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| Had some testing done on my gelding. He is a hard keeper, has ulcers, gets summer itch like no other every year (for most of the year down here) and recently had the Bursa around his Jack Ligament injected due to inflammation which caused him pain and put him out of whack up through his back. In other words he has just been completely miserable.
We have everything but the summer itch under control and/or being treated so far. The only way I have been able to keep it somewhat manageable was for him to be on a low dose of Dex. But, this is throwing his hormones and all out of balance. So I went ahead and bit the bullet to have the allergy testing done. It’s pretty interesting what came back…
Hay allergies;
Bermuda, Bahaya, Orchard, Alfalfa
My options are straight Timothy (which I can’t find down here) and Peanut hay…which is what I have started him on. Also going to supplement some roughage with Beet Pulp.
He is also highly allergic to Corn, Soy Bean and Rice Bran……so now the hunt begins on what grain to feed.  I may have to make up my own concoction of oats and stuff.
He is allergic to some of the most common weeds here in FL, a few funguses, cedar, red wood, mosquitoes and nats (which I figured).
So, with all that now brought to light, we are making some changes in his diet which should help him some but vet has a hunch that he is going to fall into that small percentage of horses that have to stay on a low dose of Dex to keep things manageable and comfortable for the horse. Although, I am going to give the Platinum Skin & Allergy a try, will start giving as I bring him down off the Dex slowly. If it works he will be able to stay of Dex, if not…well then we don’t have much of a choice.
I feel like I pretty much have a plan, but does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had any luck with the Platinum Skin & Allergy? Any suggestions on a grain?
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 Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | Timothy pellets and flax with the beet pulp, I think you can get them at TSC.
Have you tried Benadryl instead of Dex? It worked for a horse we had but since he was subject to drug testing we had to quit the Benadryl and go to a shot of ACTH gel once a week. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 596
Location: Somewhere in the middle of nowhere | My vet told me of a case he was dealing with, where a horse was having bad allergies every year. The lady that owned the horse put the horse on Equipride. Vet said that is a totally different horse now. I'm not a dealer and I have never used it but thought I would just share....maybe something to look into. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | I have a friend with a horse with severe bug hypersensitivity. He literally will rub his mane/tail out and wont stop itching his belly. She has tried everything:feed change, mtg, fans, steroids, diff oils and nothing has really helped. She actually found a woman who does holistic supplements who had her try colostrum in his food and she saw a huge diff. Hes still in his full body fly suit with a fan in his stall (has a run in) but she said he still has his mane/tail and hasnt itched as much. He pulled a muscle itching so much too |
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| Thanks guys! It is miserable for me to even watch him get like he does. This year it has been more under control because of the Dex but like I said, it throws everything else out of whack. If we cant find something else that works he will have to stay on the low dose of Dex, which in the long run, per my vet, would most likely take a few years off his life, like 'wear and tear'. It's either have a horse live 30+ years miserably, or die a few years sooner and be happy/comfortable. I hate having to look at it that way but it is what it is if we cant get it under control with something else. We are starting from the inside out, with his feed changes now that we know what he is allergic to, and he is under fans all day, stalled (with small run) and let out at night when the bugs aren't as bad and its not as hot. |
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| Barnmom - 2014-06-24 9:53 AM
Timothy pellets and flax with the beet pulp, I think you can get them at TSC.
Have you tried Benadryl instead of Dex? It worked for a horse we had but since he was subject to drug testing we had to quit the Benadryl and go to a shot of ACTH gel once a week.
How much Benadryl would you give?
Thanks for the suggestion on feed! |
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| Oh!.. Does anyone recommend a certain fly sheet? It would need to be the most breathable, cool, one around. It's been in the high 90's here and humidity is horrid this summer. Thanks! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 398
Location: east tx | Rustynailfl - 2014-06-24 10:16 AM Oh!.. Does anyone recommend a certain fly sheet? It would need to be the most breathable, cool, one around. It's been in the high 90's here and humidity is horrid this summer. Thanks!
I order a snuggly for my horse and put him on animal elements. He is doing a lot better this year. Platinum skin allergy did nothing for him. Also did allergy testing but it has to be flies because in winter no problem so being allergic to all that other stuff I dont believe. Google blankets for sweet itch to find snuggly web site. |
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 Tough Patooty
Posts: 2615
Location: Sperry, OK | I know with the platinum skin and allergy, you need to start feeding it before the horse has symptoms to get it built up in their system for best results. So say your area bugs and such start around June, I would start feeding the Platinum in March. Adjust that to fit the needs of your area. |
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 Vodka for Lunch
Location: Lala Land | I just got a Weatherbeta Genero and really like it. He does sweat a little on the shoulder b/c of the lining, but it is really light. The Big D fly sheets don't fit mine very well, but I've always loved them, they are light and easy to repair. |
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Hog Tie My Mojo
Posts: 4847
Location: Opelousas, LA | Rustynailfl - 2014-06-24 10:13 AM Barnmom - 2014-06-24 9:53 AM Timothy pellets and flax with the beet pulp, I think you can get them at TSC.
Have you tried Benadryl instead of Dex? It worked for a horse we had but since he was subject to drug testing we had to quit the Benadryl and go to a shot of ACTH gel once a week. How much Benadryl would you give? Thanks for the suggestion on feed!
We were giving 10 pills (25mg?) twice a day, we may have started out with 3 times a day, it has been several years so I don't remember for sure. Our vet was looking in to getting it compounded for us but we couldn't get a withdrawal time figured out so we never did it.
Good luck, it is so frustrating to have an otherwise sound healthy horse that is so miserable all the time. |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13502
Location: OH. IO | sending you a pm |
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