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  Discussion on Hives and Dex dosage
Author Message
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Monday, Jul 30, 2007 - 10:34 pm:

My 16-yr TB developed small lumps on both sides of his neck recently which I attributed to fly bites. Several days later he broke out in hives on the head neck and body. Because he has had hives before which resolved without medication, I monitored him for a day, but called the vet Sunday when he began to develop swelling of the eye and under his jaw. The vet prescribed 5 dexamethasone injections 10cc initial, 10cc after one day, another 10cc after another day, then 5ccs each alternating with a skipped day.

Today (24 hrs after the first dose) the hives were almost completely gone but the vet says to continue using all the shots. Does this dosage sound appropriate Dr O? - I want to follow the vet's instructions but was just wondering, it seems like a lot of medication.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 - 6:30 am:

Hello Susanne,
I cannot tell by volume alone if this is an appropriate dosage because dex comes in at least 3 concentrations. So we need the volume and the concentration of the dexamethasone to calculate dosage.

Unless I have a history of problems with recurrent or difficult to treat hives, I do quit once they are completely resolved.
DrO
Member:
frances

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 - 7:59 am:

Hi Susanne,

Don't know if this is any help, but when my mare suddenly broke out in millions of hives all over her body, and after about 45 minutes was down and groaning, the vet prescribed 10cc of dexamethasone IM as a one-time dose.

(This was a few years ago, but I seem to remember that we also gave either bute or banamine about an hour later.)

The hives, which really covered every inch of her, subsided gradually, and no further dex was prescribed.

Hope this is of some help and good luck!
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 - 8:48 pm:

thanks to you both. I was not able to find out the concentration. I gave him one of the lower dosage (5 ccs) shots today and plan to let it go with that.
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - 8:32 pm:

Well, a week later and the hives are still with us. Four days after that last shot he was starting to break out again. They start the same way, small bumps on the neck. I gave him another 10ccs, then he was fine for another four days and yesterday they started again.

There is another horse at our barn who is having even more severe hives with similar recurrences. I gave my horse another 10ccs today and put a call in to the vet (I will have to confess I did not follow his treatment instructions and probably have screwed things up --) But most people I asked about this said the same thing you did, Dr O, which was not to keep treating if the hives had gone away, but obviously this is something persistent...?

We have fly control in our barn (although the horses have outdoor runs) and I have not noticed mosquitos, ants, etc around his stall and run. Any thoughts Dr O? He also has some fluid or edema accumulation under his jaw which has been there since the first outbreak.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - 10:07 pm:

When one of our horses was suffering with hives, it lasted for a month or 6 wks. He would get a shot of dex., then he'd clear up, or at least get a lot better, then they'd come back. Initially, he was so bad off he was also swollen in the groin and lower legs in the back. He was on the dex every day at first, then gradually decreasing to 2x/week, until he didn't get the hives anymore. In his case the best we could figure was that it was a reaction to something in the air, as he had hives at the same time each year over 4 yrs. For some reason, he quit getting them. He did move to another barn, but they use the same type of shavings, have the same climate, etc. so I'm not sure what is different.

Some horses develop allergies to the barn sprays and to fly sprays. We've a horse that we can only use Eqyss Marigold spray on. Anything else and she breaks out in hives.
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - 8:09 am:

Susanne, I don't know if there's a difference but my vet gave me the powder form of Dex (has an apple scent) to keep on hand for hives. My arabian battled hives (and swollen glands) from Spring through Fall last year, so every few days or whenever they'd start appearing again I'd add a dose to his food and it really helped.

I haven't had to use any this year -- knock on wood, but have also stopped using fly spray on his body.
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - 9:15 pm:

thanks it is good to know these things. I put a fly sheet on him today with a neck protector - he did not seem to mind this - the vet is going to come out Monday. The other horse was flaring up today too - he is in a separate barn from my horse, has different food, bedding, etc I am thinking insects or something in the air, they both started around the same time. It is frustrating so I appreciate knowing these stories of other cases!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - 9:42 pm:

Keep an eye on the neck protector. It rubbed the mane out on one of my horses. You might want to put some fleece or maybe even better, a slippery nylon over the edge of the neck protector to protect his mane.
Member:
ksojerio

Posted on Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - 12:13 am:

I have been fighting hives since 15 APR. My mare was breaking out every 4 days, but about 2 months ago I started to use hyDrOxyzine daily and now only have to give 2cc of dex about every 7-10 days. Her skin biopsy came back, "allergies of an undetermined source."

