Allergy testing experiences?

clydeviewequestrian

clydeviewequestrian

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Hi, I have posted about this issue before but I still haven't got to the bottom of it so I am thinking of asking my vet again about allergy tests but would be interested to hear anyone's experiences with them first and a rough cost if possible would also be helpful!

My Clydesdale is itchy on both his side's and his neck, he is itchy in the summer but it is a lot easier to manage, in the winter it is just impossible. Nothing works that helps him in the summer. I have changed his hay, bedding and feeding and used a number of different creams etc, I've also clipped him so I could keep him fully covered. He has managed to cut above his eye and given himself a nasty sore on his side when he was in his stable so I think he may have fell trying to scratch his side's as he can't think about much else.

So I've had enough and would be really grateful if anyone had any experience with allergy testing they could share with me good or bad!

Thanks ☺
 
have you tried cutting out all feed and only giving him hay? also is there anything in his field like nettles etc which he may be allergic to. sorry cant help with experiences but vet may be able to help
 
splashgirl45 said:
have you tried cutting out all feed and only giving him hay? also is there anything in his field like nettles etc which he may be allergic to. sorry cant help with experiences but vet may be able to help
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Hi yes I have gave that a go too, he's stabled at night and out on hardstanding during the day so not out in the field at the moment
 
sounds like a difficult problem. does he go in the stable in the summer? if so could there be lice or some sort of bug in the wood? i would try giving the stable a good brushing to get rid of all cobwebs and power hose it out if we get some warmer weather..some horses react to bedding, have you tried all types? of not cardboard might be worth a try....sorry, cant think of anything else, hope you get to the bottom of it as it is such a worry with our horses when they arent right...
 
splashgirl45 said:
sounds like a difficult problem. does he go in the stable in the summer? if so could there be lice or some sort of bug in the wood? i would try giving the stable a good brushing to get rid of all cobwebs and power hose it out if we get some warmer weather..some horses react to bedding, have you tried all types? of not cardboard might be worth a try....sorry, cant think of anything else, hope you get to the bottom of it as it is such a worry with our horses when they arent right...
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He goes in his stable for a few hours during the day usually in the summer, I've tried shavings and straw so far but cardboard might be worth a try if I could get a hold of some, thanks for your help it's rotten seeing them uncomfortable all the time and not being able to help!
 
We used NAF Detox on one that the vet didn't manage to sort out, it worked within a few days and was considerably cheaper than everything the vet had already done.

If yours is worse in winter and not getting turned out then it must be related to the stable, bedding or hay because they are all he has access to, I would wonder if he is more frustrated because he cannot have a good roll in the mud so itching more, testing would be worthwhile especially as there should be a limited amount to do, worth trying the detox first though.
 
be positive said:
We used NAF Detox on one that the vet didn't manage to sort out, it worked within a few days and was considerably cheaper than everything the vet had already done.

If yours is worse in winter and not getting turned out then it must be related to the stable, bedding or hay because they are all he has access to, I would wonder if he is more frustrated because he cannot have a good roll in the mud so itching more, testing would be worthwhile especially as there should be a limited amount to do, worth trying the detox first though.
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Thanks I'll try the detox that's something I hadn't heard off, he's out for 12 hours a day just not in the field although when he's in the field I've probably saw him roll once in the three years I've had him he doesn't like to get muddy strangely!
 
clydeviewequestrian said:
He goes in his stable for a few hours during the day usually in the summer, I've tried shavings and straw so far but cardboard might be worth a try if I could get a hold of some, thanks for your help it's rotten seeing them uncomfortable all the time and not being able to help!
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there is also the choice of wood pellets, or aubiose(bit pricey i think) quite a few people on here use wood pellets and like them..i would think it is something to do with the stable if he has the same problem in the summer..good luck
 
splashgirl45 said:
there is also the choice of wood pellets, or aubiose(bit pricey i think) quite a few people on here use wood pellets and like them..i would think it is something to do with the stable if he has the same problem in the summer..good luck
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I agree must be something to do with the stable..i would love to keep him out 24/7 if he would stay out without wrecking the place!
 
Mine had allergies and went to horsepital for testing after months of food and other exclusions didn't work. First thing, all his lumps disappeared in the 24 hours he was there which ruled out food which would still have been in his system and suggested it was environmental.

He had interdermal skin testing which revealed about 15 triggers, too many to try desensitisation treatment.

One area was many types of wood so shavings, wood pellets and any other wood based bedding was out. He was also allergic to ryegrass so I switched to Timothy haylage and cut out anything else that could trigger a reaaction.

He slowly improved but ultimately moving yards was what cleared things up. Once he was clear I could reintroduced some things.

In his case wood/trees are the main trigger. Once his immune system was reacting, other items were a problem but once the reaction calmed down, the other things weren't a problem.

He has mixed hay with no problem these days. He is also fine around ducks and chickens (another trigger). But he cannot tolerate any wood based bedding and comes out in hives on shavings (various brands), wood pellets and megazorb. He also gets a cough in spring when tree pollen is in season.
 
criso said:
Mine had allergies and went to horsepital for testing after months of food and other exclusions didn't work. First thing, all his lumps disappeared in the 24 hours he was there which ruled out food which would still have been in his system and suggested it was environmental.

He had interdermal skin testing which revealed about 15 triggers, too many to try desensitisation treatment.

One area was many types of wood so shavings, wood pellets and any other wood based bedding was out. He was also allergic to ryegrass so I switched to Timothy haylage and cut out anything else that could trigger a reaaction.

He slowly improved but ultimately moving yards was what cleared things up. Once he was clear I could reintroduced some things.

In his case wood/trees are the main trigger. Once his immune system was reacting, other items were a problem but once the reaction calmed down, the other things weren't a problem.

He has mixed hay with no problem these days. He is also fine around ducks and chickens (another trigger). But he cannot tolerate any wood based bedding and comes out in hives on shavings (various brands), wood pellets and megazorb. He also gets a cough in spring when tree pollen is in season.
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That's really interesting thanks, was the testing expensive? Also did your horse have to go to a different vet or could your normal vet carry the tests out? I have considered moving him back to the yard I got him from a few times as he didn't have any symptoms there but he was only rising 2 so it could also have been his age. I wouldn't see him much as it's an hour away so it would be good to try the testing first to see if it would be worth doing
 
clydeviewequestrian said:
That's really interesting thanks, was the testing expensive? Also did your horse have to go to a different vet or could your normal vet carry the tests out? I have considered moving him back to the yard I got him from a few times as he didn't have any symptoms there but he was only rising 2 so it could also have been his age. I wouldn't see him much as it's an hour away so it would be good to try the testing first to see if it would be worth doing
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He went to the rvc for testing and he had to be kept overnight with no bedding or rugs. It was a snowy January and this was a clipped tb! However I use the rvc as my vets so it doesn't feel like I'm going somewhere different. It was quite expensive but it was part of an insurance claim with lots of vet visits and injections of dex before we got to that point.
 
Mine was blood tested and then they made a vaccine specific to her needs. I inject her every month. It hasn't eliminated the problem but it's manageable now and she's still here (was so bad, was going to be pts). Her allergies mainly effect her breathing but she does also have sensitive skin
 
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