Are you allergic to horses?

McNally

McNally

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I have been really ill recently- I had a cold which set my asthma off (usually only mild). My doctor treated it as asthma and gave me steroids to take but 3 days later i was rushed into hospital with chest pains and unable to breathe. I spent 5 days in hospital on oxygen anb a cocktail of drugs, It was horrendous and one of the most terrifying experiences of my life.
My consultant seems convinced that it was mainly brought on by horses but not being treated correctly gave me a massive infection and asthma attack.
I am awaiting the results of blood tests to see what level of allergy i have- should get them soon. In the meantime i have not seen my poor horses in 2 weeks now and am actually scared to go near them :-(
I have always known i am slightly allergic at times (??) but started full time work with horses so am now around them so much more so i guess its a possibility that i actually am going to have to give up my new job which i love or even worse my horses.

Has anyone else got a horse allergy and if so how do you cope?
 
When I was about 6 I realised that I was allergic to horses. I didn't have a strong reaction, just itchy eyes/sniffles, really, but I kept quiet about it as I was afraid my parents would stop me riding. Over time, the allergy just went - I didn't even notice it happen. One day I just realised that I wasn't allergic any more.

I don't know if that would happen with a more severe allergy, or for adults, but worth looking into? If not, could you speak to a gp and get some anti-histamines?
 
YES!!!!!

Been allergic to horses since I was about 8!!!! It can be soooooooo bad at times that my asthma is set off too. My eyes swell so badly I cant see sometimes and nose very very itchy and sneezy!!!! Usually doesnt happen in winter though/ it calms down considerably. I just have to make sure I take anti hysts and dont touch my eyes!!!!!! However, I put up with it because it not as bad as not having horse :D
 
Im allergic, my mum and my sister are too. We used to take special medicine prescribed by docs, nbo idea what it is called tho, sorry. But we found after a while, we built up an immunity to the ones we worked with regularly. So, its all ok, until maulting and clipping, so i dont know if this would work with you aswell.

It was horrible everytime we got a new one, sneezing constantly, couldnt ride as eyes all teary, so i know how you feel, never had anything quite as serious as your tho!

Hope all works out well with you, and you can go near them again some time soon [=

x
 
I also have mild asthma and bad eczema, and am allergic to horses (and hay and straw!!) and used to get very wheezy when going to see my boy (and puffed up in the face and arms etc).

The doctor put me on tablets called Singulair (montelukast) tablets. They are used for people with asthma and asthma with seasonal allergic rhinitis (google them).

They have been a MASSIVE help to me, and my reactions have lessoned since taking them. I also used to sneeze every morning when I woke up at least 7 or 8 times, and that has stopped as well on these tablets!! It didn't happen straight away I don't think, and probably not on their own. I think that in part, I got used to my boys hair and so that helped. But they seem to have done the trick with me. I still get the occasional day where I am wheezy, (esp Spring!) but nothing like I used to be. Maybe try asking your Doc about them?? I have to say though, I never ended up in hospital, and I'm so sorry you've had to go through that!!

I really hope you get it sorted, there's nothing worse than being allergic to your favorite thing in the world!! :(

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you :)
 
Thank you- i will look up those tablets!

I dont think i am going to out grow it as such, i have had mild symptoms since i was a child but not really bothered too much about them, I think its just a case of i now know what could happen if i dont take notice of what my Dr called warning signs.

Might try an anti histamine just as a bit of back up before i go back- anything which may help is worth a try!
 
Borg rae, I just googled them and they do actually sound perfect. I have another appointment coming up shortly to review treatment etc and will mention them then- I presume they are prescription only?
 
I have always had asthma, and also developed a raft of allergies over the last 20 years.... I now take an antihistamine every day (get Asda/Tesco etc own brand, do exactly the same job, but are a fraction of cost of known brands) and have been told it's safe to take more than suggested one-a-day, but you may want to check that!

