Itchy horse, allergy test results

[Louby]

Ive posted a couple of times about my boy who has rubbed his hocks raw and is genually itchy. Well I though he had mild sweet itch as he also started to rub his tail and mane and the sides of his face but I decided to have him blood tested to see exactly what was causing it.
It isnt Sweet itch although he is borderline.
I was hoping it would show something obvious that I could cut out and that would be that. Never straight forward, hes showing positive to Fire Ant and Black Willow trees and borderline/positive to Elm, Olive pollen, Alfalfa pollen, Red clover, Nettle, Ragweed mix, Lepido insects, Deer Fly, Hornet, Tomothy grass, and then borderline a load more things!
Has anyone had the de sensitising injections and did they work?

 

[Tallguywales]

I had similar problems with one of my horses, he was rubbing the side of his face and neck almost raw. we had blood test done - both food & enviromental spectrums - and found he had a cereal allergy!!!
As he is a competition horse we were a little worried about feeding him, but saracen 'relieve' is 100% cereal free and suits him fine.
By removing cereal from his diet his 'itchyness' dissappeared - mostly- he still likes a good itch

If you do go ahead with the injections please let me know how they work
good luck
bec x

 

[Louby]

Hi thanks for replying. On the food scene he is borderline wheat and oats but thats about it really and its a low borderline. Ive still got to talk to the vet about the results and the injections and have decided if theres any risk associated to them, Im not going to have them done. I will let you know how we get on.
Thanks again

 

[vicijp]

My vet has just gone through this with a horse I know (not mine I hasten to add). The owners insisted on a clotted blood for allergy testing. The problem with that is that horses will always test sensitive to many different things, but in reality only 1 or 2 will affect them.
A lot more conclusive is the skin testing, ask your vet for a referral to Bristol.

 

[darksecret99]

One of my friends spent thousands and loads of time on various blood tests etc to try and solve her horse's itching, but did not get anywhere until she had skin tests done....

Turned out he was alergic to dust and mould spores amounst other things, and he improved hugely simply by living out instead of being stabled...

Good luck!

 

[Louby]

Thanks for that.
I remember a horse years ago having allergy tests done by Ashbrook I think and it shown up about 50 odd different things. I was chatting to my vet and mentioned this but he said this test I have had done is pretty new. It has shown up various moulds that he is borderline to but is negative for dust. Apparantly the company make up a vaccine that is given every 3 days, then over longer periods. It costs about £90 so Im willing to give that a go if it will help. I will ask about the skin tests though.
Im still waiting to discuss results with my vet.

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive been seriously thinking about having a blood test done on one of my horses who I have always thought has sweet itch as every summer he'd itch out half his mane. However in December last year he began itching his face and top of his neck (leaving small bare sore patches) which he has been doing every since! I bought him a Boett in early March which he has worn all the time - its done nothing. I bought him a Boett mask but again he tore it off every single night because he was already itchy.

I dont believe it is sweet itch, so I am keen to go down the allergy-route. Could people advise me on the blood test and the skin test, what exactly is involved? Which is best?

 

[Louby]

Thats the same reason why I have had it done. I thought it was mild sweet itch too and was going to buy a boett but thought as he had itched in November too maybe it wasnt so straight forward so thought I'd have the blood test done. My vet has had good responces to the vaccine but I think it only lasts 6 months so it would have to be repeated. If it cures him of his itchiness I am willing to give it a go.
The blood test takes 7 to 10 days for the results. Theirs various catorgories, trees, weeds, Insects, grasses, molds, other and Food, each one split into individual tests. The result is in number form ie Negative under 150, Borderline 151 to 174, Borderline Positive 175 to 199, Positive 200 to 400 and Higly positive over 400. My horse only tested positive to 2 things and they are obscure but theres a lot of Borderline positives. I did it as I was hoping one or two things would show positive that I could remove from his diet/lifestyle which have typically not done. Vet said one horse shown highly positive to carrots, they were removed and the horse is much better. The vaccine is given every 3 days at first and then over a longer period for a couple of weeks I think.

