Horses with allergies - help please!!

[Jesschest]

For the last few weeks my horse has been struggling with severe hives. She's had a steroid injection from the vet twice because absolutely nothing else has touched them. After the last injection I've kept her in as we initially thought it was something field based but they've come up again.*

We're really struggling to identify the cause or really find anything that helps other than steroids which I really want to try and avoid.*

Nothing in her diet or barn has changed for the last 5 or so years. I've gutted and disinfected her stable today and I'm changing to shavings from straw. She's currently having 10 piriton tablets morning and night with her usual topspec and being cold hosed to try and take the itch away. Other than being very lumpy and itchy she's fine in herself. My vet and I are both stumped at the minute.*

Has anyone had experience of things that help or any ideas what it may be?

 

[JillA]

You can have a skin patch test done if you can get her to an equine dermatologist - there used to be one in the NW, your vet really ought to know. Blood tests are only 50% reliable but might be better than nothing. I would remove everything, including the Topspec (who knows what is in that stuff?) from her diet, just feed hay or grass and see if it improves. Then introduce one thing at a time to look for a reaction. It makes no difference if they have been fine with it in the past, they can get sensitised for things at any time.
Of course, once you have found the allergen you then have to eliminate it from her environment.
Not quite the same but the anti histamine of choice for sweetitch horses is ceterezine, less likely to cause drowsiness, and you can get 360 for £6.99 off ebay

 

[Being_Ros]

My pony has done the same in the last week. I don't know what it is as we have not changed anything as his diet is hay, grass and water. So I am thinking a plant must have come out recently or maybe it's linked to the horse flies and the heat? Haven't spoken to the vet yet, but just seeing if there are other things I can do. He is not itch or destressed in anyway. So weird!

 

[Jesschest]

My pony has done the same in the last week. I don't know what it is as we have not changed anything as his diet is hay, grass and water. So I am thinking a plant must have come out recently or maybe it's linked to the horse flies and the heat? Haven't spoken to the vet yet, but just seeing if there are other things I can do. He is not itch or destressed in anyway. So weird!

I originally wondered whether it was plant based or flies but became totally stumped when they returned for a third time when she'd been in her stable all week!

Luckily after three days of piriton and a change of bedding they've started to go down now so I'm crossing my fingers it was a straw allergy (despite having a straw bed her whole life and spending 9 months on box rest on straw until April!!).

Hers were so itchy and the first two episodes were horrendous. They didn't affect her breathing or temperature but the hives were very big and weepy. Working on an elimination process with my vet now and if that fails it'll be allergy testing.