Horse Allergies: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment (2023)

Horses suffer from different types of allergies, just like humans. You have to put some effort into diagnosing these allergies in your equine. When the hormone system of a horse gets overreacted with different substances called an allergen, it results in an allergy.

A horse can be affected by allergy in any period of life, so if you own a horse, you should take proper care of your equine and take rapid action if you feel any allergy symptoms. Most horses live in a natural environment where they face mold, dust, and other allergens, so their immune system has to fight continuously with allergies. If a horse’s immune system is not more robust, then there are more chances that it can suffer from any allergy.
List of Allergy Symptoms in Horses:

It is not easy to diagnose allergy in your equine, but still, many symptoms will help you understand that a horse is suffering from an allergy. Following is the list of horse allergy symptoms.

  • Diarrhea
  • Sneezing or coughing
  • Colic
  • Skin irritation
  • Swelling in nose
  • Nausea
  • An itchy rash or hives on the skin of equine
  • Nasal discharge
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Aggression
  • Swelling around eyes and runny eyes
  • Blistering skin

Types of Horse Allergies:

A horse’s immune system is vital, so it usually resists allergies. But still, there are many chances that your equine will face different allergies. Following are a few types of allergies that are common in horses.

Respiratory Allergies in Horses:

Respiratory allergies are common in horses and occur when your equine inhales an offending allergen. It can be due to moldy or dusty hay or pollens in summer pastures. In the natural environment of horses, if they breathe in dust, pollen, or molds, the horse’s immune system suffers, leading to difficulty breathing.

There are many reasons behind respiratory allergies, so if your horse is experiencing different climates, then there are more chances of such allergies. Horses face a sudden change in an environment like a warm to cold environment and vice versa. Horses do not readily adopt such environmental changes and have to face respiratory allergies.

Intolerance to exercise, nasal discharge, and coughing are common symptoms of respiratory allergies. So first of all, you should provide dust free environment and give them such feed that is dust free.

Seasonal Allergies in Horses:

Horses also suffer from seasonal allergies just like humans, and it is essential to diagnose seasonal allergies at the start to provide quick relief to your equine. Many horses show signs of asthma during crop harvesting season because they are attacked by dust when they pastured near fields.

Increased breathing efforts, runny eyes, and coughing are common symptoms of seasonal allergies. Besides these signs, if you are experiencing raised bumps on the neck, behavioral changes, and hair loss in patches because of itching are also significant signs of seasonal allergies.

Insects, fungi, and pollens are responsible for causing seasonal allergies in equine. A horse’s immune system starts fighting allergens caused due to seasonal changes. Still, there are many chances that these changes will affect your equine.

1. Skin Allergies:

Many kinds of skin allergies can develop itchiness or redness in the body of horses. Things mainly cause it touched, eaten, or inhaled by the horses. Hives are a name skin allergy in which redden and raised bumps to appear on horses’ skin, and they feel itching.

Skin allergies mainly affect the horses’ bodies and infect other body parts. The reaction caused by eating any food can also be the reason for skin allergy, or contact with a horse with an irritating substance also leads to skin allergies.

2. Pollen Allergies:

Trees and plants bloom in spring, which can lead to pollen allergy. If we talk about horses, they can develop allergies to certain pollens. Horses affected by pollen allergies show symptoms of respiratory diseases like mucus, coughing, and running eyes. Location and weather also contribute to pollen allergies in horses, and their symptoms vary based on how much pollen they inhale.

Abdominal efforts to breathe, hair loss, reddened or darkened skin, headshaking, nasal discharge, increased breathing rate, and chronic dry cough is some symptoms of pollen allergies in horses.

3. Hydroxyzine Allergies:

In hydroxyzine allergies, horses feel itching. It is caused by blocking a natural substance in your body that processes by the immune system of horses to fight allergies. Nasal discharge, dry cough, skin irritation, and aggressive behavior are common symptoms of this allergy.

4. Food Allergies:

Food allergies can also develop if horses get substandard feed or their immune system does not accept a specific feed. Different types of grains or hay can lead to food allergies in horses that can cause hives.

5. Drug Allergies:

A drug can also cause allergy in the body of a horse. It is mainly because the horse’s body did not accept the drug. So it will result in rash, itchy skin, wheezing, hives, facial swelling, etc., many times when a horse is vaccinated, which might lead to allergies to the skin and body.

Common causes of Allergies in Equine:

A horse has a robust immune system that helps him in fighting against many types of allergies and diseases. There are many common causes of allergies in equine, so if you are a horse owner, you should be aware of them.

  • Dust
  • Mold
  • Bedding
  • Pollen
  • Horse vaccination
  • Different insects bite horses.

How to Get Rid of Horse Allergies?

Some allergies are cured naturally in a horse with time, but a horse has to face many difficulties, so you should consult a vet for diagnosis and proper treatment. With the help of the natural supplement, you can also boost the horse’s immune system so that it starts recovering fast.

Go for those supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids, as they will help the immune system of horses to respond to allergies.

Natural Remedies for Horse Allergies:

Many herbs can help horses with allergies, so horses living in natural environments have better immunity against allergies. Different natural herbs are part of the diet of these horses.

Chamomile, calendula, garlic, fenugreek, nettle, and marshmallow are a few herbs that will provide a natural remedy to horses from different types of allergies.

Best Allergy Relief for Horses:

A natural supplement is the best way of relieving horses from allergies, so if you are looking for the best supplement, you should go for the option below.

Equinety Horse XL and Equinety Ultimate OEC are the two best products that can combine to make a powerful supplement for your horse. These products contain vitamin E, amino acids, colloidal silver, flaxseed based omega 3, so your horse will get all that require by its body.

This natural supplement will improve the overall condition of your horse by providing a healthier coat and bones, increased muscle support, maximum performance with cell regeneration, and promoted cellular repair.

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How to Prevent Horses from Allergies?

It is essential to prevent horses from allergies because your horse will perform better if it prevents different kinds of allergies. So, first of all, provide your horse with a clean and dust-free environment. Dust is the leading cause of different types of allergies.

Feed your horse the best diet that is helpful for its immune system. Add natural herbs to the diet of your equine. A natural supplement like a combination of Equinety Horse XL and Equinety Ultimate OEC is the best product that you can add to the regular feed of your equine. This natural supplement will boost your horse’s immune system and provides all minerals, vitamins, and amino acids to stay healthy and strong.

 

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