Very itchy horse please help!

[ColouredFan]

Ok this may be quite a long post but please bear with me!

I bought frankie as a 5 yr old and had no problems until the year in which he was 7 it started in the August (2005) and he itched himself and pulled some of his hair out on his chest and flanks. By september and colder weather it went.

Then june 2006 it flaired up again, he is alway a little itchy when he gets hot so always cold sponge or hose him after exercise. In June he started itching his chest and flanks again until they bled, vet gave him injections regularly to help and we bought him a rambo protector to protect his skin form his teeth which really worked. however over the winter it never really went so in January of this year we took him to a vet hospital for tests. They marked a grid on his neck and injected him with possible allergins.

The results showed varying responses to the allergins with the main ones being
-house dust mites
-Compound horse feeds
-midges
-hay
-hayledge
-certain grasses
-Alfalfa

amongst others there were 21 in total, so he went on a speacial diet of chaff boiled barley and linseed and speedibeet, we tumble dried all his numnahs etc after washing then tied in plastic bags to stop the dust mites and the was injected with the other things he was allergic to to try and desenceitise him. all went well until about weeek 8 when he had a massive allergic reaction on his neck so we stopped treatment and gave him tablets, it never settled enough for us to start again over winter.

All was going well, he was having a long acting injection every 2months and this seemed to be working. I gave him he update on sunday and on tuesday evening i went over to put him out and he was going mad in his stable rubbing himself against walls tearing at his sides etc, called vet and he came and gave him a quick acting intravenous injection which settled him overnight, however today he is still itching and had made his flank bleed (with rambo protector on!) have spokent to vet and they are calling vet hospital for ideas as they are not sure what else to do.

Has anyone else experienced this? I feel bad as i have just started novice eventing him and not only is he in discomfort he looks abused! Vet says exercise helps as it helps remove the toxins from his blood. when he is being ridden he doesnt try and itch and will only itch when you take his saddle off.

He wont eat any anti itch supplements and have little choice of food to tempt him with!

Help please!

Oh he only ever itches his flank and chest, never his mane or tail and he is in during day and out at night.

Thanks!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

Gosh, this sounds awful. Are you sure the tests were correct. My old pony became very itchy and started coughing about a year after he was sold. He had been living out 24/7 with just a little extra hay in the winter (he is a sec C). His new owner pampers him, keeps him in in bad weather rugs him, feeds hard feed etc. She had allergen tests which said he was allergic to all the things you mention plus grasses.

Her vet disagreed with what the ellergen tester said and gave her a good 'telling off' for keeping him like a baby. To cut a long story short she ended up having to move yards to one where he is turned out (even with the deadly grass pollens) and he is now much better. If she would just take his rugs off and stop feeding him I am sure he would be even better.

Not sure if this would be the same in your case, sounds absolutely dreadful. I hope that you find some kind of resolution, I have heard that homeopathy often works when vets cannot help - hugs to you and you poor itchy boy.

 

[ColouredFan]

Hi thanks for the reply, Well I had him tested at Willesley veterinary clinic by one of the top skin vets, you could see lumps on his neck in the grid where he had reacted to what he was injected with.

He does get worse if he is hot so I am very carefull not to over rug him, he is 1/2 TB 1/2 pony of some sort and he has been out in the rain these last few weeks with no rug on. In the winter he is fully clipped and wears a medium wieght NZ in field and a thermatex rug (only 1) at night and this seems to work well.

Still waiting to hear back fromt the vets, will try and post a picture of where he has itched tomorrow

 

[Sal_E]

How terrible

No particularly helpful advice to give but a couple of things that may (marginally) help for now.

Firstly, I'd get him on echincea & the anti-itch products you've mentioned - force him to eat it. 1st choice would be out of a scoop, mixed up with molasses. If necessary, it may have to be mixed into a paste & syringed - maybe ask vet about that if you're not keen on the idea.

Secondly, double check any allergens that you could help reduce. Particularly washing products, sprays & lotions - i.e. anything topical.

