The application of videodermoscopic examination in assessing the skin and its products in pure Arabian horses in the summer and winter seasons.

Abstract

Videodermoscopic examinations have only recently started to be used in veterinary medicine and usually involve a small group of animals. The aim of this study was to compare specific dermoscopic parameters in selected areas of the body of Arabian horses in the summer and winter seasons. The research was conducted between 2018-2019. The procedure was performed on the left side of the horse's body in seven areas: head, neck, chest, flank, rump, mane, and tail. 42 purebred Arabian horses aged 1-25 (median), 39 mares and 3 stallions were qualified for the study. An Italian Video-Dermascope 7 (Medici Medical SRL with the 3 VIDIX 5Mpx camera and the VX1 overlay - Contact type cap Ø 3.5 cm) was used in the dermatoscopic evaluation. Specialist Cellsens Olympus software for analysing microscopic images was used to perform the measurements. Regardless of the area assessed, the skin in the summer months is darker than in the winter months. Hair thickness ranged from 44.82 (chest in summer) to 87.45 um (mane in winter). Regarding hair density, the number of hairs in the field of view of the dermatoscope ranged from 990 (summer mane) to 3680 (head in winter). Our research showed that the season of the year influences the amount of hair without significantly affecting its thickness.