Maybe when cold weather comes it will stop.
Member:
shirl

Posted on Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - 1:29 am:

I also had to use HyDrOxazine on Sierra as she was terribly allergic to gnats. Used to give her 400 mgs a day, which worked most of the time, but there were times she was also on a regime of Prednisolone (not Prednisone)I used a fly/gnat spray of vinegar, water and Lavender or Eucalyptus oil. On her mid-line which became raw, my vet recommended covering it entirely with zinc oxide. I found out if I kept the ointment in the frig so it was chilled, it stayed on her much longer and really helped.
Shirl
Member:
leilani

Posted on Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - 2:02 am:

I love this discussion. My 2 mares are so different. Mele has major issues with flys, gnats, etc., but will not keep a fly mask on. I have taken Dr. O's advice and apply vaseline under her eyes and on her ears for protection. My younger mare, Anuhea has no problems with critters at all, but she keeps her mask on. Of course, things could change...
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - 8:57 am:

I figure if the worst part of a beings day is having to swish flies away, then it's not too bad of a day.

Of course there is the occasional bite, but those seem to come through regardless, and nothing seems to stop those gigantor flies. I spray tails with repellant so they have extra swatting power, the legs, and sometimes put some in the forelock.

I once got one of those roll-on fly repellants for sensitive areas. I rolled it around his eyes and he ended up with 2 bald rings on his face.

I think when we were having the bulk of the allergy issues it was also attributed to something in the pasture he was in, maybe some weed or something. You just never know...
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - 12:40 pm:

i am not certain how you have screwed up Susanne but it strikes me that you have found the optimal doseage rate that you can keep the hives away and you can treat for as long as your veterinarian seems prudent. We still do not know the concentration so we still do not know what dosage you are giving.
DrO
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 - 4:47 pm:

thanks Dr O, I think the same now. We have more evidence this is being caused by insect bites. A third horse was affected Friday. He came in from turnout with what looked like a fresh bite (walnut sized) on his neck, and the hives were starting to spread down his neck onto his body.
The first horse that was affected was also relapsed today with hives all over him and one eye swollen almost shut. He has had multiple shots of Dex also.

The vet is coming over tomorrow to check on my horse, so maybe we will have a new treatment protocol or at least I can find out more about the dosage.

Sara, thanks for the heads-up on the neck protector! Always something.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 - 11:05 pm:

Susanne, two of our horses came in with big hives a few days ago, one an older mare and the other our boarder's gelding. I rinsed them with cold water and I kept them in for the next two days and only out at night and they were fine. Then I put them out, and again hives...only this time it did look more like a reaction to bugs/flies. If I leave these two in during the day they have no problems. Neither of these horses have had a problem before, so I don't know if we have some kind of different flies out this year or what. No one else seems to be affected. I have noticed more flies that just cling to the lower legs this year. I haven't really noticed these flies before. Do you have this kind of fly where you are?
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Monday, Aug 13, 2007 - 9:37 am:

I remember my vet saying last summer that there was some new fly or something that was causing problems. I'll have to ask again.
Poor babies, I feel for you having to deal with something so annoying!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Monday, Aug 13, 2007 - 7:22 pm:

cp, if your vet has a name and knows what might work to keep this fly off the horses, please post it. Thanks.
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007 - 8:08 am:

I'm not sure about that, seems a suit of armor might be the only fix.

There was certainly something eating the horses at the last boarding place I was at, and I got bit by some kind of fly last week and still have a big red welt!

I found this link with some interesting fly & mosquito facts https://insectzoo.msstate.edu/Students/diptera.html

-some researchers suggest there are million unidentified fly species out there
-an average house fly in a residential area carries 1,941,000 bacteria—yuck
-it would take approximately 1,200,000 mosquito bites to totally drain the blood from an adult human—eeww
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007 - 10:34 pm:

I have not seen the lower leg type of fly. The other afternoon though I saw what might have been a June bug, a large bright green flying beetle, I don't know if they bite horses -- ?? I assume some insects are in our area (So Cal) which are not normally around, and maybe the horses lack immunity.

