Thank you so much for the link. Very interesting!
So sorry the shots are causing more harm than good. The bugs are out in force now, and my guy has a little bit of hair loss starting on the tail, but so far the mane is doing well.
The no see ums are driving my other horse crazy (we allergy tested him and he was basically negative to culicoides and most bugs that we have here), I think this is a good sign that the shots are doing something helpful for the more allergic horse. He is also sweating better than he has in the 4+ years I’ve owned him, and his asthma is also not as bad.
As for the one with the super itchy mane and crusty belly button…I’m not sure what to do. It’s worse than last summer, and he’s rubbed some spots of his fur out on the sides of his neck. He wears full bug gear outside. I have done some topical treatments, but seems like by the next morning he is super itchy and rubbing again. Wonder if I should try another deworming to see maybe if it’s neck threadworms and not sweet itch for him?
I haven’t had a horse on allergy shots but I receive them for significant environmental and food allergies. I take allergy meds around the clock. Aller-tec (antihistamine only) works better for me than any of the prescription medications. I take it every 2.5 hours. (For comparison, when my horse received it he was given 10 per day, once a day.) If I wake up in the middle of the night, I take some or there will be consequences.
Before I receive a shot, medical personnel always ask if I’ve taken an antihistamine. I experience itching and swelling at the injection site and increased sensitivity to allergens. If I feel the reaction is too strong (e.g., significant edema due to food allergies because I have to eat) I repeat the dose, sometimes more than once. Once the reaction is manageable, I move to the next step.
Not sure how this translates to horses but perhaps it may help someone.
I get allergy shots as well so I know this protocol. Like my mare, I couldn’t make it to the full dosage but it still has helped tremendously. I will look up the antihistamine you mentioned. Thanks!
