Suddenly allergic????

[StephA]

I may have a problem and I need some advice.

I have had horses all my life (they live out) but for one reason or another (mainly health) I havn't ridden for nearly a year.
Anyway, yesterday, I got back riding again and it all went really well and I can happily say I have the bug back.
But, always a but, on my way home I felt a funny tingle in my eye. I looked in the mirror and it was kinda red. By the time I got home it was all swollen in the corner and was really itching (oh had little bumps on my head too but that may have just been off the hat).
Then I got a flippin rash under my neck (may also have been from wearing the hat)
I have never had a break from being around horses in my life as my Mum had them when I was a baby so always been around them. All I can think is that I may have built up an immunity to the hair so it never affected me but now I have not been around them for a bit the immunity has gone and I have become allergic:(

Could this be the case? Has this happened to anyone else? I am allergic to cats.

It won't stop me from riding but its a pain in the behind if its going to happen everytime.

Suggestions??

I'm kinda new here so sorry if I have gone on with myself but I'm a bit worried x

Steph x x x x x :D

Oh yeah...riding a horse that is stabled now so it could be something to do with that???

[horsey_lass]

The same thing happens to me - if I'm around horses often I dont get allergies, but if I have a break and go back to them then I'm sneezing, itching, coming up in rashes etc. The only explanation I can think of is that you do build up an immunity to it, which wears off when you're not exposed to horses. I think I would be allergic to cats if I hadnt grown up around them, even now their fluff does irritate my skin a bit.

It is a pain but I've just kind of got used to it - for me it does ease off if I'm around horses a lot (yet another incentive to go riding!).

It could be that its something in the stable e.g. hay, straw, sawdust thats making you allergic rather than the horse, but that might also wear off.

Unfortunately I dont have a magic cure for it (I wish!) but I just thought I'd let you know you're not the only one!

Jenny

[StephA]

Yep, well it does sound like its the same kind of thing doesn't it?:rolleyes:
Maybe it will wear off then. Until then I'm gonna take a trip to the chemist and get some of them anti-allergy thingy's. Maybe they will help?
Or I could wear goggles and a full body suit, but I can't see me getting very close to a horse looking like an astronaut!! :D

x x x x x

[horsey_lass]

I normally take hayfever tablets in the summer which help with the horse allergy as well, so maybe the chemist can recommend something like that.

Anti-hystamine creams (Boots own brand, nothing fancy) might also help - so hopefully you dont have to resort to the body suit! Oh and also Eurax lotion is pretty good for allergic itchings etc

Good luck with it and let me know if you find a magic remedy!
xx

[StephA]

Thanks a lot for that. I'll have a look in Boots.

The things we go through hey?? Oh well, a lumpy head and swollen eyes are better than no riding so I'll just put up with it!! :rolleyes:

x x x x x

[horsey_lass]

No problem - hope it helps.
If I had to go through this for any other hobby I reckon I'd just give up - but theres just something about horses that will make me put up with anything!
xx

[Elly Koopman]

I have that too.. which is a pain as I only get to ride ride as and when now :(

Try vaseline up the nose (collects the dust I believe) - it works for me. If you want to try something a bit more permanent I had a homeopath make up a remedie. I had shots that I gave my self, and I know you can get pill form too.. The homeopath basically collected horse ahir and dust, mixed it up and made a solution with it that I used, or she could have put it into pills, which is what she did for my cat hair allergy. You start off on quite strong solutions than decrease the strength and frequency and eventually you've built up an immunity. I stayed allergy frre for about a year afterwards :o).

The same method is used for horses that have respiratory problems/allergies...

[martini55]

This winter has been hellish for me, I have developed an allergy to hay and always leave the yard sneezing, with running, red, itchy eyes. It is not fun and I have no idea why it's happened.

I have an eye wash I use when I get back and it seems to help and I have some allergy tablets too.

[pengapenga]

my son has this problem. If he has not seen horses or dogs for a while and then comes in contact with them he will get an itch eye etc. After a while he gets immune to them. What is quite interesting though is he is fine with our dogs but if he visits next door then he gets a reaction.

A good anithestamine will ease they symptoms if they get too bad.

[NoviceNic]

Do you know the funniest thing happens to my sister with my Cob. She has spent the last 2 years around my Shetland and an Arab x TB I had. They even loaned a Miniature Shetland for their son and had no problems what so ever. But my Sister only has to stand near my cob and her eyes swell up and her breathing is that bad she ends up having a puff of her Asthma spray. Shame really she wanted to learn to ride and try and lose weight. I have lost a stone since I have had him. Of course it may be all the mucking out I do now. :D

[StephA]

Elly- Wow!! That homeopath thing sounds really good. Did it cost a lot? And did you hae to use your own horse hair (is that a stupid question? :rolleyes: )
I don't really sneeze but I guess I could try the vasaline thing aswell.

Martini55- Yeah hay seems to be a problem too. Thing is I live on a farm and I used to roll around in it but now I don't seem to be able to be near it!

Pengapenga- Maybe you can build up an immunity to your own but when it is different animals you just get the same reaction? I was like that when I had cats.