My vet gave me a few more shots of Dex - I found out the concentration is 2mg/ml - and the barn owner has gotten some powdered Dex in packets (5mg) - I tried one of these today since my horse was breaking out again on his neck despite his fly sheet.

I hate to keep giving him Dex - he has had hives before as I said and gotten over them - but the swelling had me concerned this time....
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 - 12:53 am:

I went out today and stocked up on various fly sprays, bait for the traps, etc. I can't stand them! That Supersect 7, I think it's called, seems to work better than any of them, but it costs a fortune. I sprayed the walls and around the doors as well as the horses and it really did help (ch-ching, ch-ching!)

I don't get it. I go down the road where they never clean the stalls and fields and they have almost no flies. I clean stalls and pens at least 2x/day, try to keep everything clean, even got a big dumpster for manure and have tons of flies!! AAARGH!!

btw..the green beetle probably wasn't a June bug unless you have different ones down there in Calif. The only ones I've seen were big and dark brown with really "sticky" feet. They and earwigs are the only bugs that just make me cringe! I don't think beetle bite, either, thank goodness.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 - 8:10 am:

Sara, what we call June Bugs in the south have a deep emerald green wing cover and a metallic copper colored carapace and abdomen. Going on the internet I see that some parts of the country have a different June Bug that we refer to as May Beetles. Both are harmless to horses but tough on crops.

It is important to identify what type fly you are trying to control as they are different in their reproductive habits. For more on controlling flies see, Horse Care » Routine Horse Care » Controlling Houseflies and Biting Flies.
DrO
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 - 8:58 am:

Is that the same as a Japanese Beetle DrO? I didn't know that June Bugs were called May Bugs here in the south! We have both though.
Member:
dres

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 - 9:41 am:

Sara, i agree, we have ''little Mexico'' in front of us.. NEVER clean paddocks/pastures.. Have cows in small areas, 30+ goats in a pen and three horses all standing around.. I clean my pastures / paddocks and the stalls several times a day.. and my barn is FULL of black flys. ? I spray the walls/ floors / horses / ME... and for only mins we are bug free... I JUST DON'T GET IT..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 15, 2007 - 5:56 pm:

When I lived in Virginia for nearly 20 years those green and metallic beetles were called Japanese Beetles. They don't bite but do a real job on one's rose garden. The solid colored beetles Sarah refers to is what we called June bugs when I lived in Minnesota -- they don't bite but like to appear on warm summer nights when attracted to light.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 17, 2007 - 12:01 am:

A Japanese beetle looks like a small June Bug.
DrO
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 - 9:39 pm:

hi everyone. This is week 5 of hives. Last week I had to go out of town. The vet left me with 5 days worth of oral (tablets) Dex - 16 mg per day - for while I was gone. Yesterday (4 days after the last dose) he was breaking out again, today it was very concentrated on the head, face and neck even with some around the eyes.

The vet now does not want me to keep giving him Dex. He says I should just cold-hose and monitor him for a couple of days and see how the reaction is. He says whatever the allergen is, it seems it is going to continue to recur, that the Dex is just postponing further outbreaks and it is best to just let the horse alone and that he does not think it likely serious complications would occur. However we don't know this since we have kept "dex-ing" him every time he has had an outbreak so far.

I have been reading the other discussions here about hives and I asked him about hyDrOxyzine - the other horse at our barn with hives is getting this now and seems to be doing well on it - he seemed not to want to prescribe this... I didn't press him but I could ask again - ?

I am going to try giving him some spirulina - I have read the articles and some discussions here about this - but is it safe to just stop giving him Dex altogether Dr O?

