Tuesday, June 9, 2009

June 9th

I haven't updated this blog for a long time. I haven't had much to say about Bounce. He lost a little more hair on his back and along the inside of his hind legs, but it seems to have stopped, at least for now. 

I put him on antibiotics because I thought it couldn't hurt. The vet gave them to me, but she says he does have an autoimmune disease, regardless of how the blood work looks. She told me three pathologists have confirmed Alopecia. She doesn't believe the infection has anything to do with it. I don't know what to think, but I have tried anything I thought may help. 

I continue with the herbs, but I have no idea if this is helpful or just a placebo for me. I have to admit he has a new name, baldy. He's also a little more bossy with the herd then his usual attitude (which has always been pushy), so I think someone out there called him baldy too. : ) 

I'll get photos of him when I get the chance, but the change is not drastic.

9 comments:

  1. Well best of luck with that. I did not know that the Alopecia was 100% confirmed. Sorry you are going through this...is there any chance for hair regrowth?

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  2. I am glad to hear an update and had hoped the treatments would help. Oh,my will he get sunburned in the sun?

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  3. He is lucky to have black skin. I can burn, but not so easily. He will be wearing a fly mask soon and that will help him a lot. I don't think he has enough hair loss on his torso to worry about a fly sheet. I'll think about it, but I think it will make him more uncomfortable than it will help.

    I don't think he will get his hair back.

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  4. It can burn. I know I can burn!

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  5. I have been wondering how he was coming along. You are so great to give him every opportunity. I'm crossing my fingers that SOMETHING will work for him.

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  6. Well, given that you may be in need of a lot of sunblock. I suggest the generic baby kind from Wal-Mart. I believe you can also find it at Fleet Farm. It is for human babies but works great on horses and is much less expensive than horse sunblock (not that I am surprising anyone with THAT!). It is also water proof. I have found that I do not have to apply it every day because it soaks in and is water proof. I apply like a lifeguard however.

    I once had a lesson horse that was terribly sensitive to the sun. I believe her sensitivity is because she was found at auction, blistered and bleeding from sunburn. Anyway, I ended up making things work by stalling her during the day with one other mare that would tolerate it and turning them both out at night. I only did this during May through September.

    The rest of the year they went on regular turnout - obviously because MN winter is really not nice at night and I didn't want to take away her turnout. October through April I put them on regular turnout and sunscreened her once or twice a week - the sun is not as hot for us then so this worked well.

    Just some thoughts/ideas for what's ahead. I found night turnout easier then sunscreening all the time. Plus, they still get plenty of sunlight, just not during the sun's hottest times (10-3).

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  7. J, alas, my feet will never cross a Wal-Mart threshold! I think he will be fine with a fly mask and perhaps a sheet. His skin is holding up well. There are usually skin problems with this condition, but he is not experiencing any of them. At least yet.

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  8. Somehow, I had forgotten about Bounce's (and yours) battle. I hope you are both handling things well.

    There are so few people that have figured out how to live without Walmart. Way to go Sandra!!

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  9. I hate the very idea of that place. And the Walton family, don't get me started.

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