Summer is meant to be fun :(

[Purple18]

Hi everyone


Last year when i first got Swallow in March she started to get itchy not really bad but enough for her to be in alot of discomfort i'd tried everything on the market to help nothing at all did.... All sweet itch stuff thinking it was mild sweet itch.

Over the winter she stopped the bald patches grew back and i though she was okay.....


Today i went to get her in and she was soo uncomfortable it was horrible to see even with her really good fly rug on she seemed to have no comfort.


I gave her a bath to see if it was moulting was causing her a problem

But still nothing.

I wanted to start doing more with her this year and by the looks of it it won't happen.


She never has hives or anything or scabs sores or anything skin is always clear I was thinking maybe it might be something she's eating ? something in the grass ? her feed has never changed in winter or summer.

I'm just at a loss I really want to help her i hate seeing her like that.

 

[Alphamare]

The only person who can diagnose and treat your horse is a vet! Call one!

 

[Lolo]

Vet for blood tests and similar... Poor pony, being itchy is horrid!

 

[Adopter]

Do get the vet, as suggested above. You need accurate diagnosis to help sort this out.

 

[Queenbee]

Hi everyone


Last year when i first got Swallow in March she started to get itchy not really bad but enough for her to be in alot of discomfort i'd tried everything on the market to help nothing at all did.... All sweet itch stuff thinking it was mild sweet itch.

Over the winter she stopped the bald patches grew back and i though she was okay.....


Today i went to get her in and she was soo uncomfortable it was horrible to see even with her really good fly rug on she seemed to have no comfort.


I gave her a bath to see if it was moulting was causing her a problem

But still nothing.

I wanted to start doing more with her this year and by the looks of it it won't happen.


She never has hives or anything or scabs sores or anything skin is always clear I was thinking maybe it might be something she's eating ? something in the grass ? her feed has never changed in winter or summer.

I'm just at a loss I really want to help her i hate seeing her like that.

Tbh, I'd say vet, possibly steroids. It may not be sweet itch its possibly triggered by the change in grass, in which case your best management tactic would be stabling, turnout with grazing mask and lots of hay... But get vets out and go from there.

 

[Gloi]

I'd still be putting my money on sweet itch.

 

[PlodCob]

Thought our girl was getting sweet itch, balded herself on her neck by scratching, with her hind hooves! Rubbed herself on trees and the gate when she could to them.

It was lice. Washed all over with diosect and overnight change back to non-itchy chilled girl.

Due the 2 week second dose tomorrow, to kill off any eggs that got missed.

 

[Dizzydancer]

Echo lice post. Iv heard of quite a few well looked after horses getting them this year. I think due to long winter so been rugged longer.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I'd still be putting my money on sweet itch.

Me too bad last year ok over winter getting bad again now - sounds seasonal. But I would get a vet out to check and diagnose properly then you can get the right treatment.

 

[Purple18]

Thank you everyone i will phone the vet and get them to come out


Def not lice she already been treated before made no difference

 

[ridefast]

Agree with others, get the vet, could be lice, could be mites, could be metabolic, could be mineral imbalance, is she on any supplements that are high in iron or iodine? That can cause itchyness although I'm not sure to what extent

 

[Purple18]

Def not mites or lice Iv'e treated her for both very recently to see if ther was any difference she's on biotin chamomile and garlic but she's been on that all year including winter. Who ever said seasonal i think your on the money going to ring the vets tomorrow morning

 

[Daisy2]

Vets dont always get it right.... my girl had terrible itching and scabs, vet said it was mudfever, middle of summer, pulled the scabs, put the cream on, horse hated me la di da, then no better, 3rd vet came out said it was sunburn! from new pasture cause photosensitivity, I then kept her out of the sun and all healed well. Take advise from your vet but also educate yourself. Hope ned gets better.

 

[ridefast]

Try cutting out the garlic

 

[shadowboy]

Is she on any alfalfa? Mares often get itchy on it and if she's started her seasons back up she may be feeling more 'itchy'

 

[Purple18]

Vets dont always get it right.... my girl had terrible itching and scabs, vet said it was mudfever, middle of summer, pulled the scabs, put the cream on, horse hated me la di da, then no better, 3rd vet came out said it was sunburn! from new pasture cause photosensitivity, I then kept her out of the sun and all healed well. Take advise from your vet but also educate yourself. Hope ned gets better.

Thank you I'm also worried about being ripped off that's why i asked here first i don't wnat to get talked into something it's not.

Try cutting out the garlic

Thank you out of curiosity why could it be the garlic ?

Is she on any alfalfa? Mares often get itchy on it and if she's started her seasons back up she may be feeling more 'itchy'

She's on hi fi molasses free I think that has some alfalfa in it. I just struggle to find any good plain chaff as she's stupid on sugar