Anyone here allergic to horses?

[JJEH]

We are a family of five and we all love horses. We even had horses in the past. But our oldest son is allergic to them pretty bad. The doc. told us that he either can stay away from them or take meds every day. Since he's already taking meds every day for his other issues we don't really want him to take more pills.

We'd like to go to horse shows and perhaps get two in the future. But we don't wanna leave him out of course.

Perhaps someone here knows an alternative? Is there an alternative? Can it be cured?

What is your experience?

I appreciate any comment

 

[venomballistics]

can't build up a tolerance, it only escalates to anaphylactic shock.
it's the horse or the kid ... you'll have to embrace that.

 

[JJEH]

can't build up a tolerance, it only escalates to anaphylactic shock.
it's the horse or the kid ... you'll have to embrace that.

Either or, huh? Sucks...

 

[arjay]

Yup,they generally get more sensitive the more they're exposed to it.One kid was allergic to peanuts and the other to yellow jackets.We kept a few epipens and Benadryl around just in case.

 

[Qball]

Sorry couldn't help myself

 

[JJEH]

Yup,they generally get more sensitive the more they're exposed to it.

Even as an adult?

Man, that really sucks. Glad I don't have allergies... seriously.

 

[Qball]

I have an allergy for most furry animals.
That really sucks
Gave a friend a ride to the stables and i almost died,
Lucky me, i could drive to my father and get some astma meds.

We all have it in the family, strangly we tolerate our dog

 

[arjay]

Even as an adult?

Man, that really sucks. Glad I don't have allergies... seriously.

yup,Ive developed an allergy to penicillin in the last few years.That and marriage [emoji1]

 

[just jim]

Not allergic to horses but I think they are allergic to me. They keep trying to get me off their backs, not pleasant to be rubbed off on a tree. Lol lol

I have had allergies to grass seed and there are times of the year I have to take steroids when the grass is in bloom. We are the grass seed capital of the world so you can understand how much it bothers me. As I grew older I grew out of it, hasn't bothered me for years now.

There is hope.

 

[italiansport]

I've been allergic to horses and dogs all of my life. We used to go to a dude ranch in Arizona back before I lived here and I was able to do okay as long as I took medications daily.
As I've gotten older the allergies have become worse so I just stay away from them anymore.
I really like both horses and dogs and this has been a real bummer.
Jim

 

[Jinglebob]

The allergy is form horse dander. It doesn’t have to come from the horse alone, it can come from tack and the clothes of those who work with or ride horses. The dander can be carried into the indoor environment.

Every year I supply a couple of gentle horses for the Autistic and disabled children’s ride. The kids are monitored for any sign of allergy to horses.

 

[billwill]

I have found as I have gotten older I am allergic to work. Most types will set it off.
Seriously...I feel for those who are saddled with allergies.

As JustJim mentioned about horses not liking him...a horse looks at me, then smiles and says come on over here! Not a good sign for me.

 

[rog8732]

JJEH, you don't mention the age of the son. Hopefully he has not reached puberty yet, and if not, he will likely shed all, (or most) of his adolescence allergies.

One of my boys had problems with peanuts, (the most common ? ) and chocolate at 10 or so, but by the time he reached 14 he was allergy free.

We carried him to Duke Hospital for that "scratch test" to determine what was going on.
Soon as ole dad here, learned what caused his problems, and quit making him peanut butter sandwiches and a chocolate desert cup for school lunch, he got all well.

Hate to see horse lovers do without. They are one of our most beautiful animals.

 

[BrianE]

I am... my step daughter rides for IEA and I goto the shows and pay for it. If within safe distance, I'll usually just sneeze, etc. If I'm within arms length, my eyes will swell shut, my throat itches, sneeze, just about everything. I tend to stay within the safe distance after an allergy pill.

There's gotta be a shot he can get like anything else and after awhile it won't bother him and he won't need the allergy shot anymore.

 

[rwsmith]

Ok, I don't know about horses....

But I do know about allergies. I've taken desensitizing shots my whole life. I'll say that the extracts they use to treat it now are better than ever and I can really tell the difference. The shots are nothing but an extract of what you are allergic to in small increasing doses. There's no medication involved in taking them, unless you have a reaction and have to take something to calm that down, epinephrine and benedryl.

Medicine has come a LONG way in the past 20-30 years and allergy treatments have improved too.


PS Can he at least ride the horse in the outdoors if he doesn't handle the horse or any tack? I mean somebody else get him all set up and he just gets on and rides. Maybe wear gloves and stuff for the parts that he has to touch.

 

[model70hunter]

Sorry for your son. I've had hay fever all my life. Spring time is beautiful but pollen isn't.

We grew up on the farm with horses. Never had any issues with allergies.

Did the Doc actually do tests or just treat the symptom? Not all folks like animals and stress and or anxiety might also be a root cause. Does he really want to do the horse thing? Maybe he wants a dirt bike.

I did sports in HS and college. My son went out for football on his own. It was to make me happy. I loved baseball and my Dad loved football, he pushed me into football. I did not like it in HS. I received a football scholarship and played in College. There I really liked it and did it for myself.

My son was not happy playing football, I had told him he does not need to do it for me. I sat him down and we talked. Football was causing him stress, it was not enjoyable. He liked dirt bikes. His friends and he wanted to spend time on them, not running sprints. I told him it sounded like he needed to quit football. Immediately he was his normal fun self.

 

[JJEH]

JJEH, you don't mention the age of the son.

Sorry, he's 10. He was diagnosed with it at the age around 3 and a half.

It happened most recently that the school made a trip to a place where horses were around.

We might bring him back to the doc., trying to find an alternative to an everyday pill. I doubt that it wears off with time, even though we still hope.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

ALLERGIES

Sorry to be hearing this-- you know, growing up, you hardly ever heard of all this stuff. My oldest son grew up with nothing, then his allergies kicked in-- I always though it was a 'in the mind thing' I guess not. Maybe if kids got out and played in the dirt more there would be less of this. JMHO.

 

[rwsmith]

I was in a heavy state.....

Sorry to be hearing this-- you know, growing up, you hardly ever heard of all this stuff. My oldest son grew up with nothing, then his allergies kicked in-- I always though it was a 'in the mind thing' I guess not. Maybe if kids got out and played in the dirt more there would be less of this. JMHO.

I was in a heavy state of anaphylaxis not being able to breathe hardly at all (one time I passed out from lack of air) and badly swelled all over and my father told me it was all in my head. He didn't know about allergies then and was sure I was bidding for 'attention'.

 

[rwsmith]

I know you are leery of meds.....

Zyrtec is the best thing since sliced bread. He doesn't have to take it every day, just when things bother him. If he is going around horses, he could take one before. Claritin was the first drug that didn't make people drowsy and was effective. Zyrtec blows Claritin out of the water.

Ya'll need to see an allergist who can give you more options.

If I may ask, can you describe symptoms and severity. Wheezing, swelling, itching, hives?

Lips, eyelids, fingers swelling are external signs. You air passageways swell up and restrict breathing, sometimes a wheeze, in a bad case not being able to breathe at all.