This horse has had hives before and I have never given him anything or worried about it at all, but he has never had eye swelling or so many bumps on his head and face so it is a little more disconcerting.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Aug 30, 2007 - 1:08 pm:

30 days of antiinflammatory treatment should not represent a problem with just discontinuing it. I might be a little more worried with the higher immunsuppresive doses. For more on the problems seen with rapid discontinuing see the Adverse Subtopic in the article Treatments and Medications for Horses » Anti-inflammatories (NSAID's, Steroids, Arthritis Rx) » Steroids, Overview of Antiinflammatory Use.
DrO
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Thursday, Aug 30, 2007 - 7:32 pm:

Thank you Dr O, I read this article.

Today after 5 days off Dex the horse blew up with swelling of the head, jaw, face and eyes (I could hardly get his halter on) very hot skin and was completely covered with hives. I called the vet since he told me to advise him of developments. The vet reversed course and told me to administer the last 10cc injection of Dex that I had left over, and now says he wants to administer a more aggressive course of steroids - higher doses - then tapering off in a systematic program. I don't know which medication yet, or if he means to continue with Dex, I will get it from him tomorrow morning.

The horse was eating normally and his demeanor seemed fine, not distressed.

I should mention that since this began I have bought new hay/food, the bedding has been changed, discontinued chemical fly sprays, discontinued supplements, he wears the fly sheet so I am working on the environmental issues as well but the onset seemed to be insect bite related and the other horse who is affected, the one who is now getting HyDrOxyzine, has followed practically the exact same pattern.

I will advise you of the new treatment plan Dr O but this seems a very virulent allergy, let me know if you have any other thoughts.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Aug 31, 2007 - 10:16 am:

The veterinarians suggestions seem reasonable and certainly he will be talking about dex as it cannot be beat for efficacy vs cost.

Considering the troublesome nature I would like to see a thorough exam of the horse including a complete lab work up. If it still is believed to be an allergy to something you could consider a removal to a completely different environment to see if the problem resolves in the next 3 weeks.

I would like I am still waiting on the concentration of the dex you are using as the cc's are meaningless without knowning the concentration.
DrO
Member:
cpacer

Posted on Friday, Aug 31, 2007 - 1:19 pm:

Susanne, one thing that seemed to help relieve my hive horse was spraying him with Vetroline. I think the conditioners helped sooth his skin-- especially nice after a bath!
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Friday, Aug 31, 2007 - 7:38 pm:

Dr O, the concentration in the syringes of Dex I was given previously was 2mg/ml - I mentioned this in one of my posts above on Aug 14.

Today the vet prescribed: Benadryl 10 caplets (open them and use as powder) 3 x per day - I think they are 25mg each - and Dex 5 tablets (4 mg each) once a day for a week. Then the dose and frequency of each tapers down very slowly for 4 more weeks. The Dex continues for another 2 weeks as it is tapered off. All in all it is 7 weeks of treatment.

I asked about the blood work and allergy testing but the vet is off till Tuesday so I will hear from him about this then. I think this is not just ordinary hives but a systemic reaction of some kind.

I found out there was some agricultural spraying done at one of the properties adjacent around the time this started. We are in an agricultural (citrus) area of So Cal in Moorpark and there is often spraying going on in the area.

The barn owner told me she called the local police about this since they were flying a helicopter very low over her property. I am going to try to find out more about when this may have occurred exactly. Possibly some of the pesticide is on our property or in the air or water, or being transmitted by insects. '

I don't know if this could cause such a situation but it keeps sticking in my mind that two horses came down with this the same week and the symptoms are the same

The other horse is currently on HyDrOxyzine, no Dex. He seems to be doing fine on this but they have a different vet. They are going to reduce the dosage of this next week so we will see how he does.

I will also consider moving the horse but would like to try to pinpoint the cause if possible - other places in the area have flies and are adjacent to citrus groves also.
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Saturday, Sep 1, 2007 - 3:57 am:

p.s. I should mention that the Dex is to be given every day only for the first week, then it goes to alternate day and then 3 x per week for the last 2 weeks
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 3, 2007 - 10:38 am:

I went looking to see if it was put up earlier but must have missed it. Try to get use to writing in total dosage (cc's times the concentration) rather than just the cc's and that will help my befuddled old mind.