Thirdly, I'd use a topical lotion on the problem areas - i.e. something like Gold Label Itchgon or even Benzyl Bonzoate. You may want to double check any topical application with your vet first & do of course test it on a small non-problem area first.

I presume your vet is giving high-dose anti-histamines? There are various sorts, so it may be worth him trying one from a different group.

 

[ColouredFan]

Any help is appriciated!

I have used echincea before for a different hose with a leg injury and it was great so will get some! will also try and force feed him anti itch powder, any reccomendations on a good one?

I have tried to reduce any that I can ie house dust mites were what he is most allergic to so i wash his things, tumble dry (to kill mites) then seal in a plastic bag until used. havent had any reactions to washing him as yet.

Can you use Benzyl Bonzoate on open wounds? what exactly does it help with?

Yes at the moment he is having a long acting one not sure which group sorry and he had an intraveinous injection on tuesday but he is still itching today anis is even more sore, have called the vets again and they are still trying to contact the guy that treated him at willesley for advise on how to proceed and to see if he did some new blood tests, which if he didnt maybe a way forward. Was supposed to be Novice eventing him tomorrow but luckily its been cancelled, could this wet weather be making it worse? as it hasnt ever been this bad

 

[MagicMelon]

Wow, well done for doing so much to try and help your poor horse!

I can't offer any helpful advice since it sounds like you've done pretty much everything! I have a horse with pretty bad sweet itch who tears half his mane out every year (even with a Boett on) and has been itching his face raw since the winter! (he seems to get SI all year round nowadays - he's only 6). Its so devastating to see horses so uncomfortable isnt it? You want to help them but so many things just dont work!! Im hoping the SI vaccine comes back with good results and its available soon so I can try that with fingers crossed!

 

[ColouredFan]

Do you think a Boett rug would help protect his skin? I use a rambo protector at the moment and its pretty good as the material isnt hard on his skin, but its tough enough to withstand his chewing!

 

[Sal_E]

I'd say if he was being worried by anything on the outside (eg midges), the Boett would definitely help but as it sounds more like inside-out, I don't think the Boett would protect him from anything & I feel that probably if he needs to scratch, he;ll find a way

If you do want to try the rug, I'd suggest getting the vet to recommend it & try to claim it on your insurance if yoo're still covered.

I wonder if you should wash things in the machine without any washing powder or fabric conditioner? I reckon just the hot water would be enough to get rid of sweat & the likes wouldn't it?

I don't know about Benzyl B on open wounds but it does work VERY well for itching - please check with your vet first though.

Also, there must be a cortizone cream that is suitable for horses - to help with the itching topically. Again, ask the vet if he can recommend one.

 

[ColouredFan]

Hi

TBH i think its a bit of both as the flies really bother him aswell, but think your right that this outbreak is indise out! Will go to got some molasses from the feed store on my way home.

Yes i will ask the vet, I have to speak to him later anyway.

Not cover on the insurance as he had the first outbreak in 2005 and its only covered for 12months. and yes he does find a way to scratch!

At the moment the vet has prescribed Fuciderm (sp!) but it doesnt do anything i dont think, his condition has got worse not better this last week.

Does the vet need to prescrible Benzyl B or would a good tack shop sell it?

 

[ynneb]

My girl would hurl herself against the stable wall for a scratch to the point where I was afraid she would fall. Since I hogged her mane she has never ever done it again! I think, she was just too hot under her rather thick mane. A simple but effective solution.

 

[ColouredFan]

I wish my solution could be that simple! He has a pulled mane and tail, but never rubs these!

 

[ColouredFan]

here is a picture of his worse side

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/AimeeC_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN3019.jpg

there are other pictures also

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/AimeeC_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN3017.jpg

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/AimeeC_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN3016.jpg

http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s152/AimeeC_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN3020.jpg

Thanks for looking, any ideas gratefully recieved

 

[ColouredFan]

couldnt get photos in link what am i doing wrong?

 

[spaniel]

Is there any way this could be psycological. You say he doesnt do it when he is being worked which does make me wonder if the behaviour has started off out of boredom and has got totally out of control.

