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[RC] Allergies/feed/shots and AERC - Sundaez - KarenFirst question: Can I feed the foods that the horses are allergic to since they are getting shots. Well, first we'd need to know a little bit more. How did you determine that the horses were allergic to those kinds of foods? Were there reactions? What were they? Second question: Can I give a shot the day before a ride or even on ride day. My vet says it is safe. Right now both horses are on the every other day schedule and it gradually tapers down. I want to do a ride but have a shot scheduled the day before a ride. The shots are subcue and NOT a drug....but something exposure to the allergens. Not sure I would even consider taking an allergy prone (to that many kinds of feeds) horse taking allergy shots to a ride until I had the allergies figured out. The shots may not be a drug, but unless you know how they could affect your horses performance you could be risking your horses life, and possibly yours; nevermind the stress you'll cause ride management and the vets should your horse stop breathing and collapse. Most drugs that humans take to alleviate allergies can increase their heart rate. It may not do that to your horse, but at what risk are you willing to put your horse thru just to do a ride? And, if it is not a drug (the allergy shots), have they been thoroughly tested on enough horses to show they are safe -- how about on working horses? Have you been able to work the horses over long distances since they have been receiving shots and see how they perform, recover, etc.? If a horse is truly allergic to all those kinds of feeds you mentioned, what do you plan on doing if you have an away vet check and the only food offered is alfalfa hay? Or for some reason your horse refuses to eat the food you brought? Fourth Question: What do you feed an endurance horse that is allergic to alfalfa, wheat, molasses, corn, oats, soy products and cottonseed. Beet pulp, rice bran and Bermuda just is not enough. Anyone feed straight barley and if so how much. Is it a hot feed? What is a good stemy hay that is in Southern Cal besides oat that has enough nutrients in it for an endurance horse. If I had a horse that I could not feed all of those things to I would not consider it a candidate for being an endurance horse. At least not until you work thru a solution. Oh boy, imagine if your horse is going thru a period of super sensitivity to that many things and grabs a bite of something on the trail or at a vet check and has a serious reaction. Swelling can occur in a matter of minutes that block the airway or cause other respiratory problems, nevermind what could be happening because of the shots the horse has received. I think you should learn more about what is going on before you enter an endurance competition, for your horses sake. Karen in NV
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