Swelling around cuts

[BalooEyes]

OK, well Baloo is really injury-prone. Not major injuries or anything, but he's always got a new and puzzling scrape. however, whats really weird is how much he swells around every little cut and scrape. I came to the barn today to see his knee, and a bump on his stomach, and back of his other leg. I was really puzzled at these swellings, no heat, pain, lameness, blood. My BO recommended giving some bute for swelling and a light ride since he wan't off to get his blood circulating more and getting the swelling down a bit.

I got back and while I was brushing him after the ride I noticed everywhere he was swollen, there had been a tick. There was either a scab from one, or one on him.

Sooo... huh? lol. Anyone heard of a horse being this reactive to minor cuts/abrasions and bugs? He does have white skin, which I guess may be more sensitive. He burns easily in the summer, too.

[lovesfortune]

Mine get like that if I tick has been there for a while before I manage to find it. It's just a reaction to the tick I think. My Arab would swell ALOT at fly bites and ticks... she was allergic to a point with it. I had to spray her down a lot with fly spray or her whole body would be covered with tiny little welts from flies, etc.

[vicklynn]

City is that way, even from a fly bite. He has very sensitive skin. I just rub it, if there is an owey, I put med on it. It goes away.

[SedonaThunder]

They're just like people in that some can tolerate all kinds of stuff without a sign - and others have a histamine response to EVERYTHING. I've known horses and people that seem to swell if they even look at certain things!

[AUEquine]

Fiddler is allergic to some sort of bug... I think it's those 'noseeums'. Every day I go out there and he has these little swollen spots. No wounds, just swollen spots, like an insect bite on a human. Each day there are new ones and the ones from the day before are gone! They never bother him, and we just go on about life as if they weren't there!

[BalooEyes]

ok, good to know Baloo isn't the only one! I've had horses that get small bumps from bg bites and stuff, but have never seen swelling like Baloo gets! His leg was so swollen from the tick the other day that I expected to see a gash somewhere or that he'd be terribly lame. And a month or two ago he just scraped his face and his eye almost swelled shut!

I will mention to the vet when they come out for shots and see what they say. the BO even says that she's never seen a horse as reactive as Baloo and she's been around a lot of horses.