Why is my pony's coat patchy? Could lush grass be the reason?

This could be rain rot (a Dermatophilus congolensis infection) or a fungal infection. You should call out a vet for a skin exam. Your pony will likely need to be washed with a special antifungal/antibacterial shampoo. But before one can decide which kind of shampoo will be suitable, a correct diagnosis is necessary. Your vet can take a hair sample if necessary.

Your mule may be suffering from Cushing's disease. Your veterinarian can easily diagnose or rule this out with a blood test. If your mule does have Cushing's disease, it will need medication to feel much better. Apart from that, if a horse or mule does not lose its winter coat by May, you need to clip it, as it will be too hot in summer, especially in the southwest.

Poor Jim! It's certainly possible for intestinal parasites to cause weight loss, and you're correct that they can be resistant to many dewormers - so it would be a good idea for Jim to have a fecal egg count done by your vet to determine if this is the problem. It's also possible that he may need to have his teeth floated, as this is another common reason for weight loss if he can't grind his food properly. Systemic illnesses like liver or kidney disease, cancer, etc. can also cause dramatic weight loss like this. I would recommend having an equine vet come and out and examine him when you are able to - he/she can check his teeth and do a fecal exam, and may also recommend blood work or other testing if needed to help determine the problem.

Patchy hair coat can be due to a number of factors, including endocrine disease (such as hypothyroidism), allergies, bacterial or fungal or parasitic infection of the skin. I would recommend an exam at your vet so they can see the hair coat and skin. They may recommend testing such as bloodwork to screen for thyroid disease, or skin cytology to check for infection.

It is very possible that Merlin has or had fleas on him. If that was the case, an untreated allergy can last 30 days. If he has been on a flea prevention product, we would need to rule out a microscopic mite, called demodex, or a fungal infection, called Ringworm. I recommend a veterinary exam to check the skin for both. Good luck and kisses to Merlin!

Hi and thanks for your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach this morning! Although it is hard to say exactly what the issue is with Cadbury without examining him first, I can offer a possibility for the skin issue. The picture of the hindquarters appears like a fungal infection called Dermatophilus congolensis.or better known as 'rain rot' which is typically seen over the hindquarters, back, and back of pasterns. It does worsen over time and the areas effected have dry crusts that are very easily removed while grooming. You may try brushing and removing the crusts then shampooing with iodine or chlorhexidine scrub. Even a shampoo with antibacterial and anti fungal properties may work. Let sit for 10 mins on him then rinse and do this every day for 7 days then every 3 days until healed. If it is still no better in a couple weeks, you may need to call you veterinarian for an antibiotic Rx. Washing the other wound with chlorhexidine solution each day until healed may work as well unless you are not noticing any improvement in a week or so, then I would call you veterinarian. I hope this helps and I hope Cadbury feels better soon!

I would have this checked by a vet. It sounds very much like ringworm. Although the name suggests otherwise, ringworm is not caused by a worm at all-but a fungus. This highly contagious infection can lead to patchy areas of hair loss on a pet, and can spread to other animals-and to humans, too. Classic symptoms of ringworm include lesions that typically appear on a pet’s head, ears, paws and forelimbs. These lesions can cause patchy, crusted circular “bald spots” that sometimes look red in the center. In mild cases of ringworm, there may be just a few broken hairs, while bad cases of ringworm can spread over most of a pet’s body. It’s also possible for a pet to carry the fungus and not show any symptoms whatsoever. Treatment of ringworm depends on the severity of the infection. A veterinarian may prescribe a medicated shampoo or ointment that contains miconazole or a dip such as lime sulfur to kill the fungus. In some cases, oral medications are necessary to cure ringworm. In severe cases, it may be necessary to use a topical and oral treatment, in addition to clipping away the fur. Once treatment begins, lesions should begin to heal in about one to three weeks. Please note, it is important to treat your pet for as long as recommended by your veterinarian. Even though the skin lesions may have cleared up, this doesn’t mean your pet is cured or can’t infect another animal or person. Certain diagnostic tests may need to be repeated in order to ensure cure. And unfortunately, there is no guarantee that reinfection won’t occur!