Itchy horse - advice please.

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Berkeley

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Hey guys need some of your advice.

My mare has been itching like mad these last few weeks.
Some of the blisters on her withers have burst and crusted over. She's rugged all the time and because of this I think she may be getting too hot or the rugs are rubbing and its irritating her. I am damed if I do rug and damned if I don't.

Any good recommendations on lotions and potions for an itchy horse? Anyone else shed some light on this?
 
Have the rugs been recently washed? have you changed the under rug/fleece (basically is happening with the same rug or different ones?) perhaps try something that is more breathable? is your horse clipped out? or possibly changed feeds? all these could contribute to having an itchy coat...just throwing some ideas around.
 
The only thing from your suggestions that I am guilty of is changing her feed. She's gone from Bailey's 17 to Allen & Page weight gain. Is that really a plausable reason why she would be itchy?! It never occured to me. Hmmm, I will have to look into that.
 
She could be itching from being too hot perhaps? Could it be lice? I know its not a nice thought but a couple of injections can clear it all up if it is.

Definitely could be a feed allergy, I'd swap back to her old feed for a few days to see if you notice a difference, or add an antihistamine to her feed.

Is it warm enough where you are to give her a bath in some insecticdal shampoo?
 
No change in washing powder. I chuck them in the big dry cleaning machines with Daz like I always have. Its so difficult to work out. I just don't know if it has something to do with her being rugged too much or this change in feed suggestion.
 
Well I do know that some horses can have an 'itchy' reaction (not all obviously) to alf alfa, but perhaps it can happen with other feeds too but I know mine (who I can't feed alf alfa to) is on A&P WG and he's ok, so you never know.

Are the scabs etc just in the rug area or all over the body? and in the mane and tail too?

One thing I would suggest if adding seaweed to your horses diet, really helps improve the skin specially with horses are prone to being a bit itchy, also mud fever suffers and those with sensitive skin, but perhaps if the itchiness is bad and its creating sores, might be an idea to have it checked out by your vet just in case its some kind of parasite.
 
Thanks Kenzo - I don't think its the feed to be honest. I changed it about 6 weeks ago so the gap between the change and the reaction is to distinct.

Seaweed it a great idea - I will consifer that an option. I think I will buy her a new rug (any excuse!) anyway to to be safe.

I have bought a big tub sudocream (which I use to treat M Fever) and will slap a load of that on. Could bea parasite - although I do hope not!
 
last yr when i had just bought vinnie he was really itchy i parted his hair and he had lots of lice? but also try naf de itch feed supplement? just a sugestion x
 
I would check for lice first. This is the time of year for them.
Are the blisters from rubbing or are they the cause?
I would certainly check she is not too hot or that the rug fits comfortably...is it pulling on her withers perhaps?

It may be a prcess of elimination tbh.
I would start with the lice and perhaps treat for them anyway(can't hurt), then reduce her rug weight or emove completely if possible to see if that helps.
Either way derugging may help to heal her blisters and agree with the sudocreme...good stuff.
It could be the feed and if you have no luck with above I would swap her back to what she were on before to see if there is an improvement.
 
I know you say you haven't changed the washing powder - but have you opened a new box and they've changed the formula/perfume? We had terrible trouble with 'new improved Fairy' - brought both myself and daughter out in itchy spots a few years ago.
 
You could try a 'Bossy's Bib' under your rug. We have had a similar problem with our retired cob mare. We had rugged her in the wet weather because she had lost condition in Autumn. She developed some skin lesions on one shoulder with bare but unbroken skin. I have treated her for lice, although I couldn't see any and removed a new supplement from her diet. I did put her out for a few days without a rug but am conderned about the bare skin in this cold weather, so I have bought her a bib and can definitely recommend it. Her hair is growing back and one tiny scab which appeared when she was accidentally out in the snow without a rug has healed very quickly. I have also been using aloe vera gel.
 
It's a process of elimination- has your feed got barley in it? some horses can be intolerant to barley and that can come out as itching, rash/swollen legs etc- try putting a cotton sheet as an under rug as they don't seem to over heat so much in them, maybe check your horse isn't over heating in rugs and also, is your horse fed on garlic of any kind?- that can some times heat their blood up, although it sounds funny to say- someone gave me that tip years ago when I had an itchy horse and i cut the garlic out and that helped loads- I was even at a yard years ago and the main yard vets (that I wouldn't touch with bargepole) looked at my horse and even offered to put him on steroid tablets- I was like nooo, I don't think so!. And I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to treat for Lice with something maybe like Coopers or Deosect or when the weather warms up maybe a wash with something like Seleen dog shampoo for Dermatitis/Dandruff/itchy skin- that is quite good stuff. I'd keep lotions/potions to a mniimum but would consider using Aqaeous cream or Sudocrem on crusty bits. It's a nightmare though and hope you get to the bottom of it, if it carries on maybe speak to your vet for advice. Gd luck.
 
Berkley, how's your horse? Did you find an answer to the itchines?

One of ours has turned into an itchy mess too, she is a bit of a sensitive flower and has had sweet itch in the past but that just affected her mane and tail. She hasn't rubbed them for years, but has over the last few months been very itchy around her middle, to the extent that she will try and move the saddle + rider with her teeth. This has however been very sporadic and we put it down to her winter coat coming through.

The last few days she has rubbed herself raw across her front - nothing has changed feed wise, rug wise or washing powder wise. No sign of any "visitors" either.

Any suggestions welcome as to the likely cause!
 
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