I have found recently though that my main issue were the things associated with the horse, rather than the horse itself - hay, straw etc. As my horse has been living out for the last 2 years, my asthma has pretty much gone - and I haven't grown out of it, as I'm approaching 50!!
 
I have been allergic to horses for years but I have continued to work with them as I couldn't do any other job. I have ended up in hospital more times than I care to remember due to my asthma. Which drives OH to hysterics but a few injections and a couple of drips, a day of rest and back to the yard I go. I did a course of drugs years ago which did help a bit but didn't do miracles. I only get really bad in spring or clipping season where I have to wear a mask at all times or I start sneezing until I feel sick and my eyes swell so bad that I can hardly see, I also get bumps on my skin where the hair touches me. I had a shower put in the stables loo and this really helps, when it starts I shower and put on clean clothes and I can keep going for a couple of hours.
It sounds worse than it really is, you just get used to the routine. I am also allergic to dogs but I have 4. I seem to get immune to my own dogs and horses after about 6 months of having them.
Hang in there as you can live with horses and asthma.
 
Yes I am!!!- In the past my Doctor has told me to get rid of my horses, pets and that I must have a leather sofa as better for allergy sufferers apparently- I was like ok, if the NHS want to pay for a posh leather sofa for me, fine!, also was told not to groom or clip the horses etc- anyway, not that the advice I was given was practical or anything.

I kept getting bad bouts of sinusitis, Rhinitis, so I felt like I had a constant heavy cold and infections and viruses that I couldn't shake off properly and needed extra strong antibiotics

One of the Doctors I went to was an ENT specialist and he said to me you don't have asthma but are definitely allergic to something as well as having Rhinitis and Hayfever, it's just finding out what it is. I was getting to the point where I couldn't breathe properly and it was just awful- In the end they gave me a prescription steroid spray called Nasonex which once I'd started taking it stopped all the breathing problems I'd been having and opens up my airways and I felt so much better.

Now, although I get good days and bad days I just take the spray if and when I have to- I've also worked out I'm extremely allergic to Woodshavings no matter how dust free they are and a lot of the beddings and I think the horses bedding was making me very ill,- I'm absolutely fine when my horses are bedded on Paper, so I keep them on that.

I must admit I'm not looking forward to clipping my horses at all!- although I always wear a mask.

It is a nightmare though, it really is, and it sounds like you've been having a bad time with it- I hope you get to the bottom of what is causing it and feel better soon!
 
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I'm allergic, but my body desensitizes itself to my own horses, and I'm fine with my own and the ones on our yard now. If I go away for work or on holiday for a couple of weeks, it takes me a while to get back to being able to go to the stables without taking antihistamines.

I'm looking to buy a new horse at the moment and I have to take an antihistime before I get close to the strange horses!
 
You need to get a curly pony like me. Im not allergic to horses, but curlys are a hypo- anagelic. His previous owner bought him as she was allergic to horses.
 
CurlyWurly123 said:
You need to get a curly pony like me. Im not allergic to horses, but curlys are a hypo- anagelic. His previous owner bought him as she was allergic to horses.
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Really? how interesting! I suppose its much like people with pet allergies being ok with poodles.
I work with Racers- wonder if i can suggest we only have curly race horses at the yard!!??
Have you got a picture- i would love to see him
 
Hi, ill post u some later as im on here via my phone. I have posted pics before so if you search the forum you should find them. Not sure hed fit into a racing yard thou unless hes your mascot. Lol. Most people laugh when they see him. They are not the fastest on four legs, unless there is a feedbucket involved.
 
I used to be badly allergic to horses (and cats) I had to have an inhaler, Beconase and eye drops. I would sneeze constantly, my eyes would be incredibly itchy, they would stream and start to close up. My GP told my mother to keep me away from animals - of course I took no notice of that.

I must have developed better immunity over time as, as an adult I hardly get any symptoms now and I don't take any medication for it.
 
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