CHAPTER TWLEVE : SKIN LESIONS
Introduction
The skin is the first line of defence for the body. It forms a barrier between the external environment and the body’s internal environment. The skin is also an important factor in the maintenance of homeostasis as it prevents the movement of water and ions into or out of the body tissues. The skin’s innate immunity comes from the secretions that coat the skin’s surface and from the continual shedding of dead cells at the skin’s surface. In horses, the skin is covered by hair. The hair coat adds to the defensive capabilities of the skin as it keeps some pathogens from ever reaching the skin’s surface. The continual shedding of hair also helps to rid the body surface of pathogens, and secretions onto hair shafts push pathogens away from the skin. Body hair also plays a role in as the hair coat has good insulation capabilities and it provides greater surface area for evaporative cooling. In addition to its immune function and its role in homeostasis skin is a organ. Skin has receptors for temperature, pain, pressure and chemical composition of the skin. As the skin covers such a large surface it is able to provide the body with invaluable information about the external environment. As massage therapists, it is important to be aware of the various diseases and dysfunction that can occur in the equine skin as well as those occurring in human skin as contact between the therapist’s hands and the horse’s skin is essential to carry out a massage treatment. Certain conditions that are apparent in the skin are considered contraindications to massage. These conditions include:
contagious skin conditions
zoonotic disease
inflammatory skin conditions
burns, wounds, ulcerations, abrasions skin infections frostbite any unknown conditions
Skin has a wide range of pathologies including, but not limited to; hypersensitivities, immune mediated reactions, trauma or burns, infection, cysts, tumors and cancer.
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