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[RC] Allergies, etc. - k s swigartMel writes: She has done endurance competition. She did a 50, a few 25s and some NATRC. She even got a BC. She has been eating all the substances I have been talking about for years but has been showing symptoms of itchiness, watery runny eyes and in the summer little bare patches. She has never had an anaphylactic reaction to anything she has eaten. Okay, here's the thing about allergies. Usually, with each exposure the the substance causing the allergic reaction, the reaction becomes worse; so, just because she has never had an anaphylactic reaction to anything she has eaten doesn't mean she won't. And itchiness and watery runny eyes are a couple of the early stages of anaphylaxis (it is just that in true emergency anaphylactic reactions those stages are gone through VERY quickly :)) As I said in my previous post she is on hyposensitivity treatments as prescribed by my vet and Spectrum labs. This is NOT a drug like sudafed. It is a serum of the stuff she allergic too...given to help build an immunity. www.vetallergy.com In fact, at the last ride a ride vet said "you should give your horse allergy shots." I went to the site that she provided (and despite the fact that I consider much of the information provided suspect considering what I know about my own allergies and would look for corraborating information elsewhere...which Mel is) and one of the things that it says is: Since horses cannot be hyposensitized to foods, elimination is the only form of treatment in the case of food allergies. Should your horse test positive to foods, your veterinarian will recommend the proper diet based on the blood test and your horses medical history. So, by the site's own treatment recommendations, it says that their shots aren't going to do a horse any good for its food allergies. As a consequence, (if the allergy tests are right, more on that below), then this particular horse, because it appears to be allergic to virtually everything that horse's normally eat, would fall into the category of "picky eater" (not because it won't eat everything that is put in front of it, but rather because it shouldn't). And I have to agree with Karen, _I_ wouldn't consider a horse that is this picky of an eater to be a good candidate for endurance. Especially if I were in Southern California (which Mel is) since most of the grass that covers the Southern California hillsides is oat grass, so if the horse does any grazing along the trail its gonna be getting one of the foods it is allergic to. However, the site also says: If it has an allergy to pollens, you might expect to see all or more of the symptoms in the spring or summer. If, however, the horse has a problem with molds or food related allergies, you are more likely to see year-round symptoms. And Mel says: I was thinking the same thing EXCEPT that I've had problems with bumps, watery eyes, scratching herself bloody in the chest from March to Nov. Which, if the allergy site is to be believe suggests that it is not food that she is allergic to since in food related allergies "you are more likely to see year-round symptoms." One of the things that I would consider with this horse (considering the time frame) is the possibility that this horse might be PHOTOsensitive (i.e. she is reacting to the sunlight) or that sunlight exacerbates her reaction to some of the things in her environment. But if this is the case, the way to manage it is to have the horse spend more time indoors. All that said, if I had a horse that was this allergic to what appears to be normal in most horse's lives, I would concentrate on figuring out how to manage these allergies and wouldn't be trying to do endurance rides on the horse at the same time, so the question of whether the shots are legal with the AERC is irrelevant. That question can be asked after figuring out how to manage it....if it even can be managed. kat Orange County, Calif. ============================================================ The whole ride experience can be very hard, and at times you question why you put yourself through such abuse. But then you remember all those moments when you pop up over a hill and are suddenly surrounded by the most stunning views. It's just you and your horse and for a moment time stops and you can hear the angels sing. Therein lies the addiction, at least for me. ~ Leslie Beyers ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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