 

[ColouredFan]

Hi I have posted on here previously about my itchy horse, he has become progressivly worse over the last 2 years and in January we sent him to Willesley Equine clinic for skin testing, he tested positive to alot of thing mainly House dust mites, Compound horse feed, Alfalfa, certain grasses, hay, hayledge, fly bites etc! We started a programme of management (ie avoiding allergins we could) and he was injected with what he was allergic to, all went well for viles one and 2 then part way through vile 3 he had a massive reaction and we had to stop. It was worth it to find out what he was most allergic to ie we know not to feed him Alfalfa and horse mix. Vet has suggested the blood tests now are they worth it?

he last had a bad reaction in June, when i went to put him in the field at tea time he was going mad rubbing himself against the walls, called vet who gave him a quick acting anti-histimine injection, within 3 days he had itched himself to look like this - (through a rambo protector)

This cleared up with Aloe vera gel and cold hosing twice a day. He wears a Eambo protector 24/7 in the summer A to protect him from Flys, B tp help reduce the reaction to things in the field and C to reduce the damage he does to himself when itching.

Following advice from forum members on here i started adding liquid Echinacea and liquid Aloe vera to his feed and i have to say he has seemed alot better on it, also he has a long acting anti-histamine every 2 months. Hope that helps

 

[cefyl]

Certain ingredients in fly repellants on the market can cause irritant contact dematitis, less likely though can happen too is allergic contact dermatitis. Either way both have 2 stages - early a mild reaction varying from a transient capillary irritation to severe and painful, then chronic of a few patches of dry, slightly inflamed skin that becomes thickened with time.

Other topical causes are likely to be shampoo - particulary not washing off thoroughly detergent residue (remember some shampoo ingredients started life as industrial de-greasers - think VERY strong acting). There sometimes only needs to be a product application of a particular substance once or twice then a period of maybe one, two or more days pass before the irritation is noticed and well established by that time the product is not associated with causing a reaction.

Often topical product applications are overlooked in diagnosis of long term skin irritation in animals. However in human diagnosis it is the first port of call. A reaction only needs to occur once but as the outer layer of the skin is disrupted a chain reaction triggers the immune system into action, skin looses is function as a barrier and further exposure to any irritant (not necessarily the original, maybe something the horse has never previously reacted to but now with a compromised defence will) sets up a viscious cycle. End result dryness, thickening, scaling of the skin, hair loss, hard keratised patches of skin cells (flaking thickened patches often red and sore), constant itching.

 

[DorisAnn]

have a 18yo 16hh Irish Sport Horse whom I have owned since he was 4 yo. He had no allergy symptoms at all until he was 9 when he developed a mild respiratory allergy for approx. 8 weeks (mid- May to mi-July typically). This would be better on wet and cold days and seems to be very similar to human hay fever. In 2 separate years he seemed worse affected and on these occasions was prescribed a tub of ventapulmin which alleviated the problem. During these attacks he has days when he feels lethargic so is not worked or only worked lightly.

However for the last three years he has started to develop what I can only descibe as universal pruritis. My vet says this is sweet itch but while midges must make his itching worse I have tried using a Boett rug lasy year and this year for the whole season 24hrs / 7 days but he is still itching and rubbing. If he can find somewhere to rub he will rub a spot raw (it is not limited to his mane and tail although these are easier areas to rub). I am also concerned as he gets hot under the rug which must make his itchiness worse. I would like to have him tested but my vet won't do this - convinced it is sweet itch.

I would like to find out the possible cause(s) of his allergy so we can try to avoid these as much as possible. He has always been kept in the same palce with just one other horse - we are on the top of a hill away from trees or water and relatively fly free (there are a few midges and mosquitoes but not many and no horse flies etc). He is out in the day and stabled at night but in a pen in a barn (20' x 12') which has a lot of circulating air - not a standard loose-box. His diet has also not varied (apart from quantities of feed) - he has been always fed on Dodson & Horrell feeds with hay from the same farmer and carrots and apples.

He used to work hard with draghunting and competition - this is now hacking, the odd riding club event and sponsored or pleasure rides.

I'd love to hear from anyone with any suggestions!

 

[ColouredFan]

Try the echinacia/Aloe vera combination I have tried above.

The skin tests i had done should show what he is allergic to if he is allergic to more that just the midgys but it isnt cheap