Fungal diseases are among the most common skin diseases in horses. They occur regardless of the season, are easily transmissible, and cause circular, scaly, non-itchy skin lesions. Young horses whose immune systems are not yet fully developed are particularly affected. Humans can also become infected with a skin fungus from horses, meaning that it is a zoonosis.
Certain skin fungi are part of the natural skin flora of a healthy horse in certain quantities, providing natural protection against disease. Symptoms of disease only appear when individual fungi multiply excessively due to a weakened immune system or an underlying disease, or when the horse becomes infected with harmful fungi.
The most common skin fungus pathogens in horses are various subspecies of the genus Trichophyton, especially Trichophyton equinum, and, less frequently, Microsporum. These fungi form microscopic developmental stages called spores, which are highly resistant to environmental influences and can survive for months in stables, grooming equipment, or on pasture. Under the right conditions, horses can therefore become infected with a skin fungus even in their own stalls.
The most common triggers of a skin fungal disease include, on the one hand, a weakened immune system due to long-term medication, malnutrition or constant stress, pre-existing conditions such as bacterial respiratory and intestinal infections or skin injuries and, on the other hand, poor hygiene in stables, moldy bedding, contaminated feed and a warm, damp environment.
After an incubation period of about one to six weeks, the disease usually begins with small, circular, slightly scaly skin lesions that occur primarily on the neck, shoulders, back, and flanks. In addition, areas of the body where the horse sweats more, such as the saddle and girth area, the armpits and knee folds, and also the head in the nose area, are particularly affected, as this is where horses first come into contact with other horses and can become infected.
These initially localized changes are caused by the fungus's waste products, which lead to an inflammatory reaction of the skin. As the condition progresses, these inflammatory changes can become significantly larger and in some cases penetrate deeper layers of the skin, leading to hair loss and blistering, and consequently to crusty, sticky patches. Itching and secondary bacterial infections are rarely observed.
When the skin fungus is transmitted to humans, lichen-like skin changes appear on the hands and forearms. If you notice any such skin lesions on yourself, please consult a doctor.
Your veterinarian will perform a general examination and ask you, as the owner, for detailed information about the onset and duration of the symptoms, as well as any previous illnesses or stress-inducing factors such as a change of stable or participation in competitions. Once the findings have been recorded, an initial diagnosis can be made.
Further tests are essential to confirm this diagnosis, rule out other skin diseases, and determine the exact type of fungus. Some Microsporum subspecies can be detected under UV light because some of their metabolic products fluoresce. However, the absence of fluorescence does not rule out a fungal skin infection, as fluorescent metabolic products occur in only about 50 to 80% of cases.
Fungal spores can be detected under the microscope with the help of a skin scraping (removal of a superficial skin sample) or a skin biopsy (removal of a deep skin sample). However, an exact diagnosis is only possible after growing a fungal culture, which can also be done in a doctor's office or clinic. Such an examination with differentiation of the exact type of fungus takes at least two to three weeks.
Even though fungal infections generally clear up on their own, treatment is necessary and advisable due to the potential risk of infection. Various topical medications and washes are available for external use. Treatment should always be continued for about one to two weeks after the external symptoms have subsided. This is the only way to eliminate all spores and prevent reinfection.
A vaccine against skin fungus in horses has also been available for several years. The vaccine can be administered by a veterinarian for both therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. As part of skin fungus treatment, the vaccine helps to accelerate the healing process and thus significantly reduce the amount of treatment required.
The most important additional measure in the treatment of skin fungus is general hygiene. Since fungal spores can survive extremely well in the environment, both the environment and the grooming equipment and accessories of the affected horse should be washed several times in hot water and disinfected. The affected horse should not come into contact with other horses until treatment has been completed.
The prognosis is favorable if all therapeutic and hygiene measures are followed.
Compliance with the following preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of skin fungus infection:
A skin fungus vaccination does not prevent infection, but it reduces the symptoms of the disease and speeds up healing. It is recommended primarily for farms with a high turnover of horses, such as training stables, farms that want to protect themselves against the introduction of a skin fungus infection, such as stud farms, and farms where there has recently been a skin fungus infection. Vaccines are available against Trichophyton equinum alone or against various strains of Trichophyton and Microspora. The vaccination is given twice at two-week intervals and provides protection for six months to a year. Your vet can send you a personalized vaccination schedule for your horse via petsXL, and you will automatically receive notifications when it is time to make another appointment.
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