Noninflammatory, Nonpruritic Alopecia of Horses

The document from 2013 examines various types of noninflammatory, nonpruritic alopecia in horses, which are conditions of hair loss without signs of inflammation or itching. It focuses on alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease causing hair loss due to IgG autoantibodies attacking anagen hair follicles, and notes that diagnosis involves history, physical examination, trichography, and skin biopsies. The document also discusses telogen effluvium, caused by stress-induced hair shedding; anagen effluvium, resulting from insults during hair growth; and other conditions like seasonal alopecia, spontaneous hypothyroidism, follicular dysplasia syndromes, chemical toxicoses (e.g., selenosis), trichorrhexis nodosa, and piedra. Treatments for alopecia areata in horses are not commonly pursued but may include steroids, minoxidil, and tacrolimus. The document concludes that while these conditions are mainly cosmetic, proper diagnosis can be achieved through careful examination and biopsies, and that affected horses should not be bred if hereditary factors are suspected.