Hmmm considering that the long term use of steroids is more serious than the antihistimine why not consider keeping the anti-histimine up and tapering the steroid first?
DrO
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Monday, Sep 3, 2007 - 8:44 pm:

yes I am concerned about keeping him on Dex for another (what amounts to) 6 weeks. But the vet seems to feel an aggressive dose which would be slowly tapered off is warranted.

The other horse who had this is doing well on hyDrOxyzine alone now. I am considering calling in another vet for a second opinion on the treatment protocol...but if I take him off dex again and he relapses it probably means starting it all over again... I'm not sure what to do.. I really appreciate being able to share this with you Dr O, you are great to be there for us!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 4, 2007 - 8:22 am:

I don't have a problem with the aggressive dosing considering the recurrent nature of the problem Susanne, what I don't see is tapering the antihistimine before the steroid since it may help the horse stay well with a lower or no dose of steroid eventually. If your vet does not agree, you should ask your vet to explain why he feels they should be tapered together.
DrO
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Saturday, Sep 29, 2007 - 9:05 pm:

hi Dr O. Just an update on my horse's medication plan and your last post of 9/4.

The horse has been getting 250 mg of Benadryl twice a day for the past four weeks and a slowly reducing dose of Dex tablets (currently 3 tabs @ 4 mg every other day.)

The Benadryl is scheduled to end this week, and I did not get an explanation from my vet as to why we would stop the antihistamine before tapering off the Dex as you asked; he only said this is what he prescribed.

The horse has not had hives but every so often I still see a localized reaction from insect bites, a few small lumps. When I reduced the Dex down to 3 tabs, he had a mild outbreak of a few hives for one day which resolved. Otherwise he seems to be doing fine on these meds.

Another vet I have used came to the barn and saw the horse and he saw no problem giving me a supply of HyDrOxyzine (the Pamoate 50 mg caps) since I was concerned about tapering off all the meds and then being back at square one since I have a lot of evidence this is being caused by flies and we still have flies here in So Cal.

I have read your medication guidelines above and thought I would start him on 500 mg of HyDrOxyzine as soon as the Benadryl is gone (I have a few more days.) The Dex reduces to 3 tabs twice a week at that point. I would plan to keep him on hyDrOxyzine as a preventive while the Dex is discontinued and see how he does.

Would there be any issues in switching from Benadryl to HyDrOxyzine - is the dosage of the Pamoate the same as the HCL version - and do I have to give him a larger dose than that at first to get it into his system?

Thanks again for all your help with this.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Sep 30, 2007 - 1:02 pm:

I don't know of any problems with switching antihistamines Susanne, at least in other species but the question does not appear studied in horses.

Concerning dosages this really has to be discussed with the dispensing vet. Doing a little research the pamoate salt formulations that I can find information about have labeled concentrations in "HCl salt" equivalents but I cannot speak for the product you were dispensed.

Lastly you should not give increased dosages because of the increased possibility of sedation.
DrO
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Friday, Oct 5, 2007 - 8:20 pm:

WELL... I started him on 400 mg Wednesday pm and yesterday he seemed mildly sedated on just that amount. I cut it to 350 and today he was the same. He was due for Dex today (now we cut that to twice a week) and he had light bumps on him today, so I gave him a dose (3 tabs) of Dex and cut the hyDrOxyzine to 200 mg not wanting to give him too much with the Dex if it is sedating him.

As far as the dispensing vet he told me to give the horse 2000 mg of hyDrOxyzine to start with which I obviously did not/would not do. The first vet who prescribed the Benadryl and Dex has not even spoken to me, preferring to let his office staff field calls.

Compared to some of the things that can happen to a horse I am grateful I guess to be dealing with something minor like hives but JEEEEZZZZ this has been a frustrating situation and I was hoping the hyDrOxyzine would be something I could keep him as a preventive.... I will try him on a low dose for a few more days.. he is a sensitive horse.. I don't want to give it to him ongoing if it is going to tranquilize him.
New Member:
foltz

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 5:40 pm:

Hi Suzanne....I feel your frustration. My mare has had hives for four months now. I have used the alterate day therapy of Dex and every time we try to cut down she is covered face to hind end. I also have changed everything, food, surroundings etc. I wish I could say that they are seasonal, but I live in the desert in southern Califonia. They started in winter and have continued thru spring until now. The Vet's coming today and I will ask him to do a more thorough exam to check for other causes. I'm about ready to move her to a friends in Colorado to give the poor thing a break. Or shall I say in hopes the allergen is removed.

