ru-fi-do
Well-Known Member
Following on from my sweet itch post can anyone recommend a feed supplement that might help?
Skin supplement 4 sweet itch recommendations........
- Thread starter ru-fi-do
- Start date
tiggie
Well-Known Member
Feedmarks equidermis is supposed to be good.
A friend of mine has a horse on loan who has sweet itch and she has just started using a feed additive called Think fly, no idea if its any good yet though.
A friend of mine has a horse on loan who has sweet itch and she has just started using a feed additive called Think fly, no idea if its any good yet though.
Theresa_F
Well-Known Member
Equidermis can help. That said with all this heat Cairo's tail is now the worst it has been for years - a little scrubbed bog brush
The equidermis has stopped him itching his sides and mane (almost) and in previous years the tail has survived.
If nothing else, it gives a lovely coat and the overall condition of the coat and skin does improve - scurf etc goes.
The equidermis has stopped him itching his sides and mane (almost) and in previous years the tail has survived.
If nothing else, it gives a lovely coat and the overall condition of the coat and skin does improve - scurf etc goes.
Theresa_F
Well-Known Member
Equidermis can help. That said with all this heat Cairo's tail is now the worst it has been for years - a little scrubbed bog brush
The equidermis has stopped him itching his sides and mane (almost) and in previous years the tail has survived.
If nothing else, it gives a lovely coat and the overall condition of the coat and skin does improve - scurf etc goes.
The equidermis has stopped him itching his sides and mane (almost) and in previous years the tail has survived.
If nothing else, it gives a lovely coat and the overall condition of the coat and skin does improve - scurf etc goes.
Theresa_F
Well-Known Member
Equidermis can help. That said with all this heat Cairo's tail is now the worst it has been for years - a little scrubbed bog brush
The equidermis has stopped him itching his sides and mane (almost) and in previous years the tail has survived.
If nothing else, it gives a lovely coat and the overall condition of the coat and skin does improve - scurf etc goes.
The equidermis has stopped him itching his sides and mane (almost) and in previous years the tail has survived.
If nothing else, it gives a lovely coat and the overall condition of the coat and skin does improve - scurf etc goes.
Tempi
Well-Known Member
i use equidermis on Bloss, its made her coat lovely. She dosent get sweet itch, but used to rub her tail and her skin used to be really scurfy - not anymore!! She has rubbed it slightly in the heat, but not that much.
sojeph
Well-Known Member
Hi
I think the only real way to treat sweet itch is a sweet itch rug and electric fencing to stop them being able to scratch. They can still roll to relieve the itch and mutual groom but can't rub on a solid object and make themselves sore. However saying that my cob has worked out just where to groom daughters pony so that she grooms his tail so he still has a bog brush!!
In time tho, with the rug on 24/7 and all year round (use a turnout with neck and a good tail flap or Boett do a turnout for autumn/winter) he should get out of the itching habit because thats what it becomes. Check your field out too. Is it near the muck heap? Is it regulary cleared of poo? Is there a stream/water nearby or lots of trees? All these attract midges. You need an open, exposed field well away from all the above if possible.
Just to answer your question-I've yet to find any supplement that really helps-the best way to treat sweet itch is to prevent the horse from being bitten by the midge i.e a rug!
Good luck
and by the way-your shettie doesn't look to me like he has classic sweet itch-its unusual for it to be just there although he could have had an invasion of bites just in that area you never know! I'd be really interested to know what your vet says when you see him tonight.
www.sweetitch.com have alot of useful info and products although you can get simialar rugs cheaper on ebay or from a forum members shop (Cotswolds ?)
I think the only real way to treat sweet itch is a sweet itch rug and electric fencing to stop them being able to scratch. They can still roll to relieve the itch and mutual groom but can't rub on a solid object and make themselves sore. However saying that my cob has worked out just where to groom daughters pony so that she grooms his tail so he still has a bog brush!!
In time tho, with the rug on 24/7 and all year round (use a turnout with neck and a good tail flap or Boett do a turnout for autumn/winter) he should get out of the itching habit because thats what it becomes. Check your field out too. Is it near the muck heap? Is it regulary cleared of poo? Is there a stream/water nearby or lots of trees? All these attract midges. You need an open, exposed field well away from all the above if possible.
Just to answer your question-I've yet to find any supplement that really helps-the best way to treat sweet itch is to prevent the horse from being bitten by the midge i.e a rug!
Good luck
and by the way-your shettie doesn't look to me like he has classic sweet itch-its unusual for it to be just there although he could have had an invasion of bites just in that area you never know! I'd be really interested to know what your vet says when you see him tonight.
www.sweetitch.com have alot of useful info and products although you can get simialar rugs cheaper on ebay or from a forum members shop (Cotswolds ?)
ru-fi-do
Well-Known Member
Thanks for everyones help, going to get him a rug, you can see that he has rubbed his mane and tail too. Sojeph thanks alot for your advice, the vet isn't coming tonight, i'm fetching the pony tonight, i'm going to bath him tomorrow in camrosa ointment and the vet is coming out to my friends pony on Friday, although she has said she might change it to next week, so I will get them to have a look.
I will take more photo's tonight that are a lot clearer.
Thanks again!
I will take more photo's tonight that are a lot clearer.
Thanks again!
flyingfeet
Well-Known Member
Mine is in his PJ's, but I also feed 2 scoops (a scoop being a gold label measuring scoop) of brewers yeast a day and it has made a HUGE difference
Previously even with Nettex stop itch & other products, I would still get small bleeding sore patches on his sheath. From feeding Brewers yeasts he is now swelling & blood free.
Whilst I was away for 2 days last week, the amount accidentially got halved and he was back to being swollen with pinpricks of blood first thing in the morning.
I boosted his brewers yeast and then back to 2 scoops and his sheath is now normal.
I am now 100% convinced brewers yeast has made him more comfortable and less attractive to midges.
Previously even with Nettex stop itch & other products, I would still get small bleeding sore patches on his sheath. From feeding Brewers yeasts he is now swelling & blood free.
Whilst I was away for 2 days last week, the amount accidentially got halved and he was back to being swollen with pinpricks of blood first thing in the morning.
I boosted his brewers yeast and then back to 2 scoops and his sheath is now normal.
I am now 100% convinced brewers yeast has made him more comfortable and less attractive to midges.
sojeph
Well-Known Member
Defo gonna try some of that then!
ru-fi-do
Well-Known Member
Excellent thanks for everyone's ideas I'll go and get some brewers yeast today, does herb shops sell it?
ru-fi-do
Well-Known Member
CotswoldSJ - How much would you give a shettie?
flyingfeet
Well-Known Member
Actually to try it you can get 500g from a Holland & Barratts for around £3.50 (that's how I started!)
Otherwise any saddlery selling Gold Label products should be able to get it for you!
Otherwise any saddlery selling Gold Label products should be able to get it for you!
flyingfeet
Well-Known Member
I'm him on a scoop a day and up the dosage if after 3 days any bleeding has not stopped
Mine is 16hh and takes a 7ft rug, so a big boy!
Mine is 16hh and takes a 7ft rug, so a big boy!
Theresa_F
Well-Known Member
Off to H&B - that bloody Clydie now has a scrubbing brush - not enough for a bog brush - it must be the heat as this is the worst he has been for years so I'll try anything.
Older bugger is costing me a fortune in supplements (but he is worth it).
Older bugger is costing me a fortune in supplements (but he is worth it).