Info please - whether your horse has sweet itch or not!!

[annabelle]

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to sort out a research project for my degree, but I need to get some general information to see if it would be a feasible topic and I was wondering if you could help me?? It's looking at the time of year a horse is born and the level of sweet itch it develops (if any). If you feel you can help, please let me know

the month in which your horse was born (date if you know it but not essential!)
their breeding if known
and level of itching, using this as a guide:
1 - no itching
2 - occasional itching but nothing really noticable
3 - some itching at the height of summer, possibly minor hair loss
4 - itching most of the summer, obvious hair loss, possibly sore patches and redness
5 - severe itching, raw skin, baldness, possible bleeding.

So as an example, my horse would be
early May, Hanoverian x ID/TB, 3.

Thanks in advance!!
A

 

[Rosiefell]

My pony has sweet itch-glad to help.
22 May,Fell,5 (if she doesn't wear her Snuggy Hoods rug!)

 

[rosita]

Hi, my pony 14.3 argentine polo pony. strawberry roan. 10 sept of next year. Very odd, not sure whether this is any use, but she was itching quite badly in the summer, especially under her belly and top of dock. Anyway she had her special fly rug on and used belzebug which all seemed to control it so there was not alot of discomfort. She went out in sept for a break and came in mid oct. The itching seemed to be worse and she was now dropping weight as in the winter we keep them boxed most of the time. She wasn't getting better so we called the vet and she had a skin scrape, turns out she is allergic to most insect bites, from midge to tiny mites you find in shavings, which is why it got so bad in the stable. She was put on pills and steroid injections which made her slightly better, plus rubber matting and paper. Then another vet came to see another pony and we told him about her, he said he had an injection that may work, so a few days later he came back and did it. Now NO ITCHING!!!!!! wonderful! pony now very happy, weight back on and going really well. Not sure what the injection was as these guys are very good at making up their own remedys, but will ask for the name next time he is down.

 

[wizzi901]

1983 Irish X CB/TB
He is defo a 5!!!!

Hogged mane and tail seem to do the trick tho, coupled with fly blankets and ooooodles of curry powder and oil....eewwww but curry powder does seem to do the trick!!

Dont feed internally tho!!

 

[sojeph]

January
Traditional coloured cob
5

 

[vicm2509]

Baron was born 15th June, hes an IDxTB and has no itching at all (1).

 

[Baileysno1]

Hi mine is czech warmblood born 6 April and is a 1 (never itches)

 

[annaellie]

My pony was born 26th april05 welsh sec A occasinal itch

 

[0]

D.O.B 16/05/1996
Welsh D

Level of itching is a tricky one to answer as there are two answers depending if you want to know how much she would itch if it was left or how much she does itch with a management program in place!!!
If she was just left then she would rub her mane and the top of her tail raw - I mean bald and red sore bleeding patches (it was like this when I got her as a two year old as it had just been left!).
However, from April until September she has a daily program (only takes about 15mins per day) and in the last eight years she has never rubbed her mane or tail. As well as her daily treatments she also goes out in a rambo supreme fly sheet with neck cover (which tbh she would anyway, sweet itch or not!) and is never turned out before 8 am and is always in by 5 pm. I know that she does still have sweet itch because if I miss her treatment for one day then she will begin to rub (but as it's only one day she doesn't create any bald or raw patches and on the whole I never miss a day!).
I refuse to hog her mane (and tbh do not need to) and anyone that meets her - even in summer can not believe that she has quite bad sweet itch!!
this is her mane at the end of summer this year:

Her mane and tail are both pulled which won't make that much difference to her mane but I think it helps for her tail!!!

 

[0]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi, my pony 14.3 argentine polo pony. strawberry roan. 10 sept of next year. Very odd, not sure whether this is any use, but she was itching quite badly in the summer, especially under her belly and top of dock. Anyway she had her special fly rug on and used belzebug which all seemed to control it so there was not alot of discomfort. She went out in sept for a break and came in mid oct. The itching seemed to be worse and she was now dropping weight as in the winter we keep them boxed most of the time. She wasn't getting better so we called the vet and she had a skin scrape, turns out she is allergic to most insect bites, from midge to tiny mites you find in shavings, which is why it got so bad in the stable. She was put on pills and steroid injections which made her slightly better, plus rubber matting and paper. Then another vet came to see another pony and we told him about her, he said he had an injection that may work, so a few days later he came back and did it. Now NO ITCHING!!!!!! wonderful! pony now very happy, weight back on and going really well. Not sure what the injection was as these guys are very good at making up their own remedys, but will ask for the name next time he is down.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the last eight years I have talked at length with my vet (and the equine vets in my family) to find, tweak and perfect the management of my horses sweet itch (which touchwood, we have achieved). We have on numerous occasions discussed these injections that you can give to horses to stop them itching (which all the vets agree do stop the itching). However I have always been advised (and followed this advice) that it is not the best option to use steroid injections as a cure or on a regular basis (even once a year at the begining of summer). I have been told that they can bring on lamimitis as a few other side effects.
Obviously your horse got quite ill before you identified the problem and so a dose of steroids is sometimes in order to get the horse back on track but I do not think it is an advisable ongoing cure to a lifelong problem such as sweet itch.

 

[threeponies]

He was born in may, Shetland pony itchiness 3. Used to be 5 but he has got better as he's got older.

