Sweet itch misery!

G

GeorgieD

Active Member
Joined
17 December 2011
Messages
42
Visit site
I'm looking for some advise to help with sweet itch!

I was quite on top of it this year until it got very hot and he had to change rugs leaving him with a little less protection resulting in a lot of rubbing.

He's having regular sweet itch injections which have helped, but he still really suffers on his tail and around his face. I've tried switch which helped a bit and flints yard products which seem to help the sores but aren't so great at repelling the midges.

I'd love to find a way to stop him rubbing off his tail and forlock and feeling so uncomfortable it must be horrible! Has anyone found something that really works???

Thanks :) :)
 
If the skin is now damaged and swollen he might need some bute or steroids to get the pain/swelling gone. It's easier to keep sweet itch under control when you're starting from that "ok" place rather than the "itchy and damaged" place Think how much a midge bite itches when it's on your skin, you know you shouldn't scratch it but you just can't help yourself, and the more you scratch the bigger the swelling gets and the itchier it is.

It's just experimenting with products until you find what works for him. Make sure whatever you use that it gets right down to the skin. You can layer products. If you've found something for the sores, give it a while to soak in then put something over the top to repel the midges. If heat is making him worse consider clipping/hogging. There are herbal things for the feed to soothe the skin and help it heal too.
 
There is a FB group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/210003972362738/ It's a really good idea to get ideas from others dealing with it, there almost as many remedies as there are sufferers. What works for one doesn't seem to work for others.
Benzyl Benzoate is the active ingredient in a lot of the topical creams etc, neem oil is popular, but as above, prevention is key. Mine lives behind electric fencing in the season, very rarely stands loose in his box because he would rub it down - healing itches too so once they have done the damage you have double trouble. And regular baths to get rid of product that might be contributing
A good tip was save the applicator bottle from hair colourant to use to apply into mane and tail.
 
Neem oil, and products which contain it, work well for my two SI guys. Chemical fly sprays which contain DEET are the only ones which really do repel midges, but there are none which are long lasting enough to work for a full day. The Rambo sweet itch hoody is the best rug, and a fly mask for the face. I also have to use socks on all four legs for one of mine, or he rips the backs of his fetlocks raw and bleeding. Hate this time of the year.
 
Keeping them in really doesn't work for our two, tried that. After 20 years what does work is rugs. Shires at the mo although I do rate the Rambo sweet itch-hoodie. Boetts too expensive and too easily trashed. Nettex sweet itch salve on all of the exposed bits 3 times a week and fly masks with midge proof ears added. And essentially, electric fence. Rugs are on from March to November. We have tried everything and this regime works best for our two old boys. Feed supplements etc and garlic no help at all. Hope that helps a bit, poor things, how they managed in the past I have no idea but ours are fine with this regime and they are both what I would class as severe cases.
 
i also find rambo sweet itch rug is good- heavy enough to protect, but not too hot.
I used net-tex stop itch salve on my mares tail- where she tends to itch. although she is not too bad, and often I have not had to rug her as long as I keep applying the salve.
i tried benzyl benzoate liquid in the past- which stank and didn't seem to do much
 
I've got nettex stop itch salve-its brilliant at soothing any sore patches and repelling.
switch I've ound good
leovet power phaser.
and rugs obviously - proper sweet itch rugs no matter how hot/cold etc - the pull on body suit types I find better for hot weatehr
 
Thank you so much for the replies! :) He is in at night as I found keeping him out he got so would up about the midges and not being able to itch he was horrible to deal with and bring himself in from the field..
I haven't tried Nettex yet so I will look into that :D
 
I use NAF D-Itch ointment (the one with benzylbenzoate in it tho, they seem to have 2 with the same name) which is a greasy type ointment with some essential oils in it. It does make them greasy where you put it but it stops anything being able to land and bite and really soothes sore patches (you can use it on raw areas as well)
 
Cahill said:
noticed a big difference when i stopped feeding alfaA.
Click to expand...

This ^^^ 100%.

Controversial I know, but Camrosa really does work. There are reported risks but if you only use it long enough to get the area healed then it is minimal.

