Atopic Dermatitis in Dogs and Horses

Signs & Symptoms
Horses and dogs are no different to humans when it comes to being susceptible to skin disease. They oftentimes have genetically-linked sensitivities to environmental antigens; one of such ailments is atopic dermatitis.  
Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, chronic skin disease associated with allergies, in which horses and dogs show signs of itching, scratching, rubbing, and licking to alleviate their discomfort. Symptoms most commonly present as a red, inflamed, and itchy rash and can quickly develop into raised and painful bumps. They can get progressively worse with time; however they tend to flare up during certain seasons. Contributing factors include animal dander; pollens such as grasses, weeds, trees, etc.; mold spores (both indoor and outdoor) and house dust mites. 

The most commonly affected areas in dogs include:

• ears
• legs
• muzzle
• underarms
• groin
• around the eyes
• in between the toes

For horses, the most commonly affected areas include:

• flanks
• neck
• back
• legs
• axillae
• groin area

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Treatment & Management
In order to make your pet less susceptible to atopic dermatitis, try minimizing potential allergen factors by keeping their living spaces clean and replacing old rugs, blankets or carpets. The proper treatment depends on your animal’s reaction. Some common treatments include hypo-sensitization therapy, which involves regular injections, and is said to decreases itchiness between 60 and 80 percent of treated dogs. This option can, however take six months to a year to show improvement. Topical agents are also available in shampoo and salve-form to moisturize sensitive skin and help soothe and alleviate the symptoms.
We Recommend: Organic Castile Shampoo for mild Dermatitis (Herbal Derm)Systemic anti-inflammatories (e.g. steroids) can give short-term relief in some horses, but have serious potential long-term effects. Antihistamines and fatty acids are recognized as a safer form of treatment, although can be a less effective option in severe cases. Cyclosporine is effective in controlling itching associated with long-term skin allergies, while sprays can be used over large body surfaces to control itching with minimal side effects. Topical Agents can also help to calm and relieve your horse’s irritated skin. We Recommend: Protect and Heal Salve
Unfortunately, atopic dermatitis rarely goes into remission or spontaneously resolves. However, bathing your dog in cool water with anti-itch shampoos may help to alleviate it's symptoms.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Horse Scratching an Itch
Photo courtesy TheHorse.com

Atopic Dermatitis – dog
Photo courtesy County-Vets.co.uk

Can You Use Essential Oils When a Horse Starts to Colic?

A Natural Holistic Horse Remedy that Saved Our Horse’s Life!

Our beautiful appendix gelding (pictured below), “Docs Helio Gold” (nickname “Helio”), had a terrible bout with colic recently.

Over the weekend, we decided to buy a roll of coastal hay instead of a square bale. I was talking to my farrier several weeks earlier about buying a round and wanted to know if doing this would cause my horse to colic. He said this normally doesn’t happen, but be careful and watch your horse. During the third morning after he was eating on the round hay, my husband was leaving for work around 7:00 a.m. and yelled out “Helio is down on the ground!” “OMG, He’s colicking!”, I yelled back. I pulled on my boots and ran outside in my PJ’s and sure enough he was laid out in our field. He got up when we called, but went right down again. I grabbed the halter and lead and ran out to him and put the halter/lead on him and made him get up. Helio has colicked in the past and I’m very familiar with what his reactions are when he gets colic. Anytime a horse gets colic and is laying down, you must get them up off the ground and walk them. Walking them can help to relieve anxiety and it can prevent intestinal twisting, which can occur when they roll. A twisted intestine will require immediate medical attention and surgery! Make them walk nonstop—for as long as it takes. (This could be hours.) If after 30 minutes the symptoms seem to be getting more severe, call your vet! In this case of colic, Helio ate too much hay and he had an impaction in his digestive tract. And he was in pain from gas that built up. Walking them also helps to move the impaction down—hopefully so they can poop. Also, listen to their belly for any sounds-- if you hear sounds of gas or gurgling, this is good news. This means they are digesting the food. While my husband was walking him, I looked out in the field for fresh poop. I did see some, but it was very dry and full of hay. Not good!

I ran in the house and grabbed my therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil and applied 10-15 drops in his bottom lip. This helps calm the belly and the digestive tract. The next important thing is to get fluids in the horse-- this includes water and oil. I also gave him 1 tablet of Phenylbutazone (Bute) for pain during this episode that was purchased from my vet a while back.

