Paper on vitiligo
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Re: Paper on vitiligo
Well, I guess this is good-news/bad-news for me. I've always noticed my fingers rarely tanned and the area around my eyes had a tendency to look like I had pale goggles over them. (similar to the winter skiers' red face w/white goggle-eyes)
Interesting to note it is an autoimmune disorder accompanied by anemia, but this is my good-news/bad-news part ... I also have another autoimmune disorder with Crohn's in addition to chronic anemia, I am also treated w/ biologics that damage my immune system further. One of the symptoms of Crohn's is an inflamed colon that prevents the proper absorption of nutrition and liquid. I am in a constant state of anemia, dehydration and nutritional deficiency.
It doesn't sound very promissing to me from a recovery standpoint. *[i]sigh[/i]*
Okay! Pity-party over! I do have health-issues I work around but I definitely try to do the things I want to do and I don't let this disease hold me down for long. Yes, it's crappy, but if I don't laugh at the challenges and mishaps, I'll cry. I'd much rather laugh, so lets go have some fun!
Re: Paper on vitiligo
So how do we treat it?! I have a dog that had brown skin and nose leather but at about 1yo started losing pigment. I tried so many different things!! By about 4yo I think it had stopped but now she has a pink nose and some pink areas around her eyes. Although now I think of it, I do think her yes look a bit better than they used to. The nose is very pink though and burns easily :sad: She's now 8yo.
Re: Paper on vitiligo
Anecdotally that's been reported for years. You hear the stories on the forum, perhaps I have heard more because I tend to hang out on "Arabian" forums and they as a breed seem to stereotypically exhibit it. However, also anecdotally, it is not always cleared up with nutritional supplements, however varied. The anemia thing may have a connection to garlic, especially coming off the hot months. Many people feed garlic as a fly prevention supplement, and it causes anemia. One article on it I read posited that most horses fed garlic have subclinical signs that are not otherwise apparent without bloodwork.
Re: Paper on vitiligo
I found this - Pigmentary abnormalities may be acquired, and some of these may be hereditary or familial as in vitiligo. As a familial disease, vitiligo is best recognized in Arabian horses (Arabian fading syndrome, pinky syndrome); it may also be familial in cattle (Holstein-Friesian), Siamese cats, and in some breeds of dogs (Belgian Tervuren, Rottweiler).Affected animals develop somewhat symmetric macular depigmentation of the skin that occasionally also affects the hair coat and claws or hooves. The onset is usually in young adulthood. Most lesions are on the face, especially the muzzle or planum nasale or around the eyes. Depigmentation may wax and wane. Complete remission may occur but is rare. There is no accompanying systemic or cutaneous pathology. No treatment is available; treatments used in people with vitiligo are unlikely to provide significant cosmetic results in animals.
The weird thing is that this is not symmetrical, not on his face or nose, but strictly under his mane near the top side and only on that one side. I'm going to give him a tiny bit of red cell - but first, my trainer (who is also a vet tech) will take blood and run the CBC (I can't remember what she called it). It sounds though like it could just be his arabian half genetics and that he might have this "pinky syndrom"
Re: Paper on vitiligo
[quote="Jenks"]... it may also be familial in ... Siamese cats ...[/quote]
Interesting, our newest cat is a meezer and I've thought his face looked 'odd' because his mask is very pale around his eyes. Vitiligo would certainly explain that look on him.
Do you have a pic of what the area under your horse's mane looks like?
Re: Paper on vitiligo
Here it is: [img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv30…]
It's not as clearly defined as photos I've seen, but it fits the description of "fading" perfectly.
[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv30…]
One more cause I thought it cute:
[img]http://i694.photobucket.com/albums/vv30…]
Re: Paper on vitiligo
Well, interestingly, that's the side his mane lays on. It turned pure white first. I mean, the rest of him was charcoal, and under his mane went pure white last year.....I thought it odd, but just about 2 months ago I lifted and I don't know if I just didn't notice it or if it BAM went, but I'm eyeing it to see if it grows!
Re: Paper on vitiligo
Wow thanks - didn't even know you COULD treat it !!! :shock: :D