Hives/Allerigic Reaction Updated: Pictures added

[lbanimals]

Ms Foxy had some sort of allergic reaction to something (I assume a bite) on her chest/neck area. She had a significant area that was absolutely covered in hives/swelling. My vet is out with a family emergency this week and it did not seem like an absolute emergency as she was acting fine otherwise. The BO is supposed to keep an eye on her for now until i can get back over there.

Anyone have experience using Benadryl on horses? I have found a dosage online of approx 10 pills for a 1000lb horse.....and that is my plan if she still has them today. is there any other OTC drug that would be better?

I use benadryl for everything imaginable on me and my dogs...but have never used it on horses. I had a dog with a similar outbreak years ago and I think she got hydroxine. I just happen to have a standing prescription on it for ME since I am allergic to everything under the sun.


anybody? obviously if it worsens I will have to hunt down another vet, but that is easier said than done out here.


I had posted a thread on here a while back (last year sometime) about a nasty bite reaction she had...I think that one was a spider bite. She is sensitive

[Buena]

My experience was to use 1 pill for every 250lbs if I recall correctly, and it seemed to work well.

[cutiepiepmu]

Correct dose for a horse is 1 - 1mg tab per 100 pounds, but you can give up to 1.5 pills per 100 pounds if needed every 12 hours. I suggest bathing her with a mild shampoo and then applying some benedryl GEL to the area of the sting/bite if you can figure out where it is.

If the benedryl is not working well you can use an OTC antihystamine called HistAll - make sure it is the straight product not the one with the expectorant - such as cough calm or AniHist. Dose as directed every 12 hours. If benedryl isn't working enough, this product may work better

mostly, cool hosing - but wash the area initially to remove anything that might be irritating that is in the hair/on the skin!

Sara

[lbanimals]

The hives and swelling were concentrated around one spot with diminishing welts moving out from that area. Pretty sure whatever it was happened right there.

I was there to treat the scratches on her white leg (again), so I ended up washing it with betadine surgical scrub, and then cold hosing for about 10-20 minutes. I went and bought more benadryl today as well as cortisone cream......didn't buy the benadryl gel as I never saw any significant improvement using that on my dog. I may try that if the oral benadryl doesn't work.

Thanks for the info! I have a picture from last night but I will post a new one after tonight. The picture from last night was alarming to me, even though in person she was 'fine'.

[pals]

I had a guilding that had hives every once in a while and be were to give him 15 benadryl daily. It worked pretty well he as about 1000lbs.

[lbanimals]

Well, here are some pictures of the situation.


here it was yesterday.



Scary! I cleaned with betadine surgical scrub and then cold hosed for a good amount of time. This picture was after cold hosing.



Here it was tonight.





Most of the hives have gone mostly down and are now hard lumps. I'm not sure if they are hard lumps in the skin or actual wound/scabs. I will see tomorrow. It almost looks like she got bitten by a swarm of....something. Flies, gnats, ants, spiders...??

I did not do anything to it today. Of course, because this is Foxy the completely accident prone and defective horse, her white leg (that I have been treating for scratches) was swollen and hot, so I ended up cold hosing THAT instead. I'm not sure if it is irritation from the repeated cleaning/medicating of that leg or something else. I put some diaper rash ointment on it today instead of anything else. We'll see tomorrow!



I did buy a container of benadryl and left it at the barn just in case. I may look into the histall just in case also.



Other than the swollen leg, she was in great spirits today.

[horsewatcher]

Liquid benadryl works WONDERS for things like this and is very affordable. We have had several issues like this here and its great because you put it right on the hives and it reduces the swelling and releives the itching.