Cure for Sweet Itch?

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sporthorsefrance

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My 2 yr old Trakehner filly developed sweet itch last year. She lost her mane & tail & rubbed herself raw. Unfortunately she is allergic to benzol benzoate (it burned her skin) so we treated her every day with an anti allergy shampoo, a cortizone anti inflammatory cream & Tri Tech fly spray. Basically nothing worked.
This year we started the treatment in March - she still got it.
Whilst trawling the net for ideas I came across a sweet itch field study where they had used linseed (not the oil) in the feed with some success.
Anything is worth a try, so we bought some micronised ground linseed & added a handful to her feed night & morning.
She actually started to look better after 2 days - not possible we thought! Just wishful thinking!
It is now 14 days & the sweet itch has GONE! Her hair is growing back, she doesn't scratch, her neck is not stiff or swollen & no lesions anywhere.
The linseed apparently boosts the immune system & regulates the thyroid gland.
It may not work for every horse, who knows, but it has certainly worked for ours!
 
sporthorsefrance said:
My 2 yr old Trakehner filly developed sweet itch last year. She lost her mane & tail & rubbed herself raw. Unfortunately she is allergic to benzol benzoate (it burned her skin) so we treated her every day with an anti allergy shampoo, a cortizone anti inflammatory cream & Tri Tech fly spray. Basically nothing worked.
This year we started the treatment in March - she still got it.
Whilst trawling the net for ideas I came across a sweet itch field study where they had used linseed (not the oil) in the feed with some success.
Anything is worth a try, so we bought some micronised ground linseed & added a handful to her feed night & morning.
She actually started to look better after 2 days - not possible we thought! Just wishful thinking!
It is now 14 days & the sweet itch has GONE! Her hair is growing back, she doesn't scratch, her neck is not stiff or swollen & no lesions anywhere.
The linseed apparently boosts the immune system & regulates the thyroid gland.
It may not work for every horse, who knows, but it has certainly worked for ours!
Click to expand...

Fantastic news! I'll try that on my old pony!
 
That sounds great. I have a shetland that has not responded to all the lotions and potions. Can I ask where you got the linseed from? :-)
 
You should be able to buy it from your local feed store. But make sure it is micronised, ground linseed.
Some people call it flax seed. Same difference.
Don't feed any more than a single handful twice a day.

I'm in France so I can't tell you who makes it in UK.

Good luck & keep me posted on the results!!
 
Hello,i am also in France,Normandy.Could you give me a translation for the linseed flax.Normally we just use Butox,whuch works quite well.Alas this year is somewhat different with dryer weather and less wind.
Regards,Horseradish.
 
dingle12 said:
Fab where is the best place to buy it from?
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Best place to buy linseed in England is Charnwood Mill. They do a big sack which will last you forever if you are only feeding a handful twice a day. Its about £22
and that includes postage. Well worthwhile and glad that someone has had suceess with it for sweetitch.
 
Mmmm, think the way it works is that it makes the horse's coat very oily & so midges hate it!!! As well as stimulating hair growth.

It was recommended to me; but I feed the linseed in oil form rather than micronised........ dunno if this makes any difference?

Mine also has Brewers Yeast & Cider Vinegar (cheap and cheerful and supposed to be good for SI), plus Clivers (sticky stuff) in his haynet when its growing, in herbal form when not.

Plus rugging up appropriately, avoiding sugar/mollasses, and turnout issues (i.e. avoiding low-down places with stagnant water, valleys, trees etc).

Mine has a lovely full mane and tail and you'd never believe he has SI.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Mmmm, think the way it works is that it makes the horse's coat very oily & so midges hate it!!! As well as stimulating hair growth.

It was recommended to me; but I feed the linseed in oil form rather than micronised........ dunno if this makes any difference?

Mine also has Brewers Yeast & Cider Vinegar (cheap and cheerful and supposed to be good for SI), plus Clivers (sticky stuff) in his haynet when its growing, in herbal form when not.

Plus rugging up appropriately, avoiding sugar/mollasses, and turnout issues (i.e. avoiding low-down places with stagnant water, valleys, trees etc).

