How Camelia Oil Can Help Your Horse’s Skin Allergies

If your horse is prone to skin allergies or hives, adding camelina oil as a supplement to their diet could be your solution. It’s often difficult to know exactly what is causing the skin allergies, so camelina oil is a great option to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms that occur in allergic reactions. 

What causes skin allergies?

Skin allergies are fairly common with horses and result from being exposed to an allergen. There’s a variety of allergens that are known to cause reactions including pollen, dust, insect bites (specifically Culicoides), environmental chemicals, and topical lotions or sprays, but it is often difficult to determine which allergen is causing the reaction. The immune system reacts to the allergen and often releases a chemical called histamine, which results in skin inflammation and uncomfortable and even painful itching. 

How Camelina Oil Can Help

When you aren’t able to determine the allergen, camelina oil is a great option. It’s also a natural solution to skin allergies, whereas steroids are also effective but not beneficial to your horse’s long term health. Camelina oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients but often not found in typical equine feed. Without an adequate balance of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, horses have deficient immune function and lack anti-inflammatory properties, making them more prone to allergic reactions. Not only does camelina oil help regulate inflammation and boost immune function, it strengthens cell membranes which contribute to overall skin health, resulting in nourished skin and a gleaming coat. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to reduce the effects of Sweet Itch, a common equine skin irritation caused by hyper-sensitivity to bites from Culicoides. 
Overall, Wild Gold’s camelina oil is rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E which greatly contribute to preventing and alleviating irritating skin conditions. Our camelina oil is palatable and easy to incorporate into your horse’s daily diet, as well as lasts longer than most other oil supplements.

Shop Wild Gold’s pet camelina oil as well as other products here.