Approach to equine dermatology cases

Question 1

What are general history problems?

Answer 1

–Age
–Gender
–Breed
–Colour
–Management
–Feeding

Question 2

What is the difference between age in horses

Answer 2

*young horse = immunologically naive - grass warts
*old horse = long coat - more prone to cushings - hypertricosis = long curly coat

Question 3

Breed differences?

Answer 3

Apaloosa horse - dark thin brittle tail
- tend to lose their tales
White horses - vitiligo

Question 4

Horse colour differences?

Answer 4

Grey - pinpoint nodules (melanoma) under tail
Pink areas of skin - vasculitis

Question 5

What should you include in your clinical exam?

Answer 5

• Vital signs
  –(T/P/HR/RR/mm/CRT/WT/BC)
• All body systems
  –Alimentary / respiratory / cardiovascular / neurological / endocrine / renal / genital / musculoskeletal / special senses
• Integumentary system (detailed)

Question 6

What samples could you collect for a skin problem?

Answer 6

• Skin brushings / skin scraping
• Hair plucking
• Adhesive tape
• Skin biopsy
• Intradermal skin test
• Blood tests

Question 7

How could you perform your skin brushing?

Answer 7

Petri dish + Large dentri brush

Question 8

When would you do hair pluckings?

Answer 8

When there are alopecia lesions

Question 9

When would you use adhesive tape test?

Answer 9

*Really gungy lesion
*Pinworm - parasite lives within anus
sellotape around anus

Question 10

When would you take a skin biopsy?
what is the best technique?

Answer 10

*Lumpy, crusting lesions
*avoid clipping + scrubbing
*Place small amount of local anaesthetic subcut

Question 11

What is Intradermal skin testing?

Answer 11

40/50 tiny injections that react with the skin in a clipped area on neck to test for different problems