Addressing Your Horses Seasonal Allergies - Dr. Eleanor Kellon, VMD and Staff Veterinary Consultant for Uckele Health & Nutrition An allergy is an exaggerated and imbalanced immune system reaction to something in the environment that normally shouldn’t cause any detectable response. It is a complicated phenomenon, with inflammation being key to the development of allergies in the first place, as well as the development of symptoms. The basic cause of allergy is the failure to develop tolerance. Tolerance is a process by which the immune system learns to distinguish between potentially harmful foreign (not belonging to the body) proteins and carbohydrate fragments from those that are harmless. The opposite of tolerance is sensitization. When tolerance fails, inflammatory reactions triggered by oxygen free radicals produced by the immune system go unchecked and the end result is the development of antibodies of the IgE category, the antibody of allergies. IgE is normally present in very low amounts in the bloodstream, somewhat higher levels in the tissues lining the intestinal, respiratory and to a lesser extent urinary and reproductive tracts – all the major avenues where the body easily comes into contact with material from the outside world. However, when it is formed in response to proteins or carbohydrate fractions that are normal background compounds from foods, plants, etc, the result is allergy. It has been demonstrated that the tendency to develop allergies is genetic. However, the type of allergy and the system involved is not necessarily going to be the same. The horse cannot be born with an allergy to a specific thing like bug bites or a food. Allergy cannot develop until the horse has come in contact with the allergen. From there, it takes approximately 2 weeks for the IgE antibodies to be produced. Nothing can be done about a genetically inherited tendency to develop allergy, but all disease is a result of interaction between genetic tendencies and the external environment. The environmental factor includes both exposure to specific allergens and factors that might predispose to an allergic reaction rather than tolerance. Nutritional factors may play a large role in determining how your horse can control allergic reactions. Correctly feeding the horse so their defense systems are at a maximum is the starting point. Beyond that, supplements can support the horse with additional nutrients to help diminish the development of allergic reactions and control the severity if they do occur. The correct nutrients can allow the immune system to implement counterbalancing responses. Like all body systems, the immune system has cells that both initiate inflammatory and allergic-type reactions and cells that keep those reactions in check. Unfortunately, many of the nutrients that are critical to maintenance of good anti-inflammatory responses are the ones most commonly deficient in equine diets. An integral part of the inflammatory response is the production of oxygen free radicals by the immune system cells. Antioxidant support can therefore help in modulating the allergic response in two general ways. One is support of the body’s own antioxidant enzyme systems. The other is to provide nutrients with direct antioxidant effects. The horses body has a sophisticated system of antioxidant enzymes whose job it is to mop up the oxygen free radicals before they can damage normal tissue or lead to aberrant immune responses. These include the peroxiredoxin family, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase. These do not come from the diet, but are manufactured by the horse. While the horse’s diet does not provide these enzymes, key nutrients must be present to allow the horse to increase production of these enzymes. They include protein in general, the sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cysteine, L-glutamine, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin E and vitamin C. Vitamins E and C can also be directly antioxidant, but they also play a major role in keeping these enzyme systems in active form. The bottom line is that one step in controlling allergies is to make sure the diet contains adequate levels of all key nutrients and is well balanced to prevent interference from high levels of pro-oxidant nutrients like iron, manganese and aluminum. Everyone is familiar with vitamin C as an antioxidant. Vitamin C can also recycle “used” antioxidants like vitamin E back to their active form. Horses can manufacture their own vitamin C, and never develop classical vitamin C deficiency. However, under conditions of high oxidative stress, vitamin C production may not keep pace. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is an organic sulfur compound synthesized in the body, where it protects cell mitochondria from oxidative stress. Supplemental ALA and/or its metabolites may also have antioxidant effects, but it has also been suggested that ALA helps with allergies by improving clearance of toxic heavy metals by the liver. Providing the horse with good levels of plant based antioxidants can provide backup assistance to the body’s own antioxidant defenses. Bioflavonoids are a diverse class of plant chemicals with well documented antioxidant effects. Citrus fruits are a rich source. Their bioflavonoids include hesperidin, quercitin, rutin and tangeritin, which can help preserve vitamin C levels in the tissues. Some citrus bioflavonoids can also stabilize capillary walls and help prevent edema at areas of allergic reaction. Garlic contains several organic sulfur compounds. Those containing the sulfur amino acid cysteine have direct antioxidant effects and/or may provide cysteine for the synthesis of glutathione and for peroxiredoxin enzymes, which require this for their active site. Other organic sulfur compounds in garlic stimulate the cells to increase levels of antioxidant enzymes. Similarly, the supplement N-acetyl cysteine has direct antioxidant effects and may also function as a source of cysteine for the bodys own antioxidant enzyme systems. Some of the most potent antioxidant compounds found are widely distributed through nature in herbs such as turmeric, grape seed, ginger and gingko biloba, which penetrate into body tissues easily. Ginger has both antiinflammatory and antihistamine properties. It has also been confirmed experimentally that combinations of these plant compounds work synergistically, meaning that lower dosages can be used. They also interact synergistically with flavonoids. Chondroitin sulfate is known as a joint nutraceutical but can do double duty with allergy control. Both studies with cell cultures and live laboratory animals have shown that chondroitin can suppress histamine release and also direct the immune system away from allergy responses and toward conventional antibody production. Clinically, it appears to work especially well for skin reactions such as sweet itch. Effective dose for an average size horse is 2500 to 5000 mg, twice daily. Finally, you can help a horse with lung allergies by limiting exposure to nonspecific lung irritants. It is well documented, for example, that air pollution can trigger a human asthmatic attack. With horses, ammonia, bacterial products and molds that can be airborne in heavy concentrations in barn air are a factor. Horses with breathing difficulties need excellent ventilation, wet meals, hypoallergenic bedding, or should be kept outside. Eleanor Kellon, VMD, currently serves as the Staff Veterinary Specialist for Uckele Health & Nutrition. An established authority in the field of equine nutrition for over 30 years, Dr. Kellon is a valuable resource in the field of applications and nutraceuticals in horses. She formerly served as Veterinary Editor for Horse Journal and John Lyons Perfect Horse and is owner of Equine Nutritional Solutions, a thriving private practice. A prolific writer, Dr. Kellon is the author of many best-selling books on a variety of medical and nutritional topics and has contributed to both lay and professional publications. Founded in 1962, Uckele Health & Nutrition has been a trusted leader in the formulation, development and manufacture of quality nutritional supplements for fifty years. With leading edge experience in nutritional research and science, the Uckele team manufactures quality formulas from concept to shelf, formulating a vast array of high potency, balanced nutritional supplements to support optimal health and performance at the highest level.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 12:56:28 +0000
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