 

[ColouredFan]

dont know really, he does have steady periods and then an outbreak, last tuesday the places he has itched had lots of lumps on them. so im not sure that it is phycological although the vet did say he may itch more than he actually needs to because it is now a habbit. He doesnt do it when im riding because i am mean and dont let him. After riding i undo girth run up sturrips detatch numnah and take saddle off, then he will itch, he knows he isnt allowed when he is tacked up, but its impossible for me to stop him all the time!

 

[S_N]

Have you tried Aloe Vera? You could try it as a topical application and also feed it/syringe it into him. I love the stuff. Good luck and I'd just like to say what a lucky horse he is to have such a perseverant owner! Also, and you may well poo poo this idea - I'm not too sure of it myslef - but have you tried an animal communicator?

 

[spaniel]

Or a bib??

 

[ColouredFan]

whats an animal communicator?

Like the idea of Aloe vera tho, what would be the best product for putting on the sores? I have a gel based form in the first aid kit, would this do? I currently am using epiderm which is used on patients bed sores and it wasnt any worse trhis morning, which is the first time in a week

 

[ColouredFan]

I had been thining about a bib for in the stable so he can have his rug off for a while, i put a think holey sweat rug on him in the stable to protect his skin a bit, will this stop him itching completly?

 

[S_N]

Try the Forever Living Aloe products. You can get all kinds of gels from them, some are topical, some are ingestible. If this was me, I'd want to attack it from inside as much as where he's actually itched himself.

I've used these in the past with great success
http://www.yourfuture-reg.com/2/products.aspx?p=30261&c=8
http://www.yourfuture-reg.com/2/products.aspx?p=30260&c=8
http://www.yourfuture-reg.com/2/products.aspx?p=30253&c=8
http://www.yourfuture-reg.com/2/products.aspx?p=30247&c=8

An animal communicator is someone who does litterally that - communicates with your animal and tells you what the animal is saying. A lot of peeps on here had it done on their horses last year - some were incredibley accurate, others not so. I believe that they work from a picture of your horse that you send to them, possibly with a lock of hair from the animal - but no further info at all. I know that some will come out to you if necessary. I can't remember the cost sorry. If you are interested in this, then why not post in the Lounge and I'm sure someone will point you in the right direction.

 

[ColouredFan]

Thats great thanks alot, will order some and try attacking from the inside out!

 

[S_N]

Good luck and do let us know how you get on!

 

[ColouredFan]

Hi sal, I bought Frankie some liquid echinacea and molasses on my way home from work last night, made him a feed and managed to get him to eat about 90% of it, (by hand with his mate watching to tempt him!) i made up another feed today and have left it in stable with him so hopefully he may have eaten it by this evening!

 

[spaniel]

The bib will stop him getting his mouth to his body but wont stop him rubbing up the walls.

If there is any way he can have a rug free time I would do it, this cannot be helping if his skin is so irritated.

 

[ColouredFan]

Yes thats what I think, I do tie him up without his rug on for a long as possible every day and after riding i let him graze on the yard with no rug on the let the air get to his skin properly, I make sure that any rug he does wear is breathable so he doesnt get sweaty and the air can still get to his skin, will get him a bib, and give it a go, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[ColouredFan]

here is a small picture

 

[Twilight]

I thought my boy was itchy but yours seems really bad. I have been using Aloe on him and it does really seem to sooth him. Especially where he has a serious itching session on the stable wall, his bum gets really hot and the aloe cools it. I am also feeding global herbs super scratch. He does still itch whilst on it but not as much. I think that the aloe in the feed might be a better way forwards though. Also use global herbs itch cream which is very effective. It is so distressing to seem them rub themselves raw. I hope you can find a way out of it.

 

[S_N]

Was thinking of you today!! I was in Holland & Barrett and their Aloe Vera Juice stuff is a lot cheaper than the Forever Living one! Just a thought - you may be going through a fair bit of it!

 

[ColouredFan]

Thank you, I am going to the mall tonight and that has a holland and Barrett so will get some, is there a specific type i need?

 

[S_N]

No I don't think so, though if it's flavoured buy a small bottle just incase he doesn't like it. Your welcome hun