This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Discussions on Skin Diseases not covered by above »
  Discussion on Acorn Skin Eruptions
Author Message
New Member:
carlisl

Posted on Saturday, Oct 17, 2009 - 4:06 pm:

I live in Northern California with a lot of oak trees, my horses love the acorns. I know it can cause impactions, colic and other ugly things, but the one thing I am inquiring about is a skin reaction. The vet's up here call it "Oak Fungus" where they get itchy bumps that break the skin and ooze a sticky substance, this is all over their body. Does anyone else have this problem if so what have they done other than locking up the horses to a dry lot or picking up all the acorns...which is impossible. We have a 6 year old paint quarter horse who gets it really bad, to where he cannot be ridden. Do you think a antihistamine might help, like Tri-Hist? I could really use some suggestions. Thank you all for your help.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 - 6:58 am:

Sounds nasty, I doubt tri-hist would help. Removal from the acorns would be at the top of my list. Can you fence off that part of the pasture? or make a temporary pasture during "acorn season"?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Oct 18, 2009 - 3:33 pm:

Welcome bullrfan,
As you note many many horses eat acorns every fall without consequence but we should always keep this case report in mind:

J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1983 May 15;182(10):1105-10.
Fatal acorn poisoning in a horse: pathologic findings and diagnostic considerations.
Anderson GA, Mount ME, Vrins AA, Ziemer EL.
Acorn poisoning was diagnosed in an 11-year-old Quarter Horse with signs of severe colic, tachycardia, hyperpnea, abdominal borborygmus, rectal tenesmus, and hemorrhagic diarrhea. The diagnosis was based on history and predisposing factors, clinical signs, laboratory data, acorn husks in the feces, the urinary gallic acid equivalent concentration, and necropsy findings. The most striking pathologic changes were gastrointestinal and mesenteric edema, ulcerative enterocolitis, and nephrosis.

To try and understand why the occasional horse gets very sick see, Diseases of Horses » Colic, Diarrhea, GI Tract » Diarrhea in Horses » Oak and Acorn Poisoning.

I cannot find any written up reports on a "Oak Fungus" and do not have anything similar though we have many oak laden pastures, including my own. I would be interested in your veterinarian's take on the cause and a more complete description of the lesions including how they start and how they resolve.

An allergic reaction that is histamine based can cause hives that if severe enough weep. In such cases the early use of antihistamines might be an effective treatment. However Trihist is not very effective. For more on this and more effective treatments see, Treatments and Medications for Horses » Anti-inflammatories (NSAID's, Steroids, Arthritis Rx) » Antihistamine Use in Horses.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC