Friday, July 9, 2010

Horse Allergies


It's been over a year since I've posted to this blog. Life has thrown me some curves, but the horses remain constant. I actually thought about doing away with this blog, but my soul wouldn't let me.

For you equine enthusiasts or wanna be equine fans, I'll continue to supply you with facts, funny stories, spiritual connections, and tips on horse care.

Here's a tip for you horse owners. My mare, Silver City Sadie, affectionately referred to as "Sadie", developed allergies this winter. Sadie had a yellow discharge out of one nostril only, along with upper nostril inflammation. She was a little "off", but had no fever, was eating fine, and the discharge had no odor, so it was assumed she had either a sinus infection or allergies. The vet put her on antibiotics (SMZ) twice a day for two weeks. It cleared up for a while, but the discharge came back. Again more antibiotics.

To make a long story short, I took matters into my own hands and started giving Sadie a 1/2 oz. scoop of MSM in her daily feed. It cleared up the discharge and the nasal inflammation within a week. It's one of those supplements if tried and it doesn't work, it won't hurt anything.

Equine MSM supplement (methylsulfonylmethane) is an antiflammatory powder that aids in the reduction of joint inflammation. I figured, I'd put a 1/2 oz. scoop in Sadie's feed to see if it works on the nasal passages. It didn't surprise me that it did work.

It cost me $180 for the antibiotics, which didn't work, and $48 for a barn call. Not to mention the cost of gas for a 58 mile round trip to the barn twice a day. In contrast, the MSM cost me $15 for a two month supply. The best part is, it worked! Most important, Sadie is happier because she feels much better.

I'm not advocating taking matters into your own hands when your horse gets sick. By all means, call your vet if you suspect any sort of illness in your horse. Having been around equines all my life, my common sense prevailed, in this case, because nothing else was working.

Happy trails!

4 comments:

bodylift said...

Really informative post. Allergies to horses can be treated the same way as other allergies: Avoid if possible, otherwise drugs such as antihistamines or corticosteroids, or desensitization treatment.

Pam Beers. said...

Thanks It's people like you who make me want to write more.

nose surgery said...

Very first time I get info on horse allergy. Nowadays I am looking for more information about horses' behavior and other stuffs.

Pam Beers. said...

nose surgery: What type of behavior? If you enlighten me, maybe I can help. Allergies can affect a horse's behavior and performance.