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Message |
    
Christine Sizemore
Member
Username: Gingin
Post Number: 69
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Jun 29, 2006 - 8:57 pm: |   |
HELP!!!
Within 2 days, over half of the horses at our barn have hives...some all over their body, others in their face, mine all over her belly....The ones that did NOT have hives are in a different pasture or were not out since they have been sick....what can be out there that a whole herd can react to  ..
We thought it was the "new hay" they have been eating but if this were the case, then the ones that stayed in also ate this hay but are ok...
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
C |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 1266
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2006 - 1:56 am: | |
What kind of bedding is used? |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 750
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2006 - 8:59 am: | |
no that doesn't make sense. its the horses that were in a particular pasture... did you check for bee stings? and different kinds of pasture grasses? weeds in one paddock not in another? There are so many things that can cause an allergic reaction like this. And the weather right now is so different, i am getting weeds i have never seen before.
It also could be a combination of things. worming and weeds have been documented as causing reactions, too. |
ilona armoni
Member
Username: Ilona
Post Number: 156
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2006 - 10:56 am: | |
Just a thought, we had the vet come out a few years back for hives. it turned out to be a nest of fire ants that was doing the damage, not a root cause for hives at all. I now do 'ant patrol' daily with my Andron in hand, lucky ants get to feast on it and DISAPPEAR. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 16022
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Friday, Jun 30, 2006 - 10:58 pm: | |
I agree that with this many horses effected, allergies, a common cause of hives, seems unlikely. Biting or tinging insects or other contact irritant has likely caused this.
DrO |
Christine Sizemore
Member
Username: Gingin
Post Number: 70
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 2, 2006 - 12:29 pm: | |
Thanks much for the comments! I will check out in the pasture in case there is something obvious (doubt it somehow)!
Most of our horses look better now except a 21 year old mare who lost large patches of fur and is now bald and raw all over her back and flanks....
We'll keep watching!
Thanks again for the messages.
Christine |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 16028
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 2, 2006 - 6:13 pm: | |
Christine, I think you have inadvertently given us a diagnosis: did the patches of hairs come out in plaques leaving sores behind? If this is so your barn has broke with a bad case of rain rot. Hair loss is not a regular feature of hives, but the skin thickening that occurs prior to the loss of the scabs could be mistaken for hives early. For more on this see, Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases » Hair and Coat Problems / Itching / Irritated Skin » Rain Rot and Rain Scald: Dermatophillus.
DrO |
Christine Sizemore
Member
Username: Gingin
Post Number: 71
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, Jul 2, 2006 - 9:45 pm: | |
wow...thanks Dr. O! I thought I could recognize rain rot...I had no idea that it could develop so quickly and that a whole bunch of horses can be affected at the same time....We did notice that on one of the Geldings, the "hives" on his neck were sort of hard-ish and pronounced rather than the soft whelts that usually show up with hives...but sooo fast????
Well...I definitely learned something!
Thanks again!
Christine |
