Addressing Hives In The Performance Horse

Don’t let unsightly bumps or uncomfortable itching cause downtime.

- Lydia Gray, DVM, MA

Acase of hives, also referred to as urticaria, can be frustrating for the horse, the owner and the treating veterinarian. Because hives are more common in horses than in any other domesticated species (think dog, cat, cow, etc.), most people who have been around horses a while have, at one point or another, seen these fluid-filled, raised swellings also known as wheals, on the skin. They may also be aware that hives can show up minutes to hours to days after exposure to an inciting agent, may or may not be itchy and can appear nearly anywhere on a horse’s body.

Although hives are one way allergies can manifest in the horse (equine asthma is another way), hives are not always caused by allergies (and neither is equine asthma). What makes hives particularly challenging for caregivers and treatment providers alike is that many, many things can cause hives, such as insects, inhaled pollens, ingested foods, administered medications, direct contact with a wide variety of substances, and even hot or cold temperatures, pressure and exercise.