Three vet visits in three days!

[eventerbabe]

was looking for NR wisdom on allergies. Kezzie developed what looked like raised fly bites all over his face and neck a few weeks ago. These then subsided but two itchy hives remained, one on each shoulder. Two days after the hives, I went to bring him in and he couldn't swallow! Cue vet visit and an injection of buscopan. He was right in about 10 minutes. All fine until the next morning when his hind leg swelled up to such massive proportions the fluid accumulating was seeping through the skin. Emergency vet again to give him a big dose of anti inflammatory. Next day a vet check and start him on danillon. That was Friday. His leg is now back to normal and he's fit as a flea. Vets are certain all this is related and is an allergy. To what we have no idea. Vet thought about blood tests but as he's recovered so fast he doesn't reckon they'd find anything. I was told if it happens again, anti histamines aren't much good. Possibly steroid injections but I'd worry that might induce laminitis. Anyone ever experienced anything similar? Ta

 

[Jessey]

It seems odd not to try antihistamines before bringing out the big guns, but perhaps its been the severity of the symptoms thats made your vet opt for that.
Have you started any new feed, switched fields, started rugging, changed laundry liquid or anything recently? I'm sure you've already racked your brains on all those things, hopefully something comes to light so you can avoid it in future

 

[Trewsers]

Aw poor lad, he's been unlucky! Hope he's better soon. It's always a worry when you don't know the trigger for allergy.

 

[Star the Fell]

A few people I know have said their horses have had some sort of allergic reaction for the first time ever this year - usually along the lines of hives/extreme itching.
Most vets recommend anti-histamines.

My dog has a reaction every summer. He gets so itchy he scratches his fur off and makes himself bleed. Vet recommended anti-histamines and said there would be no point in running blood tests as there are so many things to test for it would just get too expensive.....
this year, we changed his diet to pure chicken and rice for other reasons, but it is the first summer in years that he hasn't scratched, could be a coincidence.

 

[Kite_Rider]

Belle had an allergic reaction a few years ago, came up in horrible hives that were oozing clear liquid, vet gave her a shot of antihistamine but did say if she hadn't been a lammi prone horse she would have had steroids. Turned out she was allergic to carrots!

 

[eventerbabe]

I was really surprised vet was so against antihistamines. We've had no changes whatsoever. He's rug less, no changes to feed, bedding or batch of hay. He'd been in two different fields where he's grazed frequently before. The only thing we could think of were cows. I caught him nose to nose with some calves a day prior to the swallowing issue. Can horses be allergic to cows?!