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  Discussion on Sudden Allergy
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Member:
Warwick

Posted on Monday, Sep 5, 2005 - 1:48 am:

Hi Dr O

I had new 2nd cut local grass hay delivered on Friday afternoon. Gorgeous looking hay that my friends had raved about.

My 8 year old Oldenburg gelding has been off since April due to a slight tear in his superficial digital tendon. I now can put him back to work and was just waiting until the farrier could come on Sunday to slap a set of shoes on him so I can start to hack him out. Anyway, I threw him - and only him - 3 flakes of the new hay on Friday night (he's an 18+ HH guy who takes forever to fill up). He ate the hay through the night but by morning I noticed a visibly swollen front inside fore leg from knee to coronet band. No pulse however. He wasn't sore but was burning hot in the inflammed leg and I immediately put an ice boot on him and gave him 1.5 small scoops of Bute. I figured in my very small and tendon obsessed mind that he'd done something stupid during the night and stressed another tendon.

I continued to feed him - and only him - the grass hay that night and watch his legs. He didn't change at all through the day or evening.

At 6:00 AM this morning (Sunday) after feeding him 3 flakes through the night, I found him to look like he has lymphangitis. All four legs are balloon-like and very hot although his current temp is 98.6F. I gave him a dose of Bute this AM and called the vet. I said I thought he was allergic to the hay as it was the only obvious thing that was different in his life. She agreed that it was odd and asked about hives on his body and his ability to breathe. He has no hives on his body other than a minor "rash" on his under belly. His breathing is not compromised. She asked me to up his Bute as he weighes around 1700 lbs - which I did. He was turned out all day and moved unheeded through the day. I also asked if an antihistamine would be indicated. She hesitated on this and said it would be if the swelling did not go away after 24 hours.

I brought him in this evening and his legs are still very swollen and hot. In fact his stifles are almost sweating. His tenp is 98.5F and he's eating normally however is drinking slightly less. All his legs from at least the hock/knee down are like tubes. I've removed the hay from his stall and am waitng to see what develops by morning with the hay tests.

Is there anything that is odd to you? This is a horse than can live on a diet of straight alfalfa if necessary. He's the one that I never worry about with feed changes as he's such a trooper but he's thrown me a real loop in the last few days.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks

Sue
Member:
Nadia

Posted on Monday, Sep 5, 2005 - 9:09 am:

My horse ate some hoary alyssum in alfalfa hay and all 4 of his legs swelled up. You are saying it is grass hay? This is a weed in alfalfa - see the attached pictures -

https://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/hoaryaly.htm

You may not have this in your hay - but check it out just in case. Not all horses are affected by it - but if they are - they shouldn't be fed it.

Good luck.
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Monday, Sep 5, 2005 - 9:43 am:

hoary alyssum grows in grass and in fields, too. We had several of our horses affected by it a few yrs. ago. There was some of it in the back of one of our fields.
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Monday, Sep 5, 2005 - 12:59 pm:

He's unchanged as of this morning (Monday). Has been off the grass hay for well over 36 hours. Still on bute but it does not appear to be having any effect on the inflammation. Vet is coming by later this morning to examine him. She did mention on the phone that allergies can take several days before a change is obvious.

Very strange as the hay dealer has sold a lot of of bales recently with no reports of other horses having problems.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 5, 2005 - 3:28 pm:

If the hay is free of weeds and other horses are not having problems with the hay, it is unlikely and this is a coincidence. For causes of inflammatory swellings of multiple legs see Equine Diseases » Lameness » Leg Swellings » Hot & Painful Legs.
DrO
Member:
Warwick

Posted on Monday, Sep 5, 2005 - 5:52 pm:

Thanks for the article link, Dr O. I read it right away.

The vet was here around lunch time. She gave him a thorough exam and found his vitals well within normal limits. In addition, he has not exhibited fever, lameness or discomfort in the limbs. She gave him Dexamethasone IV and also gave me Naquazone bolus and a DMSO/Furasin concoction to use tonight under plastic wrap as a leg sweat. Also asked that I cold hose intermittently and use support wraps during turnout. Said if his legs are not substantially down by the morning, she will pull blood - labs are closed today due to a stat holiday up here north of the border.

He is turned out in his field to encourage circulation and 2 hours post injection suddenly wanted to play like a 2 year old - I have no idea if this was him starting to feel better or him just being an admittedly immature 8 year old.

I also got the feed store to pick up the local grass hay and replace it with alfalfa/grass mix just to be on the safe side. I did check the open bale for weeds and found none but since it was the only obvious change in his environment I chose to err on the side of caution.

Will keep you posted on any subsequent events.

Really appreciate having your wonderful website as a resource, Dr O.

Many thanks,

Sue
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