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  Discussion on Hives
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New Member:
Rose15

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 6, 2005 - 7:02 pm:

Hi....since early January a number of horses in our area have had a problem with hives. We live in Nebraska, my vet had 10 horses break out with hives within 2 days. He said he had never experienced a problem like this in his 25 years of practice. All have been resolved except 2 horses one of which is my 8 year old mare with no history of hives. We have changed from alfalfa to brome hay, from oats to Revoltion RX a prescription grain substitute. Changed bedding 3 times, we are now using shredded cardboard. Our mare is outside during the day if weather is good and box stalled at night. Our vet started us on antihistimine at the onset, then went to oral Dexasone. We have added Omega Horseshine for Omega 3 and 6, we have added Blue Green algae to her feed. We are currently on a program of using Dexasone for one week then 2 weeks of Predisolone.
Unfortunately the hives are back now that we are on the Predisolone. Any new suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 9:49 am:

Rose, My horse broke out in hives this year for the very first time. Mostly on his neck with some on his stomach. Then, some oozy ones by his mouth and cheeks. There is a product called Microtek that seems to be helping. It is a shampoo, that you leave on, then you spray it with the spray and let him dry. Then, you just spray him with it daily--spray only. It is definitely calming the hives down in my horse. For the scabbies around his mouth, my vet gave me a product called "Dermacloth", which also seems to be working. We have no idea what our guy could be allergic to, since we have him at our own farm and know exactly what care he gets and NOTHING has changed.... My vet gave me an antihistimine shampoo as well, IF the Microtek doesn't completely get rid of them. I am going to give it another week with the Microtek, then stop, and see if they stay away, before trying this other shampoo. ALSO, perhaps there is a fungas or pollen in the air, that when you brush the horse, it breaks the skin, and you are essentially rubbing the pollen into his skin , which is the irritation. Soooo, I have been only very litely brushing my horse, no curry, so I am not sure if that is helping or not. Sometimes, trying to change all these things just makes it more frustrating and confusing. SOmetimes, they just breath in an irritant or something in the grass, and you just have to wait it out....... Let me know if anything works! I personally, will only use steroids as a last resort and try topical first.
Member:
Marroon

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 10:22 am:

I have to agree, the topical is where I begin also. My guy has had far too many sterroids throughout his life and just seems to lead to far too many variables. I try to go all natural and found the ostrige oil items to be very good and has a natural spf in it so when it is applied and they are out all day the sun doesn't burn them in the treatment spot. You will want to make sure your water buckets are getting sanitized properly also. You can always tell when mine picks something up because I'm out there cleaning buckets daily. I know that may sound stupid and it may just make me feel better but there must be a ton of bacteria in a three day old bucket of water. Good luck!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 11:14 am:

Rose I addressed your question about the dex and pred use under your other post. You should also reconsider the use of antihistimines, the most common products available to veterinarians, like pyrilamine, are not effect. I have updated the article on hives with new recommendations, see Equine Diseases » Skin Diseases » Bumps / Nodules / Warts / Tumors » Hives, Wheals, and Urticaria in Horses.

Of course a cure requires that you identify the cause and remove it. With so many cases surely some common event can be found? Perhaps a questionaire for everyone to fill out detailing everything their horses come in contact with, ingested, and where they have been just before this started.
DrO
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 11:56 am:

Yes, my horse had been at a clinic for an ultrasound right before it started, which is why I was initially concerned that it was ringworm or staff infection that he might have picked up there. My vet said it is not presenting like either of those...does look like an allergic reaction. She said though, they could have put a halter on that is different from what he has......causing the irritation around the mouth??

My other horse came in once 2 years ago with hives ALL over him. The microtek cleared that up in 3 days, and they never came back, which is why I went to it again. I will let you know if it actually cures this or is only a temporary solution.... In my case, since I am around my horse 24X7, I would know if anything had changed in his management, and it hasn't. I guess because my other horse was out in field baord that year, when he got his hives, it was a really wet year, so in his case, I think it was pollen or something in the grass, that just went away without me changing anything. I think it is certainly valulable to search your mind to see if anything has changed, but why go changing things that didn't irritate him before (unless it is different hay or a new shipment of bedding or something)---- Let me know!
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 12:15 pm:

Oh, also, my horse that had the bad case of hives 2 years ago..... at least 3 other horses had it too. All were chestnuts, all out in field board.... which goes to show you it can be something outside too! Thanks
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 4:25 pm:

Cindy....out the original 10 horses only 2 continue 3 months later to have the problem. All 10 lived in different places under living conditions within a 100 mile area. My mare is a dark bay.
Rose
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Thursday, Apr 7, 2005 - 4:46 pm:

Dr. O.....only 2 horses continue to have a problem with hives. Our vet has said there is not a connecting thread between the 2 remaining horses. Our show mare is the worst of the 2. Mine is inside/outside at our acreage, the other is box stalled at a large boarding facility 50 miles away. Rose
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Saturday, Apr 9, 2005 - 12:02 pm:

Dr. O......here is the dosage we have been using, one week Dexasone (2mg/ml) 10cc. 2 weeks of
Prednisolone 100mg/5ml 10cc. We had a bad break through one day this week after she was given her spring shots. That seems to have been resolved now. Thank you for your information I find it very helpful. Rose Edwards
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Monday, Apr 11, 2005 - 1:06 pm:

Dr. O......read an article in The Horse Journal that suggested the use of 20 grams twice a day of Spirulina to help in the control of hives. The vet suggested the horse not be on any type of medication at the time. Do you have any thoughts
on this suggestion? Thank you. Rose Edwards
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 6:48 am:

There is a basis for spirulina use for hives:

Mediators Inflamm. 2002 Apr;11(2):81-5.
Role of histamine in the inhibitory effects of phycocyanin in experimental models of allergic inflammatory response.

