# White patches / areas in horses eyes????



## samcrob (27 October 2010)

Since around June this year my 2 year old pony dexter has developed what I can only describe as white patches in his eyes.
I've never seen this before and wondered if anyone else had, and needed reasurrance it was nothing to worry about (i'm slightly paranoid)!
The 1st pic is from today and the 2nd last month. They aren't very clear, but they are above and below his iris and on both eyes (not just the right).
He is a NF x He does show some characteristics of having appaloosa in him and he does seem to have sclera, but i've never heard or seen this.
Opinions / experiance / views greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.


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## ImogenBurrows (27 October 2010)

This is probably the start of a condition called vitiligo. 







THis equine dermatology book the science-y explanation http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...ei=m27ITNioLcq24gatsZTwCA&sa=X&oi=book_result
But essentially it's a painless, probably genetically predetermined progressive depigmentation of the skin, commonly seen around the eyes, muzzle, anus and vulva.  It's most common in Arabs, but I've certainly seen it in other breeds.


Hope that helps.
Imogen


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## samcrob (27 October 2010)

Hi Imogen,
thankyou so much for your reply, i'm a nurse by profession myself and have seen vitiligo in people countless of times, but didn't realise equines were pre-disposed to the condition. It does make sense with his other characteristics although I may have to disregard the appy gene now!
Not meaning to be rude but he does have loss of pigmentation to his anus, so this could well explain it. Thanks again.


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## ImogenBurrows (27 October 2010)

Glad that might help - great piccies BTW!!!


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## freckles22uk (6 November 2010)

It could be an appy trait, I have a few appys (8) and my mare Freckles, she has delveloped small blue areas in her eyes, and the skin around her muzzle was dark as a foal, but over the years, shes 12 now, its has gone very mottled, and her son 'Harley' was born with one blue eye and one brown, though the brown eye is starting to get little blus mottled bits in it like his mum..

Jenny.

ps mine are all pure appies


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## Cinnamontoast (7 November 2010)

A friend's horse has a white patch in her eye and was losing pigmentation round the eye. The vet recommended copper supplement. The horse has no appy in her lines.


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## Favour (9 November 2010)

Hi there, 
Cant say i know what the white patches are but our pony developed blue patches in his eyes and this turned out to be the classical signs of liver disfunction.

Irridology (sp) is a fascinating subject, if you google catherine edwards in surrey she is the lady that gave our pony a full mot using irridology and the outcome was amazing.

Hope you find out about the white patches though.


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## domane (9 November 2010)

Well I can hardly believe I'm going to say this but what an attractive botty hole!  

Love the patterns


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## tuppence's fortune (13 November 2010)

i have had a few appaloosa's with this and it is very common among appies and arabs ext. it is nothing to worry about but be prepared for summer and sunny weather as you will have to put sun tan lotion on it to avoid sun burn


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## Daisychain (13 November 2010)

I get vitiligo on my hands, and a few other patches, luckily its not too obvious!

Hmm maybe i should have some copper in my diet?


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## ALumsdon (9 February 2011)

My 3 year old bay TB mare seems to have exactly the same but definitely no appaloosa in her lineage. Just the one mark about 5mmX2mm towards the border of the brown iris and the white of her eye. There is no apparent discomfort, swelling, watering etc and although I noticed a tiny fleck when I bought her in November, it seems to have almost got larger overnight.
Strange - should I be worried


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## cobwithattitude (10 February 2011)

our cob came to us with white spectacles!  Had a variety of reasons for them suggested to me; copper deficiency, vitiligo, Clydesdale blood in him but they do not bother him and mark him out as a very special horse!  He was 10 when we got him and had them then.


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## LazyS (10 February 2011)

ImogenBurrows said:



			This is probably the start of a condition called vitiligo. 







THis equine dermatology book the science-y explanation http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...ei=m27ITNioLcq24gatsZTwCA&sa=X&oi=book_result
But essentially it's a painless, probably genetically predetermined progressive depigmentation of the skin, commonly seen around the eyes, muzzle, anus and vulva.  It's most common in Arabs, but I've certainly seen it in other breeds.
Hope that helps.
Imogen
		
Click to expand...

Interesting book - big words - but didn't see it say anything about being IN the eye. I have appaloosas and took this photo a couple of days ago (on that lovely sunny day we had!) have it as a screensaver and noticed (as it is enlarged on my screen) a little fleck in my boy's eye. 

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x418/Spottysue/Appaloosaeye.jpg

There is a great deal of arabian blood in the American appaloosa (of which mine is one) there is also arabian blood in the thoroughbred - that's where tbs came from. My chap has been tested (as he is entire) and does not have the grey gene (grey is not very welcome in the app coat, in fact one breed society will not license stallions with the grey gene, hence why mine was tested). So an interesting post.

To the original poster: your photos just show normal appaloosa characteristics, mottled skin, around the nose, genitalia and anus. But can't help with the eye white patch. I would be interested in seeing what an Irridologist said - Surrey is not far from me so may well do it myself. Will be following this post with interest.


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