Bio-plus capsules for Sweet Itch

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Cadburys_addict

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Hi...

My boy has pretty severe sweet itch but can manage him with boett rugs and anti-histamines when it is particularly bad.

I am interested in the Bio-plus capsules - I doubt they would completely remove his condition but might make it less severe but I just wondered if anyone had any feedback from using them? Did they have a visible impact on their horse's sweet itch?

Thanks!
 
We've been using them on our 2 for the past 3 years. The two horses are less bad than they were so we keep using them. I'm not 100% convinced but enough not to stop them. The two are very bad with SI. My one used to chew chunks out of his sheath and hasn't done that since he was on these, though he still itches himself given chance. He also has a rug, fly repellent and gets daily linseed. Did try Brewers yeast as well one year but didn't see a difference so stopped that as he didn't like it much. My friend's also chews herself less since being on them and hasn't done herself as much damage as previously.
 
Thanks for that!

I tried brewers yeast as well but not sure it really made any difference to him...but I am def going to have a think about it....would be interested in anyone else's feedback too!
 
I have put mine on km elite ultimate oil. It has worked wonders and worth every penny!! 25ml per feed (2 feeds a day) and £10.99 for a litre. The bottle recommends 30-50ml a day. That as well as 2 scoops of garlic and a teaspoon(ish) of marmite twice a day. A bit off topic I know but I am trying to recommend to as many si suffers as poss as I truly can't believe that difference it has made!!
 
I used them for a year, made absolutely no difference. Waste of money IMO.

ETA the best thing I've found that works is feeding lots of micronised linseed, regular bathing with hypoallergenic shampoo, good old fashioned benzyl benzoate and a high quality rug.
 
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Thanks for that NellRosk - he lives in his boett rug which has been a complete godsend but particularly at the moment he is losing his winter coat so is itchier cos of that as well! I so avoid anything with Garlic but could I ask - my boy also has had laminitis previously so I have to ensure as low sugar diet as physically possible but would linseed be ok for a laminitic? Do you feed linseed specifically for SI or as an all round supplement? Have heard a lot of people say good things about linseed but I know next to nothing about it.....
 
Cadburys_addict said:
Thanks for that NellRosk - he lives in his boett rug which has been a complete godsend but particularly at the moment he is losing his winter coat so is itchier cos of that as well! I so avoid anything with Garlic but could I ask - my boy also has had laminitis previously so I have to ensure as low sugar diet as physically possible but would linseed be ok for a laminitic? Do you feed linseed specifically for SI or as an all round supplement? Have heard a lot of people say good things about linseed but I know next to nothing about it.....
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Yeah I'm going through that dilemma too, she's all scratchy so trying to brush her as much as I can to get her coat out! Yeah linseed is fine for laminitics, if he's overweight just reduce the dose as it's fattening so you will still be getting the benefit without the weight gaining properties. I feed it specificically for SI but with my non-SI horse (who is a fatty) he just gets a half a mug to improve skin, coat and hooves. It's also good for joints. It's good your horse is on a low sugar diet too, there's some evidence to suggest that high sugar diets can exacerbate SI as they sweat the sugars out which attracts the midges!

I sound like such a sweet itch nerd reading back on that! Please feel free to ask anymore questions and I'll try answer. Since I found out my mare had it I've done 2 years reading up on it :)
 
This silly theory is only effective on some horses. Not all!! I give her garlic for overall health especially eyes and immune system. I have known her si both with and without garlic and it hasn't made it worse. If it had would you think I would be cruel enough to continue it ?
 
Amymou91 said:
This silly theory is only effective on some horses. Not all!! I give her garlic for overall health especially eyes and immune system. I have known her si both with and without garlic and it hasn't made it worse. If it had would you think I would be cruel enough to continue it ?
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I'm not calling you cruel in the least bit. Garlic is also antibiotic and kills off the good bacteria in the gut so could actually inhibit the immune system. I'm sorry but I can't see why anyone would want to feed it to their horse, it has no benefit at all.
 
