Too my horse today for the skin scrape. He asked me what all I was trying, and of course I had a list a mile long.
He took scrapes from three or four spots and checked under the microscope. He couldn't find mites, so he came back and scraped a few more areas. No mites.
He suspects a fungal problem and prescribed bathing the hrose twice a week, alternating between two different fungal shampoos, as there are different kinds of fungi.
I asked about the biopsy and he seemed reluctant to do it and kept advising the shampoo treatment. I finally agreed to that, but by the time I got in to pay, I decided to assert my opinion and insist on the biopsy.
I take him in next week. I am to use no treatments on him for 7 days, or the biopsy would be compromised. I will take him in in the morning and leave him, as it will require sedation and stitches.
The biopsy SHOULD show: what kind of fungus, if any; bacteria presence; and any mites.
My thinking is, I can bathe him for 3 weeks, twice a week with shampoos that will cost me roughly $70+. Then at the end of that time, he MIGHT clear up if it is a fungus, but I won't know which shampoo worked, as the two shampoos treat different fungus. Or, he MIGHT not be better at all and I would still be looking at a biopsy. There is also an internal fungal treatment, but it has side effects so it would not be an option unless it was a last resort.
I am tired of messing around with this. Every day he has more spots and looks more moth-eaten. I am inclined to agree with the vet that it is a fungus, though, as I don't think he is itching badly enough for mites. The good news, is fungus is cureable! And more good news, my other horse is not affected by it at all so it must not be contagious.
I don't have experience with skin disorders, so I am basing my decision to biopsy on what other horse and dog owners have found.
He took scrapes from three or four spots and checked under the microscope. He couldn't find mites, so he came back and scraped a few more areas. No mites.
He suspects a fungal problem and prescribed bathing the hrose twice a week, alternating between two different fungal shampoos, as there are different kinds of fungi.
I asked about the biopsy and he seemed reluctant to do it and kept advising the shampoo treatment. I finally agreed to that, but by the time I got in to pay, I decided to assert my opinion and insist on the biopsy.
I take him in next week. I am to use no treatments on him for 7 days, or the biopsy would be compromised. I will take him in in the morning and leave him, as it will require sedation and stitches.
The biopsy SHOULD show: what kind of fungus, if any; bacteria presence; and any mites.
My thinking is, I can bathe him for 3 weeks, twice a week with shampoos that will cost me roughly $70+. Then at the end of that time, he MIGHT clear up if it is a fungus, but I won't know which shampoo worked, as the two shampoos treat different fungus. Or, he MIGHT not be better at all and I would still be looking at a biopsy. There is also an internal fungal treatment, but it has side effects so it would not be an option unless it was a last resort.
I am tired of messing around with this. Every day he has more spots and looks more moth-eaten. I am inclined to agree with the vet that it is a fungus, though, as I don't think he is itching badly enough for mites. The good news, is fungus is cureable! And more good news, my other horse is not affected by it at all so it must not be contagious.
I don't have experience with skin disorders, so I am basing my decision to biopsy on what other horse and dog owners have found.