Allergic conditions are common in the horse and can manifest themselves as:
- Heaves (COPD)
- Hives (urticaria)
- Dermatitis (especially of the mane and tail)
- Head shaking
- Upper respiratory inflammation (coughing, respiratory noises)
If these conditions are mild and/or seasonal with a short duration each year, it is best to control them with management changes and, if necessary, medications. If the problem becomes severe enough, or the duration is such that it occurs for a longer period each year, it might be time to have your horse tested for allergies.
There are currently two options for allergy testing – serum testing (SPOT or PAX testing) and intradermal testing. Serum testing is easy (simple blood draw), accurate, and gives an in-depth analysis of what your horse is allergic to. This testing also allows for the creation of personalized “allergy shots” (immunotherapy), which is used to desensitize your horse over time to the allergens he/she is allergic to. It also provides information so that you might be able to remove items from your horse’s diet or environment. For more information, please visit VET - Horse allergy diagnosis - Nextmune
The other method of allergy testing is skin testing. In order to perform this gold standard test, a 10×12-inch area on the side of the neck is clipped and cleaned. Very small needles are used to inject a tiny amount of allergen (the agent that causes the allergic reaction). Testing occurs with approximately 60 allergens that are geared toward our geographic location. The skin is monitored for reactions at 30 minutes and 4 hours after the test has begun. Once it is determined what your horse is allergic to, a hyposensitization serum is produced and the desensitization process is begun. In many cases, skin testing and hyposensitization can really help with chronic allergic conditions in the horse.