Argh Sweetitch!

[Rockchick_uk]

Got down the yard to bring my boy in and low and behold hes rubbed his tail and looks like he has sweetitch!!! about 60% if the top tail hair has fallen out

This is the first time it has effected him and although i have covered his tail in NAF D-itch is there anything else i can do??

 

[sikaran]

Get your boy a flyrug (mine's got a rambo + hasn't trashed it yet) and plenty of fly repellent. Have heard a lot of people recommending feeding marmite. If your sure it is sweetitch, see about getting him on the vaccine trial next year.

Good luck!

 

[Rockchick_uk]

Cheers, will try the marmite.

Will go and look at prices for rugs now.

 

[juliebrewer]

oh poor horse & poor you, dont forget to de lice him just in cAse its lice..

 

[Rockchick_uk]

yeah gonna do that tomorrow, would of done it tonight but i was in my work clothes lol.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

My horse doesn't have what I would call full blown sweet itch but does sometimes rub his tail for which I usually use Alvasweet, I was at a show and was in search of some Alvasweet and haven't been able to get it anywhere.

Anyway....... the lady on the tack stall said she'd had a pony that suffered really badly and she used a solution of TCP and water, it not only aided the healing but seemed to stop any further problems, over the following years the pony got dramatically better and doesn't suffer much at all. Since I received this advise, I bought a small bottle of TCP and put half into an emtly spray bottle and topped up with water, my horse hasn't rubbed his tail at all since. I apply a light spray to his tail every day, when I first put it on I put the nozzle onto stream so I could get it in between the hairs but I havent done that since.

Its worth a try and is cheap, the thought of the smell put me off originally but I don't apply it until I'm turning him out so its not too bad.

 

[debradley]

Thats a really good tip. I'll try that on my girl because she gets it under her belly as well. I used to use bensil benzoate but can't get hold of that now and that really was the best thing. But TCP would be a really economical option; the other thing I've been told to use is meths mixed with water, I know her old owners used to use that on her with great success.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

I've heard of the benzil but not using meths, both are skin irritants so its put me off in the past. And as I said he doesn't have it that bad so haven't had to resort to extreme measures yet. TCP definately seems to work, my friends horse suffers badly and we've been sharing the solution I made and its working on him too. Theres all these remedies out there and who'd of thought something as simple as TCP would work.

 

[JillA]

Someone suggested shampooing with Head & Shoulders shampoo on a regular basis, sorted one horse she knew. Problem is they are all different, and despite what a lot of vets will tell you, are allergic to different things. Mine may well be pollen, still trying to establish, and some its sunlight.
Incidentally, Marmite is for the Vitamin B12, and you need an awful lot. Easier to feed it as a B12 supplement

 

[Chex]

Thats what I heard, but when I researched it its actually the B1 (thiamine) that the midges don't like

 

[Rockchick_uk]

At the moment im treating him with Naf D-Itch and although hair is still falling out the area doesnt look like hes still scratching so things may be looking up.

 

[MagicMelon]

Get a fly rug with a big tail flap - can help protect the area a bit.

All mine are rubbing their tails just now (and only 1 of mine has sweet itch), occassionally the midgies must irritate even non-sweet itch horses. Mine just rub a bit for about a week and then go back to normal, but they've never rubbed a big enough amount out to be a problem.

 

[FinkleyAlex]

pegasus BANitch has been a life saver for my pony - we nave have a full mane and tail everyyear (just apply before he goes out once a day and stick flyrug on top)