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 » Bumps / Nodules / Warts / Tumors » Hives, Wheals, and Urticaria in Horses »
  Discussion on Hives and estrus
Author Message
New Member:
robinq

Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 11:50 am:

My mare, 4.5 years old, seems to get hives as she she comes in to estrus. Has anyone else seen this problem? Then when we bred her, took her off trailer for 18 day preg check looking beautiful and slick, no bumps.... and vet said immediately, "She's pregnant!" This is because no hives and she told me during pregnancy that the immune system is suppressed to not fight the baby as intruder. Seemed to be true. All through pregnancy perfect and shiny and not one bump. At 4 days post delivery (June 2010) they again started to appear. They were mild and ran course in about 4 days. A few times since she has started, seems like a 21 day thing. Tried nettle and thought I was getting results as bumps would recede before they became an ugly mess. Then this past month she got a bad case. As they would recede on one portion of body, they would appear in another region. This went on for a full month. She even got itchy for first time ever and chewed at top of forelegs and made some bumps raw. Now almost gone and in 5th day of the most intense heat I have seen her in. Of course, I think because she is for sale she is doing this to sabotage my efforts.
Member:
silver

Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 4:46 pm:

We dont have hives in oestrus, but my ponies allergies are definitley worsened by allergies.

Is she messy? I bath mine's back legs every day as it attracts the flies which causes us problems.

I hope someone can help!
New Member:
robinq

Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 6:22 pm:

No not at all messy, very quiet except this time she so wants a tiny pony stallion when I walk by. And no flies yet, not for another 2 months. Definitely seems hormone related. Maybe she is just allergic to her own estrogen. I have had twice dog vaccines recalled and one due to immuno suppressive disorder caused when Ft. Dodge combined Parvo and Corona viruses in same vaccine. Now I am wondering if vaccines can cause an immuno high sensitivity perhaps. Would be nice to know name and lot numbers of all vaccines given to horses that have chronic hives. Actually the second recall I had of canine vaccines was Ft. Dodge as well where they grew on goats or sheep with blue tongue but did not think dogs would be affected. Well, they were.... and the bitches would abort litters mid to late term and usually dam would die as well. Hmmmm, that could possibly be over-active immune system. Trying to make sense of it all.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 7:33 pm:

Welcome Robin,
Has your mare come into heat this past month?

Pregnancy related immune suppression has been described. And if there is a estrus related hives here I would first wonder if any hormone treatments have been used during pregnancy or breeding but I have not seen anything to suggest a vaccine relation.
DrO
New Member:
robinq

Posted on Monday, Jan 31, 2011 - 11:21 pm:

Nope, never hormones used. Well, wait, is HCG to pop follicle count? One breeding did the trick. Rarely any antibiotics. She first got the chronic hives when she was 3 and first year cycling. I did notice as a two year old, chronic weepy, allergic looking eyes a lot. Then that passed and next year she turned into a bump monster. Such a gorgeous and amazing sporthorse mare. I am not big on drugs and hormones but just don't know what to do, probiotics....? Picked up some HyDrOxyzine but will wait to see what next cycle brings and not sure how I feel about this drug. Today she looks her awesome self and last day in season.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 2:04 pm:

Yes HCG is a hormone and one is which a mare will dependably form antibodies too making it less effective as time goes on. However allergies to it and possibly cross reacting with the horses similar hormones has not been described that I am aware of... But let's get back to this heat cycle. It would be right unusual for a mare to be cycling in the middle of the winter though not unheard of. Are you keeping her under lights at night?
DrO
New Member:
robinq

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 2:27 pm:

Haha, I am keeping her in San Diego, California, I guess the same as lights. Warm and springlike here. That is all. Even my mare not quite 2 came in to season last week. All mares I know are coming into first cycle.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 9:11 pm:

Robin,
The onset of estrus from winter anestrus is not controlled by temperature but by the length of daylight. In SanDiego you are the approximate same longitude as South Carolina which puts you close to us. We are not seeing a mass of unexpected estral mares around here. The first ovulation average at our longitude is the end of March though we see weak attempts at a cycle starting in early March. I am not trying to be difficult here but the onset of a strong heat cycle in a mare in January at your longitude is unlikely. What behavior are you seeing that makes you think your mare is in heat?
DrO
New Member:
robinq

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011 - 9:19 pm:

Squatting, squirting, winking... dragging me over to the pony stallion and total sleeze, those types of things. Vet is coming Monday to geld colt so I will ask her if unusual for this area from what she is seeing. As I was pondering today what you mentioned about hormones, this mare's mom was difficult to get preg, thus the dam of this mare did the normal course of Regumate to 100 days(?) in foal. Could something that have happened to her in utero with mother on Regumate?
Member:
robinq

Posted on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - 3:39 pm:

Yaaaa, I got it figured out after 2.5 years. The foal of this mare went to liquid squirts when close to weaning and eating lots of what mare was eating. For years theory from vets was that Bermuda hay contributed to many colic cases. Thus, I spent twice cost of Bermuda hay to provide Orchard hay to my mares. When vet had me back foal off near all feed except basic Bermuda and some oat hay, he was immediately cured after months of trying BioSponge, probiotics, etc. He accidentally got Orchard on day and started squirts immediately. Thinking and pondering, it dawned on me that if foal was irritated by Orchard that I would eliminate Orchard grass from my hivey mare. Immediately resolved. I feel so bad and guilty that 2.5 years of trying to provide better quality feed caused such horrible condition in this beautiful mare. Looking back, that is when it all started....first with weepy eyes then mild hives to full blown ugliest hives I have ever seen. I hope I did not ruin her inside from all the upset. She is gorgeous and not crabby any more.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, May 5, 2011 - 8:19 am:

Hello Robin,
I do hope this is the solution you have been looking for but from the history here that is uncertain. Usually this type problem is transitory (though 2 1/2 years is longer than most) and when it stops we tend to believe it was the last thing we did differently as the cause. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
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