This is our recipe created for horses with mild colic:

First Line of Defense:
10-15 drops of Therapeutic Grade Peppermint essential oil in bottom lip. (Our choice--Young Living essential oils)

Given Orally or Rectally:

15 drops of  Therapeutic Grade Peppermint essential oil (Our choice--Young Living essential oils)
½ cup Rice bran oil or Vegetable oil
4 cups warm water
Turkey baster, or needleless large syringe
Stir all ingredients in a bowl.
Oil and water don’t mix, so make sure you shake this solution
vigorously before drawing it up in your syringe.

Give every 15 minutes using a turkey baster or a large needleless syringe. Make sure you walk your horse between each dose. Your horse should become gassy and start passing gas. This is good!

Helio would not take this solution orally. You will find most horses won’t. Horses will hold this solution in their mouth and won’t swallow or they will spit it out. We had to give his dosage rectally. Also, if your horse can walk over to his water trough try to get him to drink. Helio wouldn’t drink, but he dipped his muzzle in the water and splashed his head around in it. We feel he does this because it feels good, just like humans wanting a cold wash cloth on their head when they feel ill. Caution:  If your horse is “hot” from vigorous exercise, do not offer water—this could lead to other serious problems, such as laminitis. We continued walking him and giving him this solution until he started passing gas. Yeah! This is good news… After a while he wanted to stop walking and he took a rest-- he actually sighed while standing. He continued to pass gas while he was resting and after his 20 minute standing nap he started nibbling on grass. What a relief! The horrific episode was over! I continued to watch him the rest of the day and noticed he pooped again. He was still passing gas hours after this episode—those sounds are music to ours ears. (Not in all cases…)

When a horse gets colic, it’s a very stressful situation on the horse and the owner. There are many types and causes of colic.  Parasites, deworming medicines, sand, lack of water, moldy silage, too much feed, or a change in diet, are some of the possible causes of colic. We knew in this situation that a change in Helio’s eating habits and his feed contributed to the colic.  Make sure if in doubt, always call your veterinarian.

Please make an emergency kit for your horse and keep it handy. Our quick action of knowing the signs and symptoms of colic and using this recipe literally saved our horse’s life.

This information given is only for educational purposes and only represents a guideline for the (reader) or purchaser. The author will assume no liability for any loss or damage of any nature. If you have any doubt about your horse’s behavior, by all means contact a professional.  

Mud Fever and RingWorm in Horses--Signs and Symptoms

Dermatologic conditions in horses can be difficult to diagnose with names like Dermatophilosis and Dermatophytosis—Say What?  It’s no wonder common names like "scratches," "greasy heel," “mud fever” and "girth itch" have emerged. These terms sound like a diagnosis, but they actually describe the signs and symptoms of the skin condition. It may take a veterinarian to come out and take a skin scrape sample to determine the exact problem. But, understanding some of these skin ailments in your horse may help you now and in the future.

Dermatophilosis is a bacterial infection, commonly known as rain rot or mud fever. This infection causes streaks of hair loss that resembles paint brush strokes, oozing, and crusting. White horses or horses with white leg markings are most commonly affected. This can happen in any climate, but mostly in tropical regions where it’s humid, damp and wet.

Pyoderma (or folliculitis) is commonly known as saddle dermatitis, tail dermatitis or pastern dermatitis. It develops when a horse sweats excessively and this causes a shift in the pH balance that favors bacterial growth. Signs and symptoms usually include hair loss, crusting, scaling on the chest and legs and across the back croup. This condition may be preventable if you rinse down your horse after exercise.

Dermatophytosis ("ringworm") is a fungal infection.  Ringworm is very common and misdiagnosed frequently as an equine skin disease. In most classic situations, ringworm starts with hair loss in a localized area that slowly expands to a larger size. Sometimes this makes it difficult to distinguish this from other diseases, especially bacterial infections and sarcoids. Of course, for accurate diagnoses have a veterinarian come out and do a culture of the lesion. Ring worm generally heals up within a few months without treatment; but it is very uncomfortable for the horse and it’s highly contagious to other horses and humans.

Tack and grooming supplies should not be shared, and equipment and even stall walls should be disinfected to prevent spreading the fungus.

We Recommend for Mud Fever and Rain Rot:

Move your affected horse to a dry stall, wear gloves to remove crusty scabs and trim the hair, if applicable around infected area, wash with an antibacterial shampoo, such as, “Castile Dermatitis Shampoo”, pat dry, and treat with “Equine Derma Relief” twice a day for up to two weeks.