cannons. Generally, seborrhea is considered a disorder as the application of any foreign substance to the hair and hair follicle can trigger the onset of seborrhea. Skin infections, nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances and auto immune reactions may also lead to secondary dandruff. Irritation of the sebaceous gland may cause increased turnover of the surrounding epithelial cells, lichenification and increased keratinisation of the surrounding epithelium and increased sebum production.
Any horse subjected to products used on the skin & hair can trigger seborrhea.
Those three changes result in scale formation and the of sebum saturated, dead epithelial cells. Oily seborrhea will appear as yellow brown crusts that peel off leaving a patch of bare skin. If severe, seborrhea causes pruritus, inflammation, alopecia and ulceration of the skin.
Generally equine cases of seborrhea are restricted to the mane and tail regions, but the entire body may be affected.
Diagnosis of seborrhea is made through clinical signs and symptoms as well as through skin biopsy and histology.
Treatment will depend on the type of dandruff the horse is suffering from. Primary is incurable but can be managed with application of antiseborrgenic washes, ointments or powders. For secondary seborrhea, if the triggering factor is known removal of that factor often leads to spontaneous regression of seborrhea in a few days. If the initiating factor is not known and removed, recurrence is common. In cases of dry dandruff, it may be necessary to clip the hair away.
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