Mine has a lovely full mane and tail and you'd never believe he has SI.[/QUOTE


That's great - but the field trials using linseed oil had no beneficial effect on sweet itch.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Mijodhs,
Can you let us know more about the not feeding garlic to horses with SI idea? My sharer turned up with a tub of garlic and as yet I have asked her not to feed it but would like some facts to back it up (so would others I'm sure). I think it was you who posted about this, if not no worries.
 
4x4 said:
Hi Mijodhs,
Can you let us know more about the not feeding garlic to horses with SI idea? My sharer turned up with a tub of garlic and as yet I have asked her not to feed it but would like some facts to back it up (so would others I'm sure). I think it was you who posted about this, if not no worries.
Click to expand...

Garlic is a gut irritant and has NO benefit whatsoever, especially in the case of SI sufferers, who tend to have a compromised immune system to start with. :-/ Garlic can also be a contributory factor to Heinz Anaemia.

Rather feeding Slippery Elm to line gut, aid absorption and boost the immune system along with the other stuff. :)

My SI pony was significantly worse when I had him on Garlic - many moons ago and pre "edumacation" :)
 
Yeah, garlic is absolutely the worst thing you can give to a SI horse apparently, as above poster has said. Because it acts as a stimulant to the immune system, it will worsen the sympthoms not help them - SI is an over-reaction of the horse's immune system to an outside stimulus, i.e. the saliva of the cullicoides midge when it bites. So what you don't want is anything which stimulates that immune system reaction. Hope I'm explaining this clearly; the problem is that a lot of proprietory fly supplements DO contain it, plus feeds as well - you have to be very careful what you're buying.

Also eliminating sugar and mollasses is vital. They knew this in the old days, i.e. this is why its called "SWEET" itch in the first place presumably??
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Yeah, garlic is absolutely the worst thing you can give to a SI horse apparently, as above poster has said. Because it acts as a stimulant to the immune system, it will worsen the sympthoms not help them - SI is an over-reaction of the horse's immune system to an outside stimulus, i.e. the saliva of the cullicoides midge when it bites. So what you don't want is anything which stimulates that immune system reaction. Hope I'm explaining this clearly; the problem is that a lot of proprietory fly supplements DO contain it, plus feeds as well - you have to be very careful what you're buying.

Also eliminating sugar and mollasses is vital. They knew this in the old days, i.e. this is why its called "SWEET" itch in the first place presumably??
Click to expand...

Sorry Hun. Have to correct you there. Garlic doesn't act as a stimulant to the immune system. The immune system will over react if it feels it needs to. A strong immune system will cope with an irritant. A compromised one will "over-react".

If you think about the effect of pollen in the case of hay fever... (Same deal) The trick is to BOOST the immune system prior to the season / potential exposure to the known sensitivity. :)

Re sugar. No it doesn't help, but then it doesn't help a healthy horse either. It's the loading effect on the liver and kidneys and therefore slows down the effective elimination of toxins, thereby depressing the immune system. Think about detox... :)
 
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MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Mmmm, think the way it works is that it makes the horse's coat very oily & so midges hate it!!! As well as stimulating hair growth.

It was recommended to me; but I feed the linseed in oil form rather than micronised........ dunno if this makes any difference?

Mine also has Brewers Yeast & Cider Vinegar (cheap and cheerful and supposed to be good for SI), plus Clivers (sticky stuff) in his haynet when its growing, in herbal form when not.

Plus rugging up appropriately, avoiding sugar/mollasses, and turnout issues (i.e. avoiding low-down places with stagnant water, valleys, trees etc).

Mine has a lovely full mane and tail and you'd never believe he has SI.
Click to expand...

This in good advice, please dont rely on a feed suppliment alone to cure SI, good management like the above poster will help!
 
Mine's been on linseed for 9 months now. I wasn't particularly feeding it for sweet itch, which is a good job as it hasn't made the slightest difference to it.
Good rugs and something oily/fly repellent on the bits not covered by rug is the most important.
 
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