Remirez D, Ledon N, Gonzalez R.
Ozone Research Center, National Center for Scientific Research, Havana, Cuba.

It has recently been reported that phycocyanin, a biliprotein found in the blue-green microalgae Spirulina, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in some animal models of inflammation. Taking into account these findings, we decided to elucidate whether phycocyanin might exert also inhibitory effects in the induced allergic inflammatory response and on histamine release from isolated rat mast cells. In in vivo experiments, phycocyanin (100, 200 and 300mg/kg post-orally (p.o.)) was administered 1 h before the challenge with 1 microg of ovalbumin (OA) in the ear of mice previously sensitized with OA. One hour later, myeloperoxidase activity and ear edema were assessed. Phycocyanin significantly reduced both parameters. In separate experiments, phycocyanin (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o.) also reduced the blue spot area induced by intradermal injections of histamine, and the histamine releaser compound 48/80 in rat skin. In concordance with the former results, phycocyanin also significantly reduced histamine release induced by compound 48/80 from isolated peritoneal rat mast cells. The inhibitory effects of phycocyanin were dose dependent. Taken together, our results suggest that inhibition of allergic inflammatory response by phycocyanin is mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of histamine release from mast cells.

I cannot find any work with the use of spirulina in horses so cannot testify to the safety of this practice, but the stuff appears very safe in mice. What dosage to they recommend....opps I see it above. How much would this cost?
DrO
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 4:06 pm:

Dr. O....found Spirulina in a health food store,powder is about $12 for 90 grams, tablets were about $9 for 100 grams. Very reasonable in my opinion. The article I referred to is in the December 2004 issue of the Horse Journal. Our mare seems to be doing better.
Rose Edwards
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005 - 11:17 pm:

Eventualy hives always do better Rose, just on their on. The question will be, "did the spirulina speed the resolution?" Keep us appraised.
DrO
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 13, 2005 - 1:03 pm:

Yes, and btw, the over the counter/topical microtek has done wonders for my guy. this is now the second horse which this product has really helped. again, be sure to purchase the shampoo and then follow-up with the spray a least 2 times perday. just wanted to share my experience.... cindy
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Saturday, Apr 16, 2005 - 10:03 pm:

Cindy....thank you, I am using the Micro-tek, haven't tried the shampoo yet but will give it a try. So far we are using the spirulina recommended by Horse Journal, it is a little to early to tell yet if it will solve the problem. We're keeping our fingers crossed. Rose Edwards
Member:
Cmitch

Posted on Sunday, Apr 17, 2005 - 8:22 am:

i think the shampoo first is important to get all the stuff off first, before the spray... Also, reduce brushing him for a couple days...no curry, only lite brushing. i have to say (watch them come back after i post this!!) his hives are completely goen after 2 weeks of microtek.

cindy
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 19, 2005 - 8:27 pm:

Cindy.....ordered the Micro-tek shampoo and am using the Micro-tek medicated spray. Still using the spirulina and so far things are looking better. The hives have improved 75%. Rose Edwards
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 20, 2005 - 8:32 pm:

Dr.O.....after 6 days on the Spirulina the hives are at least 75% improved. The best part is our mare is off the medicines. We are hoping that we are getting closer to solving our problem. Rose Edwards
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 21, 2005 - 7:14 am:

Thanks for keeping us appraised Rose. Continue to let us know how it goes.
DrO
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005 - 6:52 pm:

Dr. O.....the hives are gone!! We have been using
the spirulina for 9 days, we have made no other changes in caring for our mare. It has been a long 3 months we tried so many different ways to solve our problem we're hopeful this will be the answer to our situation. Thank you so much for interest and help. Rose Edwards
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005 - 7:23 am:

Remember that 8 other cases of hive went away without this and there is a good chance it was just your horses time. Interesting will be when you discontinue the spirulina to see if the hives return, if they do and then disappear when you start again, there is more support.
DrO
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Tuesday, May 10, 2005 - 4:35 pm:

Dr. O....we are still hive free and have reduced the dosage of spirulina. 3 of the original 10 horses are continuing to have break throughs. The owners have chosen not to try spirulina, they are using Dexasone. Our mare's hair coat is improving, she is beginning to bloom again.
Rose Edwards
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 - 8:23 am:

Very good Rose.
Member:
Rose15

Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 4:06 pm:

Dr.O....as I mentioned in my last post 3 horses continued to have hives, after much discussion each of the owners agreed with my vet to try the spirulina. All three are beginning to see improvement in their horses(some had been having problems for 4 months.) My horse has been hive free for 5 weeks now. Rose Edwards
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