aarrg sweet itch....help

[TinselRider]

new loan horse has sweet itch quite badly on her mane, have tired various fly repellents and benyl benzotate doesnt seem to be working

(might try higher dosage ???)
the vets want me to try giving her 200 tablets twice a day but her owner really doesnt want her on them as they will make her drowsy.

I was told bathing in hibi scrub helps?????
I'm open to any suggestions. she is in during the day and out at night with fly rug on 24/7 which i KNOW IS NOT IDEAL but in this heat i really cant leave her out during the day and dont like keeping her in 24 hours a day.she will go out during the day when it cools down

please help guys im nearing breaking point with this as i hate seeing her suffer

 

[hussar]

[ QUOTE ]
new loan horse has sweet itch quite badly on her mane, have tired various fly repellents and benyl benzotate doesnt seem to be working

(might try higher dosage ???)
the vets want me to try giving her 200 tablets twice a day but her owner really doesnt want her on them as they will make her drowsy.(

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you mean the benzyl benzoate is in tablet form? Have you tried the liquid - it works well on my sweet-itch sufferer. Also Avon Skin So Soft bath oil (diluted) keeps the midges at bay. What fly sheet are you using?

 

[sojeph]

Is it a fly sheet you're using or a sweet itch rug? I would recommend a proper sweetitch blanket-close fitting so nothing can get in!! If the midges can't bite your horse won't get the itch. Net Tex Sweet Itch Salve Complete is good but messy but there are plenty of alternatives. Midges are poor fliers so if you can fit a fan to her stable that will help. Try this site for info www.sweetitch.com.
Electric fencing round her paddock will stop her itching-she can still roll to relieve the itch but she won't be able to rub madly on anything specific and make herself sore. Mine are out 24/7-if they have some shade they should be fine(although mine don't use it). Being in a stable means she has more opportunities to rub.

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
Is it a fly sheet you're using or a sweet itch rug? I would recommend a proper sweetitch blanket-close fitting so nothing can get in!!

[/ QUOTE ]
Which her owner should be supplying for her, as she obviously suffered from sweet itch when you loaned her!

 

[TinselRider]

I tried the benzyl benzotate in liquid form.....nothing

she has a royston fly rug and the owner cant afford a sweet itch rug (part of the reason shes loaning her is her finances)

vets rang back and said they do a sweet itch cream so im going to try that....poor girl made herself really sore where she has been sratching

...............roll on winter is all i can say

 

[ticobay831]

http://www.aromesse.com/indexeq.htm
Hi try this site they sell sweat itch lotion Aroma pre-itch, its brilliant i spay it on my ponies sheath and everywhere the boet dosnt cover and its been great.
Good luck
Debs x

 

[flyingfeet]

You can get a cheaper Boett type rug here

You really do need something purpose built for the job - normal fly rugs leave too many gaps and don't protect the belly.

Also feeding Brewers yeast (or Marmite) is proving to be very effective

 

[sojeph]

What material is your sweet itch rug made off CotswoldSJ? It looks shinier than the Boett. Is it breathable?

 

[TinselRider]

Have told owner about your rug cotswoldsj.



have been to vets and got cream which seems to be working also using beezlebug which REEKS

itching seems to have become less fierce but am going to start feeding 2 claritin in her feed ......all this gumf is not doing her tack many favours

 

[flyingfeet]

[ QUOTE ]
What material is your sweet itch rug made off CotswoldSJ? It looks shinier than the Boett. Is it breathable?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes its breathable and seems to have a cetain amount of wicking properties too. It's not actually shiney either.

I think the material is thinner than a boett (although haven't actually bought a boett). However I fully electric fence and tend to use a white fly rug on top of this so never had a problem with the fabric.

Only problem I have is worrying when it rains in spring / autumn that they could get a chill. However I think that would happen with all sweet itch rugs.

 

[dwi]

Someone at my old yard used vaseline and it worked a treat although the horse does end up looking a bit greasy.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

A pony at a previous yard was given a marmite sandwich every day, which seemed to help. Marmite you either love it ot hate it - He loved it, guess midges hate it!!!!

 

[threeponies]

Try mixing your benzyl with calamine lotion (half and half) and add some lavender oil and tea tree oil. Also wash the pony's mane and tail with either hibiscrub or tea tree shampoo once a week. NAF Midge Off is pretty good too.