Best supplements to help with Sweet Itch

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Stenners

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What supplements do you all feed for Sweet Itch that you find works really well? I had the Insol injection for my daughters pony last year which helped a but but it's so expensive I can't really afford to do it again this year. Previously she's also been on Brewers Yeast and Turmeric
 
I feed vitamin B3/ nicotinamide which is supposed to help. It's the main ingredient in Cavalesse and HerdLeader but I just feed straight. I honestly can't tell you if it makes a huge difference but it's cheap and can't hurt so maybe worth a try.

I find focusing on keeping pony somewhere breezy with nothing solid to rub on makes the biggest difference tbh.
 
I don't know about 'works really well', but it did seem to help a bit - last summer I gave mine black salt and Turmeritch. I'll possibly use them again this summer (definitely the black salt), though I have been giving my two a 'home-mix' each of dried herbs as a supplement since summer, with the SI one's including chamomile, so may try increasing/adding to the herb mix before buying a new tub of anything.

The main thing I've picked up from various facebook SI groups is NOT to feed garlic. The reasoning for this is that sweet itch is an immune response, and garlic is thought to boost the immune system, so therefore potentially giving a stronger reaction to the allergen.
 
smolmaus said:
I feed vitamin B3/ nicotinamide which is supposed to help. It's the main ingredient in Cavalesse and HerdLeader but I just feed straight. I honestly can't tell you if it makes a huge difference but it's cheap and can't hurt so maybe worth a try.

I find focusing on keeping pony somewhere breezy with nothing solid to rub on makes the biggest difference tbh.
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I keep reading about how vitamin B3/nicotinamide is very good for it - where do you get yours from please? (I know I could google suppliers, but as you mentioned it...! 😂 )
 
Truthfully after many years with sweetich - none. Antihistamines have a small effect. Ceterizine in sufficient quantity twice a day.
Spend your money on good rugs instead, Boett plus the Boett hood ideally , but a good rug and hood. Electric fence absolutely everywhere and coat the parts that stick out of the rug with a greasy cream like biteback, neem or similar.
Never drop your guard.
 
JenJ said:
I keep reading about how vitamin B3/nicotinamide is very good for it - where do you get yours from please? (I know I could google suppliers, but as you mentioned it...! 😂 )
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That's what is in brewers yeast if you can get them to eat it. Tried it with no effect.
 
Gloi said:
Truthfully after many years with sweetich - none. Antihistamines have a small effect. Ceterizine in sufficient quantity twice a day.
Spend your money on good rugs instead, Boett plus the Boett hood ideally , but a good rug and hood. Electric fence absolutely everywhere and coat the parts that stick out of the rug with a greasy cream like biteback, neem or similar.
Never drop your guard.
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Yes, prevention is absolutely better than cure!

I did invest in the biteback products, but only at the end of the season, so not really sure how effective they are over other brands. I regularly apply Killitch from April-October ish.
 
JenJ said:
Yes, prevention is absolutely better than cure!

I did invest in the biteback products, but only at the end of the season, so not really sure how effective they are over other brands. I regularly apply Killitch from April-October ish.
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Anything greasy will do the job. I liked neem. Killitch is good but it will sting on any sores.
After dealing with it for so long I'm so relieved my current one doesn't have it.
 
Brewer's yeast and linseed in the feed, limited grazing and reduced sugar/starch diet for management, neem oil and benzyl benzoate for topical application (combined with SI rug).
 
Antihistamines in industrial quantities. Experiment with the active ingredients until you find one that works then buy in bulk from Amazon.
It was the ONLY thing that worked on my dearly departed pony and enabled him to have a good few years only needing a normal fly rug and occasional application of Biteback products if he did have an itch.
 
Firstly do everything possible to stop them being bitten in the first place, you can get that boett on now. I find the insecticidal fly sprays (asorbine ultra black) are very effective and last days rather than hours, I apply to rugs rather than horse unless needed for riding.

Summer fly cream is good, will deter and soothe. Medicated talc is cheap and effective, buy something for 'jock-itch' so suitable for sensitive areas and soothing.

Most topical creams are a benzoate solution so you can buy them or make your own, they'll deter midges and soothe skin. Cutasol foam is good on irritated skin.

Supplement wise b3, brewers yeast (which contains b3), black salt, magnesium. Any anti inflammatory herb, I think I did white willow, meadowsweet, rosemary, turmeric.

Antihistamine, you can buy in huge quantities online.

Mine was diagnosed with sweetitch last year but I'm not at all convinced, I think it was more general inflammation linked to grass sugar. Took a month to get her skin under control by keeping in during the day on soaked hay and feeding anti inflammatory herbs, B3, antihistamines then she was completely healed and fine back out in a normal fly rug. I plan to do the same regimen this year without taking full measures to stop her being bitten so that I know for sure.
 
JenJ said:
I keep reading about how vitamin B3/nicotinamide is very good for it - where do you get yours from please? (I know I could google suppliers, but as you mentioned it...! 😂 )
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Health4all!

I am a regular biteback customer too. I do notice a difference if I'm not on top of the biteback, especially her wee ears. I've never managed a year with a full mane yet but I can keep her little ears intact 😭
 
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