 

[johnsongreyhorse]

26th June 2000
Andalusian
4/5 if no treatments given/applied

 

[rosita]

The risk of laminitis is preferable at this point than having my poor girl in the state she was in. I would never needlessly put any of my ponies at risk and can assure that all avenues have and are still being investigated. The vets that deal, and have dealt, with her have been superb. Am fully aware of the risks involved with steroid injections, as I would assume anyone who has had to have them administerd to their equine would be.

 

[ihatework]

Jem1/Rosita - there is apparently a new sweetitch vaccine/injection in trial stage at the moment and is available within the UK - Rosita maybe this is what your horse was given in addition to the steroid jab ? (I don't know if this new injection is steroid based or not)

 

[conniegirl]

[ QUOTE ]
Jem1/Rosita - there is apparently a new sweetitch vaccine/injection in trial stage at the moment and is available within the UK - Rosita maybe this is what your horse was given in addition to the steroid jab ? (I don't know if this new injection is steroid based or not)

[/ QUOTE ]

the new injection is only available through the sweetitch centre, it is a course of 3 injections and 7 tablets to be give once a month after the 3rd injection. On of my ponies if on it and has shown an improvement and i know many people have had wonderful results with it.

My lad is a 16 yearold, connemara, before he had the injection, he was red raw bleeding and still scratching even with all forms of lotions on him,
After the jabs id say he is a 3/4 without his boette blanket and a 2/3 with it

 

[0]

[ QUOTE ]
The risk of laminitis is preferable at this point than having my poor girl in the state she was in. I would never needlessly put any of my ponies at risk and can assure that all avenues have and are still being investigated. The vets that deal, and have dealt, with her have been superb. Am fully aware of the risks involved with steroid injections, as I would assume anyone who has had to have them administerd to their equine would be.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you should have read this part of my post properly:
[ QUOTE ]
Obviously your horse got quite ill before you identified the problem and so a dose of steroids is sometimes in order to get the horse back on track but I do not think it is an advisable ongoing cure to a lifelong problem such as sweet itch.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree that if the reaction is uncontrolable because either it is sudden and very severe or it becomes very severe because as in your case it takes time to identify the cause then steroids may be required as a one off to re-gain control. So, as I explained, I understand why you used them but was just making a post to highlight that they are not necessarily the miricale cure that your post makes them sound and that they should be the last resort not the first port of call.

 

[flyingfeet]

May 27 2000, Selle Francais x Unknown Dam (Connemara / Native type), 5

However full brother May 15 1998, 1

Half sister 5 May 1995, Hanoverian x Unknown Dam, 1

 

[0]

[ QUOTE ]
the new injection is only available through the sweetitch centre, it is a course of 3 injections and 7 tablets to be give once a month after the 3rd injection.

[/ QUOTE ]

You beat me to it!!!
No horses were admitted to the program after April and had to be given the first injection before there are any signs of sweet itch - it is very much a prevention rather than cure!!

 

[sojeph]

The best cure is the right field!

My cobbie went from severe sweet itch to the point I considered PTS to pretty much itch free. We moved from Surrey to Devon. He is in a field high up the valley, overlooking the sea where it is almost always breezy. He has no rug on and just has cream on his sheath in the height of Summer/Autumn and have not had a single sore patch in the 3 yrs I've been here. Obviously he still has sweet itch but all the time he's where he is he doesn't have to suffer from it.
This is him a couple of summer's ago (he's never had a mane before!!):

 

[michb52]

July 2000 - TB x WB - 1
June 2002 - TB x WB - 1
July 2004 - TB x ISH - 1

hope these help!!

 

[Theresa_F]

TB - 16 March 1980 - 1
Hann TB - 22 June 1994 - 1
Gypsy Cob - June 2004 - 3

Chancer - put at level 3. He doesn't rub his mane, only rubs his tail in very hot weather and only a little, but he does rub his belly/sheath alot on the ground.

On steriods tablets at the moment to see if we can stop it and have sprayed for mites in case it is not sweet itch. Vet thinks it is sweet itch in the sheath area, but is not 100% sure at the moment.

 

[Seahorse]

24th February, Arab x Hanovarian/TB 2/3
Axel rubs his tail in the summer quite a lot, and will very rarely rub his mane on the doorway of his stable. I put benzyl benzoate on the top of his tail on a regular basis and occasionally on his mane.
I feed him NAF De-Itch through the summer.
I imagine he would be a lot worse if I didn't do anything tho!

 

[Jemayni]

29th April 2006 - Connemara - 2
July 2000 - Conne x Tb x ID - 1

 

[Lucy_Ally]

Tb x ID x Welsh D
9 years old
Born 27th April
No itching - 1

 

[sojeph]

Welsh A - May - 1
Shetland - May - 1

Will you let us know if there are any significant findings pls?

 

[amandaco2]

the month in which your horse was born (date if you know it but not essential!) 03.03.90
their breeding if known ISH
and level of itching, using this as a guide: 1
1 - no itching
2 - occasional itching but nothing really noticable
3 - some itching at the height of summer, possibly minor hair loss
4 - itching most of the summer, obvious hair loss, possibly sore patches and redness
5 - severe itching, raw skin, baldness, possible bleeding.

18.03.06
WB
grade 1 nil

05.60
conny x
grade o

 

[kateknights]

October, Irish cob, 4, if not managed.
Kate x

 

[annabelle]

Thanks to everyone who has given me info so far, it is hugely appreciated!!! I will let you know if it shows up anything. Also the info about the sweet itch vaccine was completely new to me, may prove very useful. Please keep it coming in!

A x