Equine Autoimmune Skin Disorders

Autoimmune skin disease in a horse results when the animal's brain sends signals to other cells within the body to produce antibodies to attack the horse's skin tissue. In essence, the horse's own body attacks itself. If proper treatment isn't administered to the horse, its skin condition can worsen. This creates a gateway for other bacteria and viruses to enter the horse's body, potentially leading to other disease and infection.

  1. Pemphigus Foliaceous

    • Pemphigus foliaceous is an autoimmune skin disease resulting in crusted skin around the horse's mouth, hooves and nasal area. Lesions also appear in the middle layer or epidermal layer of the skin. When the horse suffers from pemphigus foliaceous, its immune system produces antibodies that attack the glycocalyx, a chemical compound within the skin that acts to keep skin cells together. When this happens, the skin cells separate causing crusted skin and lesions. These lesions can act as a gateway for other viruses and bacteria to enter the horse's body, and could trigger other infections and diseases.

      The horse's skin will appear rash like, scaly and inflamed. Treatment for this autoimmune disease varies for each type of horse, and a medical expert is required to diagnose the right type of treatment. This type of autoimmune disorder does not favor a particular horse species.

    Bullous Pemphigoid

    • Bullous pemphigoid causes large blisters that appear mostly on the horse's face and neck, as well as it's stomach and legs. The skin around the blisters will always become inflamed and this inflammation will persist until the horse is treated. Bullous pemphigoid is more prevalent in older horses than younger horses. Horses afflicted with this disease get bleeding gums, sores around the mouth and rashes across its body. Diagnosing bullous pemphigoid strictly from a blister is difficult. A blood test and blister tissue sampling needs to be done.

    Nodular Skin Disease

    • Nodular skin disease mainly affects the saddle area of the horse. Horses suffering from nodular skin disease will have blisters and lesions around the neck and saddle area. The blisters and lesions are similar to those seen in horses suffering from bullous pemphigoid. This condition is thought to result from an autoimmune allergic reaction caused by insect bites. An allergy test is conducted to test for the disease.

    Cushing's Disease

    • Cushing's disease affects the horse's skin texture and elasticity. It results when the horse's brain, specifically the pituitary gland, allows for the excess release of the adrenocorticotropic steroid hormone. This type of steroid hormone is responsible for growth and stress control. The high levels of this hormone interact with the insulin production in the horse, resulting in the animal not receiving adequate insulin. When this happens the horse will suffer from abnormal hair shedding and abnormal hair growth. The texture of the horse's hair also changes, resulting in thick and coarse hair. Horses with Cushing's disease develop a pot-like belly and a dull coat. The horse also develops dull and elastic-like skin that flakes easily. In addition, the horse will increase its water intake to more than 18 gallons of water per day, and will have an increased appetite.