The recipe we have for her this year is working perfectly, with no irritation. So I will go with what I know. Thank you for your opinion though ...
 
With regards to the Bioeos capsules the two horses seem to have been a bit better each season since they've been on them. The trouble is that there are so many other factors it's hard to tell how much improvement is from what, but we don't like to stop them to find out in case they go back to how bad they used to be - (One summer mine bit a big chunk out of his sheath, which was horrible, and they both had gnawed patches of skin off their legs). We've been managing one's SI for over 20 years and the other for 15, so we've tried everything in our time.
My worry this year is I started mine on Prascend last autumn and part of me is thinking that there is a possibility that he had improved previously as his immune system was getting weaker due to gradually developing PPID which was making the SI less severe. No real problems yet this spring but it's a worry for later in the year that helping the PPID might make the SI worse.
I am pleased to say though that these days they rarely get any raw skin.
 
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Amymou91 said:
I have put mine on km elite ultimate oil. It has worked wonders and worth every penny!! 25ml per feed (2 feeds a day) and £10.99 for a litre. The bottle recommends 30-50ml a day. That as well as 2 scoops of garlic and a teaspoon(ish) of marmite twice a day. A bit off topic I know but I am trying to recommend to as many si suffers as poss as I truly can't believe that difference it has made!!
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Um, without wishing to be critical.......... its probably the marmite and NOT the garlic that's doing the good. As garlic is an immuno-suppressant, the vet told me to avoid it like the plague for a SI horse as it can aggravate conditions like SI which are basically an immune-system over-reaction.

Re. the Bio Eos or Bio Plus or whatever they're called now; I have thought about them in the past - but the cost of them makes the idea unworkable in practical terms. I'd rather spend the money on other topical treatments TBH.

But hey, if it works for yours..........
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Um, without wishing to be critical.......... its probably the marmite and NOT the garlic that's doing the good. As garlic is an immuno-suppressant, the vet told me to avoid it like the plague for a SI horse as it can aggravate conditions like SI which are basically an immune-system over-reaction.

Re. the Bio Eos or Bio Plus or whatever they're called now; I have thought about them in the past - but the cost of them makes the idea unworkable in practical terms. I'd rather spend the money on other topical treatments TBH.

But hey, if it works for yours..........
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This. But I doubt she'll listen..
 
I really don't think any of you need to be so nasty or disrespectful. You have all made your points and yes, there is medical fact in what you say and it could possibly redirect my opinion on garlic. But I however, have not turned to bullying to get a point across. Shame on you. Incredibly childish. Haven't regretted recommending something to somebody so much in my whole life. How hurtful. It wasn't even the garlic I was recommending. What happened to manners?
 
Totally see where you're coming from "Amymou". Its like a lot of things that people "recommend" on here..... like, for example, Pig Oil & Sulphur for cobs' feathers. One recommends it, another de-recommends it due to a negative experience with it (I for one) - and I guess this forum is like a lot of yards where one person swears by something as a remedy, then another person comes along and says Oh No Don't Do That!!!

If someone has something which works for them/their horse: then hey, go for it! Others have a valid right to an opinion, and to express it on here, but hopefully in a way that doesn't put the other person down.

But do agree with you that this forum has got very nasty and particularly spiteful recently; I was slated in another thread on here simply for having some concerns about some ponies kept in the vicinity. Oh, perhaps its the spring grass, I dunno:)
 
Its not the first time I have heard garlic powder recommended in a case where things have improved - whether that's down to the garlic or not you have to ask yourself if its as bad as people think....

Re the KM Elite oil this looks very interesting and I may well order some thanks
 
I went to a talk by a vet who had done a lot of research on sweet itch. He said the bio capsules are useless (in his opinion) and the best way of keeping it at bay is by keeping your horse on a windy hill and having a decent fan/screen in the stable as the midges are very weak flyers.

Re garlic, I've read some studies which say it thins the skin, so with my mudfever/mallenders prone cob, I stopped it completely as I thought thinning the skin was a bit unhelpful!
 
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