Whew!

I am TIRED.  It's been a loooong day, but I have three very clean horses now.  (I left them in their stalls until they were all completely dry.  I was NOT giving Duke a chance to go roll in the dirt again.)  I bathed Lizzie with special medicated shampoo and then used a special "leave-on" conditioner with cortisone.  We'll see if her hair starts to grow back now.  I have NO idea why she's losing it, though.  At first I thought she was just shedding her winter coat, but now it appears that she's not just shedding but that her hair is falling out entirely, leaving her bald in huge patches!  Here are a couple of pictures taken before her bath.  She looks just terrible! 

I don't know what's causing it.  She doesn't seem to itch, so I wouldn't think it's any sort of allergic reaction or anything.  She's not rubbing against things and pulling it out - it's just coming loose.  Check this video.  If you take hold of a piece of her hair it just comes loose in your hand! 

And it's only her body hair, not her mane or tail.  Even when I brush them, the hair in her mane and tail doesn't come out.  I wonder if this has anything to do with her Cushings?  She wasn't on any medications when she shed last spring, so I guess it could have something to do with the Pergolide she's on now.  Or the supplements.  Or the combination perhaps.  She's also been taking Jiagulan and Spirulina.  Guess I should check and see if there's any conflict there. 

Well - worst case, I'll have the horse version of the American Hairless Terrier  (her skin IS black like that).   

Not the worse possible happening. She'll still be cute.  (But I WILL check with the vet on Monday.)

Here they all are after their baths today.  Look how cute  Duke is.  He's such a sweetheart.

 And when I turned him out he did NOT roll in the mud this time!   What a good boy!

That's Lizzie behind Duke -- she sure looks a LOT better from a distance these days!!

(But poor ol' Lizzie is still "bald" though.  Poor girl.)

And then there's Bug.  It's only been a week or so since she had that abscessed tooth removed but she's already regained her weight and her old personality!  She looks wonderful - even in the midst of spring shedding!   And she hasn't been letting those other horses harass her in the pasture any longer.  She's obviously feeling just fine again.