Equine alopecia areata: a retrospective clinical descriptive study at the University of California, Davis (1980-2011).

The study conducted research into alopecia areata, a rare condition causing hair loss in horses, looking into its patterns, correlation with age, sex, breed and lesion distribution. The investigation used survey and computer records to understand the long-term course of the disease.

Methodology

• The research was carried out using historic computerized records from a period spanning 1980 to 2011 with data of 15 horses.
• The study used descriptive statistics to gather information regarding basic characteristics like the age of the horse at the time of presentation, their breed, sex, and dermatological signs of the disease.
• The study also took into consideration the season when the disease was diagnosed and any recurrence of the condition
• Researchers compared the breed and sex distribution of horses that had alopecia areata with those visiting the equine hospital during the study period to find any correlation.

Results and Findings

• The study found alopecia areata in horses to be a rare disease, with a prevalence rate of 0.017% among the population studied.
• The researchers observed that Appaloosas and quarter horses were the breeds most frequently affected by alopecia areata.
• The age of the horses suffering from the condition ranged from 3 to 15 years, with the median age being 9 years.
• Across all horses studied, alopecia was identified as the primary dermatological abnormality, and it most commonly affected the mane, tail, and face of the horses.
• The study showed that more than half of the horses had come in due to other medical conditions.
• The study found from the returned surveys that 71.4% of owners noticed a seasonal pattern to the appearance of the disease, with it usually worsening in spring and summer.

Conclusions

• The study concludes that alopecia areata is a rare disease in horses and is mostly cosmetic in nature, but varies with seasons.
• Alopecia areata’s occurrence in horses is still not fully understood, however this study provides an important first step toward understanding the epidemiology of the condition in equines, which hasn’t been thoroughly investigated before.