Itchy Tail = Sweet Itch

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fredthoroughbred

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Hi everyone,

I went up to give Fred some love last night and I noticed that he has been rubbing away at his tail and there is a sore looking red patch about the size of a 50p piece on his tail.
Do you think this is going to be the beginnings of sweet itch? He's never had it before!!
Also, what is the best way of dealing with it at this early stage?? I have cleaned the area and put some sudo cream on the patch and sprayed him thoroughly with fly spray...What elae should I be doing??

Thanyou
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i thought my oldie had sweet itch but had vet look at last time he came to yard and he says theres nothin in it he just feels satisfied to scratch it! i suppose like whe we have scratch our scalps after a long day he reckons lol! id hve a good look at his dock underneath too!
 
My cob is always rubbing at his back end which results in snagged rugs and broken hair at the top of his tail......I have found a good bath(really working around that area with a medicated shampoo,have used Head and Shoulders before!) and a spray of Teatree oil works wonders! :And no I would say it is not the start of Sweet Itch,just a bum loving scratchy horse!
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Keep an eye,just to be safe!
 
Phew
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You have made me feel much better!! I will give it a good wash this afternoon.
Gembob, what am I looking out for on the dock?? Sorry, probably a stupid question
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Hiya

My connemara has a thik tail and used to rub his too, i just washed it regularly to get rid of scurf and put some benzyl benzoate on it. This seemed to stop him, and kept his tail intact for shows.
 
benzyl benzoate is brill as it takes the itch away but don't think you can get it anymore. there is some new product out in HH which had it in though
 
How is is he? I think that sweetitch starts to come on when they are about 6 and carries on getting worse until they are about 13 - although I am sure people will correct me if I have got it wrong.
 
Another tip I was given to soothe an itchy tail is to wash as normal (and rinse) then do a final rinse with cider vinegar in the water. It certainly worked on a horse with two mahoosive fly bites on his tail!
 
Hi there,

Where can you buy Benzyl Benzoate?? He is wormed upto date but is due to be done again on June 1st. I will give him a good scrub tomorrow and then apply some BB and see how he goes...
I dodn't realise sweet itch started and finished at certain ages?? He moved upto the Highlands over a year ago and wasn't effected at all last summer so i'm hoping it's not sweet itch.
Good advice as usual, thankyou everyone
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I have not heard of it starting and stopping at certain ages, but can come at any time... especially if you have moved fields. There could be more midges in the new area that he is sensitive to.

Merlin scratches his tail whenever he can, he doesnt have sweetitch but is quite sensitive. So I plaster him in insect repellant so he doesnt get bitten
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