Digestion Problems

[grumpygroomr22]

Ok so the vet called today, and he is borderline to extremely allergic i guess. He was in the upper 250's out of 500 something. I havent got my list back but she said a couple things he was allergic to. Timothy hay, dust, cedar trees/shavings, and oats. all i can remember for the moment, figured id update. She said the monthly desensitising shot isnt needed yet, but maybe later if he gets worse with age. ugh..I know he is on an alfalfa hay right now, should i change him over? and if so, to what?

[Omega Horse Solutions]

So sorry that you have this issue. My mare was allergic to oats, pine shavings, stable flies, Bermuda grass, the mold for penicillin, and 14 other things (palm trees...).

I put her on Ultium (which has oat hulls), 2 oz dac oil AM & PM (omega 3 fatty acids), 2 oz dac Bloom AM & PM (fatty acids & probiotics), and alfalfa. Vet said she needed a paddock in the desert with just water and alfalfa.
When I got her she would tear her hide off her chest, face, kick the girth area raw, and tear out her tail. Now she gets a rash of hives around the beginning of spring, but doesn't rip and bleed herself up.
I also made up fly spray - skin-so-soft, citronella oil, vinegar, Listerine, laser sheen, all diluted in water. I also added concentrated fly spray during the heavy fly periods. Luckily she wasn't sensitive to mosquitoes.
I would never give her penicillin - never did ask if it could cause a reaction. I just stuck with gentocin or SMZ/TMP.

In your case - you are going to have to work on limiting the dust and avoid Timothy hay. Once you get your list you can see what you can avoid, what you can limit, and what she will have to live with. I added fatty acids (lean towards high omega 3 and try to greatly lower the omega 6) and probiotics to help out her immune system.

I did steroids one time - but there is such a high risk for founder I refused to do it again. That is when I began researching what I could do to help her immune system and lower inflammation.

Let us know how she does.

[mart]

If there is no problem with alfalfa,, I wouldn`t change it,, but I would wet it down before feeding to eliminate dust !! !! Only change the things he is allergic to !! And keep him outside not in a stall !!

[grumpygroomr22]

Got the test results yesterday, and wow. I didnt know he was allergic to so many things. I will list some. GRASSES- Orchard, bermuda, Timothy(very allergic), WEEDS- Ragweed (very allergic), Cocklebur, Sage, Kochia/Firebush (very allergic). TREES- Juniper/Cedar (very allergic), Elm (very allergic), Pecan/Hicory, Hazelnut (very allergic). FUNGI- Curvularia (Very allergic), Helminthosporium, Stemphylium (very allergic), Cephalosporium (very allergic), Phoma (very allergic), Pullularia, Alternaria, Penicillium, Cephalothecium. DUST-Barn dust. FOODS-Barley(very allergic), Molasses, (borderline), oats. INDOOR- Cedar shavings. INSECTS- Qulicoides, horse fly (boarderline). GRAINS- Corn pollen, Wheat pollen.

Whew! a lot to write but just wanted you all to see what he was allergic to.

[mart]

Now take that list and see how many of those are in your area !! Many times the test pathogens are broader than is actually needed for your area !!

[Omega Horse Solutions]

In the stall I use the pelleted wood shaving for my mare when she had to be in. Certain ones are processed enough to lower allergen level in them - need to verify with manufacture as it has been a while since I looked into this.

[grumpygroomr22]

so i am changing his feed from vitality 12 to safe choice. It has way fewer allergens so it should help him out. He is doing great, on a second dose of steroids, cause he relapsed but not as bad as the first time. Also he is eating out of a pan on the stall mat for graining, and it appears to help. We might put him on platinum performance but it is a little pricey for my wallet.