Anhidrosis is also known as 'drycoat syndrome' or 'non-sweating disease'. In its early stages it's known as 'puff disease' because horses pant heavily, even after work ceases. Horses will have very little, patchy or no sweat, elevated pulse, and a higher than normal body temperature when worked. After exercise recovery is slow. The horse may also have flakey dandruff and coat loss. The horse may appear distressed or lethargic during periods of hot humid weather.
The condition appears most frequently where temperatures and humidity stay high for lengthy periods of time. The cause is not known and the onset can be startlingly sudden.
Anhidrosis - Dry Coat or Non-Sweating Disease in Horses offers a veterinary explanation that goes into more detail and speculates about the causes.
Keep horses with anhidrosis as cool as possible during hot, humid weather. Employ cool mist, sponging, fans, shade or stall rest to keep your horse as comfortable as possible. If you must work your horse, take advantage of cooler morning or evening temperatures. Consider moving your horses to an area with a cooler climate. There is some anecdotal evidence that acupuncture can be beneficial.
Jayne Pedigo describes her experiences with anhidrosis . The product that Jayne recommends and seems to be used by many owners with success is The One AC. The One AC can be purchased through Horse Solutions. Some success has also been found using electrolytes.
Other supplements or suppliers are:
Keep in mind that no supplement has been proven 100% effective with all horses.
