Itching and bald, sore patches

[Ali27]

In Feb 2020, my mare suddenly developed bald patches which became infected so vet prescribed antioxidants and steroid cream and it cleared up fairly quickly. A few months later, sore patches appeared again and were treated with antibiotics and isoderm gel. A few bald, sore patches that summer but nothing too bad! It happened again in January this year so she went into local equine hospital for biopsy but nothing found! They also tested for Cushings as that can cause itchy sore skin but tested negative. Had more itching, sore patches again in April which was treated again with antibiotics. She has started itching again and more bald, sore patches have appeared!
Anyone any experience with anything similar?
Thank you ?

 

[GinaGeo]

Any pictures?

I managed to clear up one of mine’s weird skin thing, although his looked more like hives. The vet tried all of the usuals as you already have with no success.

We allergy tested. Took out everything that was a positive and found that prebiotics made a big difference, if he came off them it flared back up.

I’ve since done an Equibiome Test. Followed the recommended protocol and can honestly say that he’s the happiest and healthiest he’s been. He’s even back to eating the things that he was previously unable to tolerate. So for us it was a hind gut issue.

 

[Ali27]

Pictures of them tonight!

 

[GinaGeo]

Very strange.

It might be worth keeping a diary to see if anything in particular is triggering it?

 

[Ali27]

Very strange.

It might be worth keeping a diary to see if anything in particular is triggering it?

Diet hasn’t changed! She gets Baileys performance balancer, Dengie meadow grass, Speedi beet, salt and graze ezy. I’m at a complete loss at why it happens 2/3 times a year! Just looking at the Equibiome test!

 

[GinaGeo]

Mine was allergic to soya, cereals, linseed, sugar beet and alfalfa.

Knocking those out was the starting point for him. We did just grass for awhile and still feed exclusively straights now (with a powdered supplement that I know doesn’t cause anything).

Other than that external triggers, such as tree pollen, flies/midges, washing detergents, topical sprays?

As an other aside mine especially struggled when it was coat changing time.

Hope you manage to work it out. Took us three years to get properly on top of mine ?

 

[Ali27]

Mine was allergic to soya, cereals, linseed, sugar beet and alfalfa.

Knocking those out was the starting point for him. We did just grass for awhile and still feed exclusively straights now (with a powdered supplement that I know doesn’t cause anything).

Other than that external triggers, such as tree pollen, flies/midges, washing detergents, topical sprays?

As an other aside mine especially struggled when it was coat changing time.

Hope you manage to work it out. Took us three years to get properly on top of mine ?

Thank you! I think I might need to look at her diet again. I’m also wondering whether to try a mycotoxin binder too!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would be tempted to stop all the feed one by if necessary to rule that out at least, what bedding do you use?

 

[Ali27]

I would be tempted to stop all the feed one by if necessary to rule that out at least, what bedding do you use?

Out 24/7 at present but was in on shavings in January and then on straw in April when it last happened.
Just been looking and Dengie meadow grass has rape seed oil in it. She had a bad reaction to rape growing in field behind several years ago where she had breathing difficulties!

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

When I was trying to sort out my own food allergies, I found that I would be ok for a while and then the build up caused the symptoms to break out again. It did make it difficult to pinpoint the cause. In your horse's case, I would cut the feed back to grass only for a couple of weeks and built up from there, one ingredient at a time. I react to rapeseed oil, too!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Out 24/7 at present but was in on shavings in January and then on straw in April when it last happened.
Just been looking and Dengie meadow grass has rape seed oil in it. She had a bad reaction to rape growing in field behind several years ago where she had breathing difficulties!

Could well be that then its funny because I feed grass chaff and I have looked at the Dengie ones but the added crap they put in puts me off, if you want a plain nothing added grass chaff try emerald grass tastic or graze on both are just chopped grass.

 

[Melody Grey]

Different line of enquiry to allergies- have you had the skin swabbed for bacterial/ fungal infection or parasites?