sweet itch cures

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darkhorse123

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i just know my boy has it - im using baby oil at moment on his mane and tail - any other tips???
i just want rid - poor lad hates it, what can vets do???? Any injections to get rid????
 
darkhorse123 said:
i just know my boy has it - im using baby oil at moment on his mane and tail - any other tips???
i just want rid - poor lad hates it, what can vets do???? Any injections to get rid????
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I am afraid there is no cure as it is an allergic reaction, just management but on the plus side, there is lots you can try:

For Sweetitch:

1. There is a capsule you can now give them but you have to start it before midge season which apparently gives the body something else to react to which makes it ignore the midge bites?? Or something like that - I've never used them before but its an option.

2. You can get a Boett rug which are very good for stopping them being bitten almost completely.

If just irritated by midges or before you start using a boett:

1. Avon Skin So Soft (Blue/Green one) dry oil body spray is fab for keeping midges away and is oil so gives the coat a nice sheen, just be careful on raw or delicate skin in the sun (it is oil!) But if a horse is just irritated (not full on sweetitch) its good to keep the midges at bay or to use under the boett.

2. Bog Myrtle is a very good oil to mix into fly spray to keep midges away (for use as above)

3. Kill Itch also use as above.

Hope that helps.

xxxx
 
My mare has sweetitch and I use Benzyl Benzoate and haven't needed to use a rug yet this year. You can get it from www.hyperdrug.co.uk
Her mane is growing really long and she hasn't been itchy at all - it is the main ingredient of Kill Itch and cheaper!
 
Mine get mild SI - but you would not know to look at them. I assume it is mild as they have never been given the chance to rub themselves raw.

They wear Snuggy Hoods SI bodies with udder/sheath covers - this way only legs and neck are exposed. Their field is taped off. They have nothing to really get rubbing on.

I keep them cool and avoid rugs unless very cold and wet throughout the summer.

They do have their necks exposed - they have very long thick manes and get too hot with the SI hoods on, plus I was concerned about the mane rubbing as they are shown.

I therefore spray anything not covered by the body with my fly spray which is avon skin so soft, dettol, and various essential oils including bog myrtle and citronella. I do this twice a day and make sure they are really covered - I use a hoselock plant sprayer which is very effective and quick.

Manes and tails are kept clean - I wash them every two - three weeks.

I feed brewers yeast, linseed and clivers to keep the skin healthy and the BY also repels midges. I avoid garlic as this is not good for SI suffers as it increases the immune reaction which is not what you want to happen as SI is a reaction to the midge bite.

Mine have full manes, tails and forelocks and now with the covers, their bellies are not bald and sore.

I also avoid stabling them as given the chance they will rub themselves and I do have to have them in, will put a hood and a cotton tail guard on so they don't damage themselves.

They do get time to be naked and groom - when I am poo picking as long as it is windy and midges not bad, I strip them off in the field for an hour. If midgy, they come into the indoor school for their naked time.
 
hnasher said:
Hi,

I just came across your post, I know it's a little late, but I wrote a blog today about what worked for my horse with sweet itch...

http://sweetitchcontrol.blogspot.com/2011/09/sweet-itch-advice.html

I hope it helps, or at least gives you some ideas.

Good luck.
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that is an excellent blog - ty so so much and i will definiteley follow your advice. Though i have followed the above advice and some more he is still a bit itchy, nowhere near as much and nowhere near as violently but still likes a good scratch particularly on his bum!
 
I wrote this on another post a minute ago. But I used to make up a concoption using neem oil The neem oil smells weired but it seemed to really deter the midges. This is used to get rid of headlice and was an old herbal remidy to deter midges.

I also used to use skin so soft as suggested which helps. Infact my fly mix was usually the neem oil mixed with the skin so soft.

I bought boet equivilant from a lady who pretty much makes to measure rugs which offer great protection for a fraction of the price (or they used to be havn't seen the prices recently). the ebay name was cornerstonebrowbands. The rugs always used to last and he used to wear them pretty much 365 days a year. I used to make him wear them under his rugs and only when it was really cold would I trust him not to get affected.

Brewers yeast is another thing to try but I always struggled to get hold of it. I used to boil up my own linseed oil (also smells horrible but he seemed to love it).

Using the baby oil in the middle of summer, as with all oils, have to be monitered because you don't want them to burn if they are out in the sun.

If they are showing signs of rbbing I used to use alovera to cool the skin then keep applying the neem oil to stop further bitting.

Hope that helps a little
 
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