My Horse Is Allergic To Flies, Now What?

A few years ago (when Shooter was still in full-time training) he broke out in full body hives and after lots of vet consultations and allergy testing, we discovered he is allergic to fly bites. I remember thinking, how can I have a horse allergic to fly bites and how in the world am I going to avoid flies enough to keep him from breaking out in hives.

Steroid shots to get rid of the hives was not an option in Shooter’s case due to some issues with his feet and an overuse of dexamethasone (from a previous trainer without my consent). We needed to find something that was easy to use and highly effective without causing him any extra issues. Lucky for me (and Shooter), I have an amazing vet who helped us come up with an easy regimen to keep his fly bites and subsequent hives to a minimum. I have blogged about many of these items separately but I figured it was time to put them all together in one post. If your horse struggles with flies and allergies this regimen will definitely help!

Shooter is the very definition of high maintenance.

This is our “keep the fly bites and hives to a minimum” regimen that has served us well for quite a few summers. This regimen works to keep the flies away (as best we can) and then to help his body handle the resulting fly bites that are inevitable.

Fly Sheet: A good quality, lightweight fly sheet is a must, especially early in the spring/summer when the flies are out with a vengeance. Shooter wears his fly sheet during turnout along with copious amounts of fly spray to keep as many flies off him as we can. You can find my favorite fly sheets here and here.
SmartPak’s SmartBug-Off Pellets: These very smelly but amazing pellets fight bugs off with a 3 part process. Apple Cider Vinegar, Brewer’s Yeast and Garlic deter biting insects, MSM and Omega 3 Fatty Acids support normal inflammatory response and healthy skin and diatomaceous earth discourage flies from breeding in manure. I definitely notice that bugs and flies avoid my horses when they are on this. You can learn more about this supplement here.
Simply Flax: This is probably the most important supplement and if you only chose one of these to use, this is the one I would choose. My vet recommended it after she saw amazing results with other horses that have allergies to a variety of allergens. Shooter starts on this in February right before the flies come out and goes off it after our first freeze. He gets 3-4 scoops a day and drops down to 2 scoops a day when the flies start to go away. Flax seed is high in omega-3 fatty acids and several research studies have shown that supplementing horses with omega-3 fatty acids actually reduces inflammation in the body. One study specifically looked at horses with skin allergies and found a significant decrease in allergic skin response when they were fed flax seed. This supplement keeps Shooter’s hives to a minimum and allows him to go without his fly sheet during the really hot parts of summer. It absolutely works and I saw it make the original hives completely disappear after a week on it. You can read more about Simply Flax here.
Kinetic Vet’s EquiShield IBH Spray: This little miracle worker helps banish any bug bites that pop up on Shooter. This handy spray contains a powerhouse blend of an antibacterial to fight off infection (clorhexedine gluconate), a topical anesthetic to relive pain (pramoxine), an anti-inflammatory to help irritation (hydrocortisone) and a natural fly repellant (citronella) to keep bugs away. Bug bites and allergy bumps are usually gone within 1-2 applications. The handy spray feature allows you to quickly and easily give your horse instant relief and unlike creams or salves, the spray soaks in and goes to work without leaving behind a sticky residue. You can read more about it here.

Good thing he is so cute and sweet and well worth all the supplements it takes to keep him together!

On a quick side note, horses can take antihistamines to help with allergies but unfortunately many show associations don’t allow horses to be on them while being shown. If you aren’t showing then talk to your vet to see if an antihistamine would help. They definitely work but can be costly, have side affects and horses often need large doses. We have been able to avoid using antihistamines by using a flax supplement and SmartBug-Off pellets. Here’s to an early freeze!