Mild Sweet Itch

Ashgrove

Ashgrove

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My Shetland has very mild Sweet Itch.
He only rubs the base of his mane and his tail.
I have tried just about every fly spray going, all have the same effect, he sheds his skin
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I've tried a Boett and a cheap fly rug, he likes to stand IN hedges, so the rugs get trashed, also the cheapie took his mane off
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Benzyl Benzoate has the same effect as the fly sprays
Last year we tried a nasal spray from Crossgates, made no difference
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He has marmite sandwiches in his food and 8 tablets (split into 2 meals) a day of Asdas own anti allergies.
We're trying Camrosa at the moment, it doesn't make his skin come off, but doesn't seem to be stopping the midges either
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He's a Shetland X spotty, so he does have sensitive skin. A thin mane and tail and a pathetic winter coat, although this year has decided to hang on to it I'm thinking about clipping him, as he's getting sweaty and I think that's attracting the midges

Any other ideas?
 
Nothing will stop sweet itch except a rug really. I'm afraid the only way to preserve a SI rug is to not allow them access to anything sharp ie hedges/trees etc using electric fencing.
I will recommend the Net Tex Sweet Itch Salve Complete. Its very good but also messy.
Just beware that clipping him will leave him more exposed to midge/fly bites so you'd defo need a rug..
You could clip him, put a fly rug/SI rug on and a cotton summer sheet over the top to protect the fly rug. Thats what I do and it works.
 
i'm using Carr and Day and Martin's Killitch and it is working like a charm on my 3yr old with mild sweet itch. definitely worth the money. i don't want to rug her, she's a youngster out with another youngster and i think they'd trash a rug in 5 minutes! the Killitch is really good, she hasn't scrubbed her mane or tail once yet this year, and we have loads of midges here.
 
haha marmite sandwiches? are they supposed to help? woww!
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ive found that sudocrem is miracle cream for reparing and hydrating skin.

Honeypots' advice is pretty much as good as i can think you can get, perhaps using electric fencing to keep him away from trees etc could help? hope you find something that works!
 
Hair gel in the mane and tail helps to stop midges getting in and biting but if his skin is sore it may irritate him. Saw a fencing advertised that is designed to trap midges and has repellent in it you are supposed to put it in front of your hedges so they can't get to the ponies.
 
My friend's pony suffers very badly with sweet itch. Before he got his Boett rug he used to rub himself until he bled. I agree that only a rug can help vitually cure the sweet itch BUT we found that 'Dead Sea Spa Mineral Shampoo' relieved a lot of itching, he was bathed in it every other day for about a week then slowly reduced, now 3 years on he is bathed only when he starts to show signs of being uncomfortable (once a month, maybe). You can get it in Holland and Barrett but I think Boots may stock it now also.
It is fairly expensive but it is very concentrated so you don't use a lot.
Hope this helps
 
Also just to add my friends pony is very sensitive skin too, he is allergic to Tea Tree oil.
She also uses Witch Hazel Gel on an sores he does rarely get. It dries them but also protects as a repellent from more midges
 
Thanks everyone

Honeypots, I can't use electric fencing as despite his sensitive skin, he walks straight through it
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Diggerdog, I'll have a look, thanks for the link.
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Kerilli, I'll have a look at that.
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em21xx, I've been told the B vitamin in Marmite repels flies? I don't know, but worth a try
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ajn1610, his skin isn't sore, so I may give that a try, that fencing looks good, I can't remember what it cost, but I remember thinking
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at the price
 
I used to put J&J baby oil with camomile gel on my mares mane and tail and it worked quite well (better than any proprietary sweetitch treatments and a lot cheaper!). I think it helped by moisturising & soothing the skin and making her very slippy so that when she did itch she kind of slid off without doing to much damage to herself. Not sure if this would be OK with pink skin (if thats what she has)as the oil might increase the chance of sunburn?
 
i have a mare that also rubs her mane and tail out and this year i was recommended a suppliment called think fly. i was a bit late starting it as it obviously needs to build up in there system but so far moose still has a mane and tail. she does wear a fly rug as well.
 
Sounds strange ... but my pony used to get sweet itch and after trying every product under the sun someone recommended using the following ... a mix of TCP, baby oil and warm water
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. Apply the mixture with cotton wool twice a day, obviously a fresh mix every time as once the water goes cold the oil and tcp seperate. It smells yuk but worked wonders for Annie! Give it a go!
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x
 
Chancer gets mild SI - will rub the top of his tail - though never bald (yet) and his belly and sheath.

This is working for me:

I make up my fly spray which contains a lot of skin so soft and essential oils - receipe in stable yard.

I feed brewers yeast for SI and he has instant linseed which is good for the skin and coat.

I use a rambo protector though neck cover is removed and his mane is not effected.

Finally, this year I have added in Skratch - makes him stink of cat pee but really works.

So, spray, rug and supplements do the trick for him. His tail has only had a small rub this year - hair is all intact and his belly looks a lot better and his hind feather is not scrubbed.
 
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