NoviceNic- Thats weird! That would do my head in! How long have you had your cob? I could do with shedding some christmas pounds! Im in the middle of looking for stables to keep my (non exsistant as yet) new horse at the moment so all th new exersise might do me some good aswell!

Thanks for all the tips, hopefully I can get rid of my puffy eyes now.

x x x x x

[Bebe]

This winter has been hellish for me, I have developed an allergy to hay and always leave the yard sneezing, with running, red, itchy eyes. It is not fun and I have no idea why it's happened.

I had this problem last year and the year before. For some reason I'm okay so far this year. I get hayfever too and I think the hay problem is an extension of this. I take homeopathic tablets for my hayfever and they worked for the hay allergy too. I was much better with a dust mask on for filling nets, though you run the risk of offending your YO if they see you. I got asked (jokingly) if the hay was that bad. It's not, our hay is always of exceptional quality, I'm just very sensitive to it.

[madferret]

Hi Steph,

sorry to hear about this, its not pleasant is it?
I have very severe allergies, cats dogs, horses, dust, you name it i'm allergic to it.
I've tried everything and have to take antihistamines, nasal sprays and eye drops when I ride.
However i'm currently having something called NAET, which is an allergy elimination technique using acupunture to rid me of my allergies. Its not cheap, but i've started having treatment for my horse allergy and i'm glad to report its getting better.
I've got another treatment on Friday and after I've had about 3, my allergy will apparently be completely gone.
I'll let you know how I get on. They can use this technique to get rid of any allergy apparently, so it will be cats next!
PM me if you need any more info

HTH :D
LIZ

[Elly Koopman]

You have to watch out for crops of oil seed rape too as that is a well known allergen, and even people that don't normally have hayfever type symptoms start feeling a bit itchy/snuffly.

With the vaseline, it also helps to stop the itchy nose, sinus pain and the runny eyes - it doesn't work for everyone though, just like conventional remedies don't work for everyone. You can use vaseline for horses that have mild head shaking - it means that you can show in the summer as you don't need the nets.

The whole course cost about £250, but that includes all the consultations, remedies etc and was over the course of 6-8 months. She did take my horse hair, but apparently that shouldn't be a problem unless she's fed supplements like garlic.

Which might account for NoviceNic's friend having problems with the her cob.

[StephA]

Can you just buy them homeopathic tablets then? I might have a look around.
I have never had it before so I don't really know how severe it is. Just started riding after a year out and so far I havn't really spent anytime in a stable throwing hay about or grooming...but judging by how I reacted on Sunday when all I did was ride, I can imagine it won't be pretty when I do.
£250 isn't bad is it? Is it somewhere near you? I wonder if there is something like that near me. I'm going to have a look on the internet.
Glad its not just me being all allergic! Its horrible :(

x x x x x

[Bebe]

Homeopathic tablets are sold at places like Boots, health food shops, herbalists, etc. The pre-packaged tablets aren't made up to each persons specific symptoms, etc so you might find you have to try a couple of different brands before you hit on the ones that work for you as they have different combinations of remedies.

New Era tissue salts (homeopathic, they dissolve on the tongue) work well for me most of the time and they can be taken very frequently for bad days. I also use Boots own brand homeopathic hayfever remedy (can't remember the name, they're in a yellow box with a flower on). If they don't work a bit of research into the various remedies would enable you to try different combinations of separate remedies that are best suited to you. The ready made preparations are approx £4 for 70 or so tablets.

[Elly Koopman]

Effective treatment depends on finding the remedy that matches your symptoms. Take two tablets of your chosen remedy as required for up to six doses, then three times a day between meals for up to three weeks. Stop when your symptoms clear.

Arsenicum Album 6c acts on the mucous membranes to relieve hot burning, streaming eyes and continuous sneezing

Euphrasia 6c is the homeopathic preparation of the herb eyebright. Take for swollen irritated eyes and watery catarrh that does not irritate

Allium cepa 6c is good for watery eyes, clear nasal discharge and a burning sensation around the nose.

Nettle compounds are very good as well - I take tablets that you can get from holland and barrett about april time and they help with warding off hayfever symptoms. They are more effective than things like echinacea (sp.) as they can be taken all year round with no probs. Echinacea is fine for the short term but most homeopaths don't recommend taking it long term.

[anneindor]

i developed an allergy to mould spores in hay and straw (and so does my horse!!)
You are not actually born with allergys you just become more suseptible to them as time goes on.
Piriton (antihistamine) is good although i do find it makes me drowsy, wearing a dust mask when around the horses should limit it slightly.
Try having an allergy test to find out what you are actually allergic to and try and remove it (obviously if it is horse hair you have a problem!)

[shoniedaspony]

id say go to the doc and ask them if they haev anything suitable, i have horse hair/ hay allergies, and tried regular antihistamines, however when you feel you want to fall asleep in the middle of the ride its hardly ideal!! so i got prescribed some non drowsy tablets, but thankfully i think it was teenage allergies which are wearing off slightly now and its a lot better than it used to be