Is it sweet itch?

SNORKEY

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Hi, I brought a little cob in February, he's 2yrs old. He's been itching since we got him, he's definately not got lice, I thought it was because he had a really long scurfy coat, he also had a bit of rain scald.
Since the warmer weather I've bathed him and he stopped scratching for about a week after but now he's doing it again and has now rubbed some small patches off his head and neck.
Is this sweet itch?
 
Do you know for absolute certain its not lice? I did not think Nell had lice, but then bang, after giving the itchy thing a bath one day i could see the blighters!
Got to give her her second dose of cow spot on on sunday, this just reminded me again :D
I was suspicious that she has sweet itch or if it was rain scald as the very top of her tail was coming out in the classic paintbrush style clumps
 
How can you spot mites? He's very healthy looking and our other two arn't scratching! I bathed him in a lice/ insect killing shampoo just incase.
 
It could be an allergy to something, but yes could be the start of sweet itch, have a word with your vet and get a blood test done. If it is sweet itch, now is the time to catch it before it gets any worse. I know as I have a mare with sweet itch and have owned her 11 years and you have to a a strict regime.
 
When I bathed him I had another very good look and there were def. no lice. I had a cob with bad lice years ago and I could see them all over him when he was wet.
 
When I bathed him I had another very good look and there were def. no lice. I had a cob with bad lice years ago and I could see them all over him when he was wet.

Mites then or maybe sweet itch. I had not been able to see them on Nell until I bathed her, then they became obvious, think the warmer temps brought them out. She did not come to me itching in late January but recently was itching mad and I wondered what on earth it was. Some cobs can just be itchy though, hope it is not sweet itch, not the easiest thing to deal with
 
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