Can Horses Take Piriton? Important Facts to Consider

Yes, horses can take Piriton, and they should. Horse allergies are common, unlike most people’s ability to recognize them. Your horse will display a variety of signs when suffering from a type of allergy, which may include:

• Hives – These are generally small, soft swellings that appear under the skin, similar to humans’. They are not as itchy, however, and will grow in size over time.
• Skin itching – Skin itching often comes with visible eczema, causing your horse significant discomfort. Eczema is a red patch on the skin surface that itches and hurts on touch.
• Respiratory reactions – These include sneezing, coughing, and even difficulty breathing if their airways are inflamed.
• Anaphylaxis – This is an extreme reaction to allergens, consisting of dangerously low blood pressure and difficulty breathing. The situation can aggravate fast since the horse will go into shock and even die if lacking treatment.

But what is piriton, how does it work, and how to use it? This article will assess piriton’s effects on horses and teach you how to use it effectively.

What is Piriton Used For?

Piriton is an antihistaminic that’s generally used for horses as well as humans. Piriton contains chlorphenamine, a powerful antihistaminic that alleviates symptoms of allergies.

This substance is useful for blocking the effects of histamine – a chemical that the brain will release in contact with pet fur, insect bites, pollen, and other triggers.

Simply blocking the histamine allows Piriton to both alleviate allergies and prevent them in people and horses susceptible to the condition.

How Much Piriton to Give a Horse?

The answer depends on the horse’s age, size, health state, and the intensity of the allergy. The standard dose would be around 0.25mg/kg of body. This translates to around 100 mg of Piriton twice a day.

These values can vary, as the Piriton dose required can go as low as 0,5 and as high as 0.75.

Since the necessary dose can vary, I suggest speaking to a professional first to avoid any unpleasant situations. Overdosing on Piriton can come with a variety of side-effects, including death.

How to Give Your Horse Piriton?

You can mix Piriton in the horse’s food twice per day or as instructed by the vet. This also depends on the allergy symptoms. If they are too severe, you may need an injectable histaminic. Injectable antihistamines will take effect faster than oral ones.

Speak to the vet about your horse’s symptoms and get recommendations on the medication to use and how to use it.

Piriton Alternative For Horses

Antihistamines aren’t always effective. This means that if your horse doesn’t respond to Piriton, you might need to try something else. This includes humans and horses alike. Some of the available alternatives to Piriton include:

• Tripelennamine – This medication should provide visible relief in 20 to 45 minutes for the oral version. Injectable alternatives will take effect faster but may trigger more extensive side effects. Tripelennamine could thicken the mucous in the respiratory tract, leading to difficulty breathing in horses with respiratory issues. I advise always consulting the vet before feeding this medication to your horse.
• Mepyramine – This is an unapproved medication for allergies and allergic conditions, so tread carefully. Mepyramine can alleviate symptoms associated with allergic reactions, but it also permeates the brain fairly rapidly, causing drowsiness shortly after administration. Mepyramine overdosage will cause a variety of side effects, including ataxia, convulsions, tremor, and even coma and death.
• Cetirizine – This is another popular horse antihistamine that also works on humans. It comes in tablet form, soluble tablets, and injectables and can alleviate allergic reactions. Some of the adverse reactions include drowsiness shortly after administration, dry mouth, and stomach pain. The horse may also experience an allergic reaction to the drug, albeit rare. In that case, expect additional side-effects such as swelling of the face and throat, dizziness, or breathing difficulties.

I understand that allergies can come seemingly out of nowhere. If your horse is particularly sensitive to specific triggers and stimulants, the allergic reactions can also occur faster and be more severe. In that case, you might not have time to consult your vet for ad-hoc advice.

Just use the minimum dose of whatever antihistaminic you have available, and then contact the vet. The equine expert will advise you on what to do next.

Potential Side-Effects of Piriton

Piriton can come with several side effects, some of which are normal, while others tend to be more severe. The most common side-effects of Piriton include:

• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Coordination problems
• Excessive sleepiness

The main problem to mention here is that this drug can cause a variety of more severe issues. Going over the recommended Piriton dose or using the drug for too long can lead to confusion, low blood pressure, convulsions, and even death.

Ideally, you shouldn’t feed your horse Piriton more than one or two days. That’s generally enough to wean off any allergic symptoms.

You should also seek to identify and remove any triggers responsible for your horse’s allergic reactions. If that’s not possible and the allergic reactions reappear, you should contact your vet.

Conclusion

Allergies are generally pesky health issues that aren’t severe enough to worry you. Sometimes, however, they can cause extreme reactions and induce anaphylaxis, at which point you need to intervene.

Piriton, like any other antihistaminic, isn’t 100% effective or safe. It may cause some over-the-top side effects that may end up hurting your horse more than the allergy itself.

And the bad news is that there aren’t any more effective or safer alternatives either. If your horse shows signs of allergy, speak to your vet, take the animal to a routine control, and go from there.