Nextmune Allergy Testing

Just likehumans, horses can develop allergies to various substances, including plantparticles and other materials in the air or in food. Allergic reactions canalso be triggered by medications or vaccination. Is your horse vigorouslyitching an area or overcome with hives? Or maybe coughing, sneezing or wheezinga lot? These can all be symptoms of allergies in horses.  Believe it ornot, allergies are a very common reason for vet visits at Keswick EquineClinic!

As we previouslymentioned, allergies are extremely common in horses, and they’re largely linkedto management and their environment. Even though some of the symptoms can helpyou identify the type of allergy your horse might be suffering from, we alwaysrecommend proper testing with your vet. Allergies have several potential causesand are categorized into one or more of four general classifications:

• Insect hypersensitivity
• Contact allergies
• Inherited atopy (respiratory, dermatologic)
• Food allergies
  

Our doctorshere at Keswick Equine Clinic have chosen Nextmune Allergy Testing as theirpreferred method. This is because a diagnostic sample to be sent into the lab,simply requires a blood draw!

Serum testing was originally developedas an alternative to the more invasive intradermal testing. In addition,Nextmune testing does not require any medication withdrawal and can alsoinclude foods we wish to challenge sensitivity to (up to 91 allergens). Withinabout 5 to 7 days results are then faxed or emailed over to the clinic from thelab. 

SPOT Platinum+ is the most trustedin-vitro (blood/serum) allergy test on the market. With thousands of veterinarypartners around the country and represented in 70 countries worldwide, our testhas become recognized as the gold standard for serum allergy testing.

With Nextmune Allergy Testing, there are two methods of treatment used. Most commonare SubQ injections, each vial and injection contains small amounts of theallergens your horse tested positive to. These shots are administered over a9-month period and administered in increasing doses as well as gradualincreases in concentration. The 3 vials of increasing concentration aresupplied directly by Nextmune on a prescription basis to the testingveterinarian. The initial 9-month period of hypo-sensitization is followed bymonthly maintenance shots.

The other option, for needle shyhorses or owner’s uncomfortable with small injections, are sublingual drops.This method varies slightly from the SubQ injections in that the drops must beadministered daily to the horse’s gums, and you must restrict their food andwater intake 10 minutes before and after administration.