itchy hives?? what next!

[dottylottie]

So my darling pony has thrown a new problem at me, she’s come out in small very itchy hives at the top of her shoulder, quite a small concentrated patch of them with a few down her shoulder too.

she had a lot of hives when i got her from fly bites, which obviously resolved from putting a fly rug on, but these are smaller, closer together and much itchier!

i’ve changed their balancer, and we’ve got different straw now, but i’m not convinced either of these are causing it.

the new straw is wheat straw, the old stuff was barley - she eats bloody loads of either

she’s on:
soaked hay (hasn’t changed supplier etc)
spillers lite and lean balancer (used to be gwf one cup)
baileys light chaff
fast fibre
micronised linseed
seaweed
brewers yeast
and baileys fibre nuggets in her treat ball

the only thing that has changed is the balancer and straw, but both feeds contain all of the same main allergens ie soya, oatfeed/oats, molasses etc and she was absolutely fine on the one cup. both feeds have wheatfeed in them, so i’m not sure it’s the straw either?

she’s not changed fields, they came up before she was rugged and clipped so it’s not detergent/clipper oil etc. no new sprays or anything used on her!

i hope you lovely lot have some ideas because i’m all out i’m starting by cutting the balancer out, would rather try process of elimination before i get her allergy tested etc!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I would bet its the balancer and some horses can suddenly get a sugar/molasses intolerance so I would stop all feeds with that in it, my friends horse did she was covered in lumps and rubbed herself raw.

I can't feed either of mine those pelleted balancers they go nuts on them I just about get away with half a handful of fibre nuts a day for them and that's just to get them to eat the supplements.

 

[dottylottie]

I would bet its the balancer and some horses can suddenly get a sugar/molasses intolerance so I would stop all feeds with that in it, my friends horse did she was covered in lumps and rubbed herself raw.

I can't feed either of mine those pelleted balancers they go nuts on them I just about get away with half a handful of fibre nuts a day for them and that's just to get them to eat the supplements.

hopefully i see a change soon from cutting it out then! with her being on soaked hay and pen turnout/box rest is really prefer to have her on a balanced - lily looks fantastic on the lite and lean, just typical that i’ll have to have them on different things

it’s just so strange that it’s just in a small concentrated area! i’d have thought if it was a food allergy she’d have hives all over her, but i suppose time will tell!

 

[Wheresthehoofpick]

My mare had hives for weeks. I stripped back all feed to only grass based products. Emerald green Grass chop. Grass nuts. Hives went within 24 hours which is apparently very quick.

Then reintroduced Linseed.

We have never gone back to balancers and chaff and she has not had hives again.

I had a dog with allergies. The issue is that the feeds don’t have to be accurate about what is in them. If in doubt take it out is my motto.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

So my darling pony has thrown a new problem at me, she’s come out in small very itchy hives at the top of her shoulder, quite a small concentrated patch of them with a few down her shoulder too.

she had a lot of hives when i got her from fly bites, which obviously resolved from putting a fly rug on, but these are smaller, closer together and much itchier!

i’ve changed their balancer, and we’ve got different straw now, but i’m not convinced either of these are causing it.

the new straw is wheat straw, the old stuff was barley - she eats bloody loads of either

she’s on:
soaked hay (hasn’t changed supplier etc)
spillers lite and lean balancer (used to be gwf one cup)
baileys light chaff
fast fibre
micronised linseed
seaweed
brewers yeast
and baileys fibre nuggets in her treat ball

the only thing that has changed is the balancer and straw, but both feeds contain all of the same main allergens ie soya, oatfeed/oats, molasses etc and she was absolutely fine on the one cup. both feeds have wheatfeed in them, so i’m not sure it’s the straw either?

she’s not changed fields, they came up before she was rugged and clipped so it’s not detergent/clipper oil etc. no new sprays or anything used on her!

i hope you lovely lot have some ideas because i’m all out i’m starting by cutting the balancer out, would rather try process of elimination before i get her allergy tested etc!

My mare developed bumps all over her neck and face and some on her body, she rubbed herself raw, took the alpha out and it seems o be better.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Am just gonna throw this into the mix: but have seen on several FB groups where people have itchy horses, of Black Salt being something that has made a significant difference.

Like I say, chucking in the pot, but might be worth a punt. Hopefully a cheap & cheerful remedy.

 

[Surbie]

Might not be a problem where you are, but just in case...

It's been really windy recently, and if you have oaks, the oak processionary moth nests are breaking up and falling. The caterpillar hairs bring out a nasty itchy rash.

ArcGIS Web Application

forestry.maps.arcgis.com

 

[dottylottie]

My mare had hives for weeks. I stripped back all feed to only grass based products. Emerald green Grass chop. Grass nuts. Hives went within 24 hours which is apparently very quick.

Then reintroduced Linseed.

We have never gone back to balancers and chaff and she has not had hives again.

I had a dog with allergies. The issue is that the feeds don’t have to be accurate about what is in them. If in doubt take it out is my motto.

they seem to have become less irritable, and as far as i can tell she’s not gotten any new ones, so fingers crossed it was the balancer

 

[dottylottie]

Am just gonna throw this into the mix: but have seen on several FB groups where people have itchy horses, of Black Salt being something that has made a significant difference.

Like I say, chucking in the pot, but might be worth a punt. Hopefully a cheap & cheerful remedy.

thankyou! i think i’ll give it a go and see what she’s like, both of mine are itchy grease monsters anyway i’ve never seen anyone mention about it being good for itching, but a quick google revealed it’s literally marketed towards itchy ponies haha

 

[dottylottie]

Might not be a problem where you are, but just in case...

It's been really windy recently, and if you have oaks, the oak processionary moth nests are breaking up and falling. The caterpillar hairs bring out a nasty itchy rash.

ArcGIS Web Application

forestry.maps.arcgis.com

this is interesting thankyou! we do have a few oaks along the lane, so definitely something to consider - do you know how long the rash typically lasts? they had to stay in for a couple of days (don’t even get me started on the reasons), but they’re definitely still there

 

[Surbie]

On me they last a week or so, similar on the horses.

The link I put up had a map of the problematic areas - most of the UK is green (is not found there yet), but they are spreading fairly rapidly and I am in the red zone. The nests look like someone's been at the tree with a Halloween cobweb spray and they fall down in windy autumn weather, full of the irritating hairs.