Colt rubbing all the hair off his forhead. Any Ideas?

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Ellen

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Our youngest colt, Tamale is premature balding at the ripe old age of two weeks. LOL! He has a huge spot on his head that is losing hair daily. At first I didn't think much of it, then a friend said maybe mites, so I tested him on a slide. No mites.....Then I thought fungus, so I started treating with Equyss MicroTech gel. More hairloss. Any thoughts?
 
It is likely nothing to worry about. When my mare "Colors" was a foal, the same thing happened to her. She ended up losing most of her coat in that manner, and the new coat underneath came in downy soft! I was told this can happen when they have a bit of a fever. I know she did have a bit of a fever, and was also stressed that year, so I am thinking that is what it was. Her hair grew back, never had to do anything, and it has never happened again to any foal all my years of raising these minis. This is how hers looked when it started...(I actually thought when it started on her head it may have been from flies!)

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Just a thought here but could he be rubbing his forehead on the mare's belly as he nurses?
 
His spot looks similiar to you filly Mona. But completely bald and only his forhead. But he was stressed. He was a preemie, I mean just about 2 weeks early, but also a red bag. The hairloss happened after being released from the vet, following a hiGamma plasma transfusion. So, stress maybe a contributing factor.

Honestly Contessa, I thought the same thing, he is rubbing on Momma. And that could be aggrivating it. But it does resemble Mona's filly.

Mona, did the filly get raw pink spots too? And Tamale has no fever. I would post a picture, but I am not bright enough. LOL!
 
Your foal may have had a low grade fever at some point since he was born, that you were not even aware of. I have no idea what causes it, but when it happened to my filly, it was nothing to worry about.

My filly's spread to include most of her body. She was born May 27, and as you can see in these photos on July 1 (so barely over a month of age), she was nearly affected throughout her entire body. Was easy to clip her that year!
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When it started at the center of her forehead, it looked sort of "raw", like the bugs had been getting her, but was not oozing or open or anything, was just skin with no hair left, and soon thereafter the bare skin started being replaced with downy soft short hairs.

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It started in the same place and the same thing, skin, a few raw spots and is just spreading on his head. But I will watch the body. Now, the raw spots are gone. But, he very well could have had an elevated temp right after the pen and gen were discontinued. It was 4 days after the plasma he went off the meds and I quit taking his temp.

Looks the same, and yes he will be easy to clip. Thank you for the info and your filly is a cutie!
 
Hey Mona and Ellen just a thought but could it be sunburn? Monas sure looks like it could be. New foals--espeically with white burn really quick and easy and I know a friend of mine this happened to last spring and all the hair fell out where they got sunburned.
 
I think Mona has the answer. I have seen this as well and vet confirmed fever.

Wondering if not treating the umbilical with iodine long enough allowed the infection which caused a fever?
 
I don't believe it could be sunburn. It is the Blood bay colt. No white. His skin is dark, but a good thought. He hadn't been out much when it started either.

I don't believe it was a navel infection, as that was checked by 3 vets. We iodine the first day, several times, twice the second. But with all his little immune system was trying to do, with no immunity he could have simply had a fever. So, I bet a fever, but not from the navel as the vets were so thurough, sp? with that being an enormous concern in compromised foals. He also had no joint ill or any sepsis. After the plasma he was a new, bald man. LOL!

After Mona's info I am not overly concerned, but please keep the ideas and suggestions coming!
 

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