Crazy itching

[figgy]

Hi All,
I got a yearling mini shetland in July last year, she came with lice, full of worms and eye ulcers.
As you can imagine she was so itchy, we treated her for lice, wormed her and started treatment on eye's.
Worms and lice have gone and months on shes still so itchy, like crazy rolls on floor even when I'm leading her.
We went to see an eye specialist in Nov as eye uclers cleared up but every time we took her off the eye drops they went so red, she said it's skin related so we clipped her and bath her in vet shampoo, we did this all winter and tried different shampoos.
We did hair plucking in Jan and she had a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics.
Nothing has helped we have tried.
Switch in the summer last year.
Mite injection's
So many different shampoo's
She's feed oil (her coat is so dry)
Aloe Vera in feed
Steroids
Antihistamines
Changed bedding
Rugs kept clean
I think that's it but still her coat is so dry her eyes are bad if she comes off the drops and she's just crazy itchy.
Has anyone heard of this ?
Sorry it's so long and thanks for reading x

 

[doodle]

I have no idea about details but could you get her allergy tested? A friend horse had odd lumps and that was going to be the next step for him. Probably not cheap tho.

 

[vickie123]

Hi, my mini was like this, always itchy despite clipping and using Medicated shampoo. I did a bit of googling and worked out that she was allergic to alfalfa. Within a week of removing it from her diet there was no more itching.

 

[figgy]

I have been thinking about it but feel confused as to why the Antihistamines don't work if it's allergies

 

[Rowreach]

Have you tried feeding salt? Just ordinary table salt, 10g per 100kg of bodyweight. It's an inexpensive thing to trial and can make a huge difference itchy horses, as well as helping with a lot of other things.

 

[figgy]

We haven't given her salt she only has a salt lick . Thanks will give it a go.

 

[VioletStripe]

Can I ask what you are feeding? I know horses with sensitivities can sometimes itch like mad on some ingredients - alfalfa mentioned above is a common culprit

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi All,
I got a yearling mini shetland in July last year, she came with lice, full of worms and eye ulcers.
As you can imagine she was so itchy, we treated her for lice, wormed her and started treatment on eye's.
Worms and lice have gone and months on shes still so itchy, like crazy rolls on floor even when I'm leading her.
We went to see an eye specialist in Nov as eye uclers cleared up but every time we took her off the eye drops they went so red, she said it's skin related so we clipped her and bath her in vet shampoo, we did this all winter and tried different shampoos.
We did hair plucking in Jan and she had a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics.
Nothing has helped we have tried.
Switch in the summer last year.
Mite injection's
So many different shampoo's
She's feed oil (her coat is so dry)
Aloe Vera in feed
Steroids
Antihistamines
Changed bedding
Rugs kept clean
I think that's it but still her coat is so dry her eyes are bad if she comes off the drops and she's just crazy itchy.
Has anyone heard of this ?
Sorry it's so long and thanks for reading x

Is he getting any alpha?? lots horses get itchy with it. Once of my livery horses was rubbing herself balled and they stopped it and it reduced itching. The other one tried soya oil and that too stopped the itching and hair grew back

 

[Griffin]

I agree with other posters about removing alfalfa (also check ingredients of anything you feed because it pops up in a lot of feeds and treats). My mare itches if she eats the tiniest amount of alfalfa (e.g. if she takes a sneaky mouthful from another feed bowl).

You could also try feeding brewers yeast and micronised linseed because they can help with dry and itchy skin. Plus they are reasonably cheap to buy.

 

[figgy]

Thanks all....She is on meadow nuts, I'll look into feed.

 

[Cowpony]

Soya makes mine itch, so worth looking at that too.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I really feel your pain. I have a crazily itchy horse and I just hate it.
He frantically rubs and bits at his whole body.
This year he’s had sweetitch rugs on since Feb in a hope that might help.
He got to the stage last year that he’d hide his head in the corner when he saw me because all I ever did was put stuff on him.