Not sure if its sweet itch or horse bites - how to telll...

[LouLou3]

Hi everyone - apologies if this is a really obvious question but I'm a novice horse owner and not sure if my horse has sweet itch or if he's just being bitten by another horse...

I've looked up sweet itch and tried to view images but they are so vague its hard to tell. Would get the vet out but I've had them out loads lately due to an ongoing lame issue and so really can't afford to if I don't need to - obviously would if needed tho

My boy is in a field with two horses - was only one until recently then a new horse has come in and I've defo seen the new horse having ago at mine...when he first came my boy had a few bites (no swelling) but it died down then last night I went out and he had several raised lumps on one flank - with what looks like tooth size bare patches of hair with sore skin - hair just comes out of the wounds. The lumps are not round as you'd expect with fly bites but odd shapes. They were hot...so put on some anticeptic cream...still raised this morning but had gone down a bit.

My worry is its not horse bites at all - how to tell the difference - ALSO if he is being bitten how long should I give it to settle before moving him - hate to think of him being bullied.

Thanks

 

[bedbug]

It is hard to say without being able to see but from what you describe I don't think it is sweetitch.

If your horse doesn't show signs of having sweetitch before (mane short in places, tail looking a bit like a bog brush, skin feels like it has ridges) then it probably isn't sweetitch.

The mane, tail, possibly head around the forelock area are the first to start being rubbed with sweetitch. They will also rub until they make themselves sore usually a weeping wound. If it is really bad they will find everything and anything they possibly can to rub on.

Sounds to me more like your horse is being bullied. I'm sure there are others on here who can offer far better advice than me especially if it is bullying.

So nicely bumped back up to the top of the list for you

 

[LouLou3]

Thanks Bedbug - others on the yard think they are horse bites but being a completely new horse owner and sweet itch being the topic of the moment I just wanted to be sure. They had gone down even more by the time I got to the yard last night - dabbed purple stray on them as I read somewhere on here that cream slows the healing process down...poor baby was being attacked by little flies though and only had a bit of fly spray left so will have to find some decent fly spray for him...hopefully they will settle down and stop the horse play! Thanks for replying

 

[Theresa_F]

Mine have mild SI - they rub given the chance, they rub their mane, forelock and tail and without careful management would be bald and then sore and weeping, but they never have what you describe - that sounds like bites in my opinion.

 

[skychick]

I think it sounds like bite marks. my previous horse had sweetitch relatively badly....if your horse has sweetitch you will notice it rubbing on anything possible, i.e rubbing its tail on a gatepost, gate, fence, stable wall, etc and the same with its mane. Also you will find scabby bits/bald patches in this area and the classic...."bog brush look" :-D
Mine never had bald patches anywhere but around his mane and tail.
Fingers crossed its not sweetitch.....its a horrible condition for a horse to have.

 

[LouLou3]

Thanks guys that has really put my mind at rest - defo not sweetitch as he isn't rubbing himself on anything - well only his forehead on me but have always thought thats cause he loves me

Next problem is to get him to either fight back or I could move him into another paddock with some different horses - reluctant to do this because I'm sure he'll settle once the other horse has established its position but just feel sorry for my man being bitten...hope he bites back twice as hard.