This article has appeared previously with Equestrian Life. To read the current digital issue, please click here.

A horse with hives, also known as urticaria

Urticaria calls for detective work

By Dr Maxine Brain

Commonly known as hives in humans, urticaria is a skin condition that could more aptly be described as a reaction to an allergen or offending agent. Identifying what causes it requires some detective work. 

The triggering factor for urticaria can come from a multitude of sources, including insect bites, chemicals, food products, contact allergens or medications applied, ingested, or injected. Often the offending agent is never identified, with the horse recovering and the skin condition never occurring again. 

In a small minority of horses, the offending agent remains in the surrounding environment or in the diet and the horse continues to get episodes of, or does not recover from, urticaria, despite appropriate therapy. It can affect horses of any age, sex or breed…

Read the full article in the September 2020 issue of Equestrian Life magazine here.