Pruritic Horse: Approach to Allergic Skin Diseases in Horses.

The research article explores the common skin allergies in horses, primarily focusing on allergy to insects, its diagnosis, effects, and current treatment methods.

Overview of the Research Article

The research paper discusses the prevalence of skin allergies in horses, emphasizing that the most common skin allergy is an aversion to insect bites, a condition known as Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH). The affected areas in horses often include the face, ears, mane, and tail area, leading to extreme itching or pruritus.

Diagnosis of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH)

• The diagnosis of IBH is clinical and relies on historical data, observation of clinical signs, and the horse’s response to insect repellents.
• Allergy tests are discouraged for diagnostic purposes. This could be due to the lack of specificity or reliability of current allergy tests in horses.

Treatment of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH)

• The researchers point out that there is no specific treatment for IBH. Treatment options that exist today primarily revolve around managing the symptoms and preventing secondary infections.
• The primary approach to managing IBH is through insect avoidance. This could potentially involve using insect repellents or other methods to reduce the exposure of horses to insects.
• Besides this, treatment of secondary infections caused due to severe itching and symptomatic relief of pruritus is also mentioned as part of the treatment regimen.

Coincidental Allergies in Horses

• The paper also discusses other allergies horses may develop, noting that many horses with skin allergies also become sensitized to pollens.
• For these horses, allergen specific immunotherapy has been found to be beneficial. This might involve administration of gradually increasing doses of the specific allergens to which the horse is allergic, to decrease its immune response and subsequent allergic reactions.