I'll follow your posts in hopes you have some relief and if I receive any good info. will gladly let you know.

Feeling your pain......Jan

Some times I think these things are harder on those that care for them, then the horse themselves.
New Member:
foltz

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 6:08 pm:

I guess I neglected to look at the date of suzanne's last post. I wonder what her final outcome was?
Jan
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 6:22 pm:

Jan, is this the first year your mare has had hives? Are the hives "true hives" or do they harden and get a small crust on top like a bite? Would you mind my asking if you live anywhere near northern San Diego county?

I'm asking because my sister-in-law's mare had what was first called a reaction to a spider bite. It started on her right side near her loin area and then spread to be pretty much all over. I saw the mare about a month ago, and what she had was no reaction to a bite, and it looked different than regular hives. The bumps looked more like what I would call "pistules." It turned out that several horses in the barn where she boards developed the same symptoms. Her mare had a culture done and a biopsy of two of the areas, with negative results (according to my sister-in-law.) The mare has been on dex and was on an antibiotic too, I believe.

My concern is that I'm coming to Del Mar for a show in a few weeks and am wondering if there is something going around down there. The barn manager where sister-in-laws horse is kept said some horses from Temecula had come into the barn with the same problem.

thanks. I'm just curious and wondering if I should bring a good strong disinfectant when I come down.

(Kathy (sister-in-law) has joined this site, I think, but she said she doesn't think she knows enough yet to post questions.)
Member:
dres

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 6:36 pm:

Sara can't answer your questions but always spray down the stalls with some kind of disinfectant.. That is what I do when away from home.. not to mention check for loose boards or fittings.. :-)

Have fun..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
New Member:
foltz

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 8:01 pm:

Sara, I am about four hours north of San Diego. This is the first year I have experienced hives with this mare. I have had her about 3 years. I think I will look up her original owner/breeder and see if they had any problems.

Just had my vet out again and ours are truly hives. He added an antihistamine to our Dex treatment. Wish us luck.

I have three other horses with no problems and ride and trailer with multiple friends and no one else seems to be experiencing hive problems.

Good luck in Del Mar and thanks for sharing your sister-in-laws experience. jan
Member:
sryder11

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 8:46 pm:

Hi Jan I have posted a few updates about my horse in some more recent threads including one just the other day. My horse was on Dex and Benadryl for more than 3 months with no end to the hives. We tried tapering down the dosage, changing food, etc etc a million things to no avail. The vet finally came out and gave him one shot of Vetalog, I think it is a stronger and longer-acting steroid, which seemed to get rid of the hives fairly rapidly.

At this point I also put him on a supplement from Platinum Performance called Platinum Vet Skin and Allergy. Dr O has since analyzed the ingredients in this and didn't see any scientific merit but I still give it to him and the horse is still doing well. This summer will be the real test - fly season! I hope your horse improves and you find a solution.

ps I am also in So Cal - Moorpark
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 - 9:10 pm:

Thanks,Jan. I'm glad there seems to be no connection and your horse seems to have "just" hives. One of our stallions had terrible hives in the late summer for 3 yrs straight. We never could figure out what caused them. He was on so many drugs I was concerned about his potency when breeding. After the 3rd summer, he's not had them since (knock on wood!) Still don't know what caused them, but we are very careful about what we use on and around him. I rather think the hives were caused by something in the air, but who knows. Good luck with yours!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Thursday, May 8, 2008 - 8:31 pm:

Ann, I will have fun...and take the spray. It's our first Regional competition, so will be fun to see how we place - if at all! No matter what, it's a beautiful area and lots of great food around.
Member:
canter

Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008 - 7:58 am:

Sara & Ann, just curious - what do you use to spray down the stalls when you show?
New Member:
foltz

Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 11:52 pm:

Thanks Suzanne. I will definitely look into the supplement and ask the vet about vetalog. Thank you for the update and I will check the more recent posts.
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