Horrid thing for them to suffer from :(
 
use kilitch and wash really regularly - at least once or twice a week. put in a paddock without anything to scratch on and bring in at night. I have been very impressed with Rambo fly rug although I don't think it is long enough under the tummy. I have spoken to horseware about this.
 
As well as the FB group - which is excellent, and I am on it - have a look at the archives on here as there's a lot there which will be of help.

THE essential item is a "sweet itch" rug, NOT a fly rug. You can either choose to go the Rambo Sweet Itch hoody style of rug, which don't go on over the head, or the Boett-type rug which do go on over the head (my boy hates these so I use the Rambo type ones).

Premier Equine is a good - and cheaper - version of a good SI rug with good protection and coverage. They are cheaper than the Rambo ones. If going for a Boett subsitute then don't have the Pagony as they are total rubbish IME.

Secondly: consider location, important with sweet itch. Avoid if you can low-lying areas near standing water, rushes in the fields, and trees/common land. Best turnout for a sweet itchy is as high up as possible, the higher and more exposed the better.

Consider diet: my vet said to avoid garlic in any way shape or form as it can make sweet itch an awful lot worse. Things that WILL help are Brewers Yeast, Linseed, Clivers (sticky stuff grows in hedges), and Cider Vinegar are all cheap and cheerful things which you may find helps - personally I don't go for the expensive supplements. Also avoid mollasses - it is annoying how many times this appears in compound feeds.

Consider topical applications: I find Killitch (Benzyl Benzoate basically, cheaper than Killitch to buy) very helpful and soothing. Have just started using the Bite Back products and have heard some good reports from them - I particularly like their lotion stuff which you can spray on as it is very easy to get it right where you want it. Apparently Imperial Leather (talk anc soap) is good.

Good luck! Bear in mind this is a BAD year for sweet itch, I've had my boy for 10 years now and this is the very worst year he's ever been :(
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
As well as the FB group - which is excellent, and I am on it - have a look at the archives on here as there's a lot there which will be of help.

THE essential item is a "sweet itch" rug, NOT a fly rug. You can either choose to go the Rambo Sweet Itch hoody style of rug, which don't go on over the head, or the Boett-type rug which do go on over the head (my boy hates these so I use the Rambo type ones).

Premier Equine is a good - and cheaper - version of a good SI rug with good protection and coverage. They are cheaper than the Rambo ones. If going for a Boett subsitute then don't have the Pagony as they are total rubbish IME.

Secondly: consider location, important with sweet itch. Avoid if you can low-lying areas near standing water, rushes in the fields, and trees/common land. Best turnout for a sweet itchy is as high up as possible, the higher and more exposed the better.

Consider diet: my vet said to avoid garlic in any way shape or form as it can make sweet itch an awful lot worse. Things that WILL help are Brewers Yeast, Linseed, Clivers (sticky stuff grows in hedges), and Cider Vinegar are all cheap and cheerful things which you may find helps - personally I don't go for the expensive supplements. Also avoid mollasses - it is annoying how many times this appears in compound feeds.

Consider topical applications: I find Killitch (Benzyl Benzoate basically, cheaper than Killitch to buy) very helpful and soothing. Have just started using the Bite Back products and have heard some good reports from them - I particularly like their lotion stuff which you can spray on as it is very easy to get it right where you want it. Apparently Imperial Leather (talk anc soap) is good.

Good luck! Bear in mind this is a BAD year for sweet itch, I've had my boy for 10 years now and this is the very worst year he's ever been :(
Click to expand...

I second all of the above. I use a shires sweet itch rug 24/7. Neem oil is very good. Also biteback cream. The facebook group is VERY helpful.
 
I feel for you OP, the only thing that worked for my now deceased mare was a sweet itch rug and mask, but its been so hot this year I don't know how it would have worked out. Certainly I never found any creams or lotions that worked and I tried everything on the market at that time, although there might be better ones out there now.
 
GeorgieD said:
I'm looking for some advise to help with sweet itch!

I was quite on top of it this year until it got very hot and he had to change rugs leaving him with a little less protection resulting in a lot of rubbing.

He's having regular sweet itch injections which have helped, but he still really suffers on his tail and around his face. I've tried switch which helped a bit and flints yard products which seem to help the sores but aren't so great at repelling the midges.

I'd love to find a way to stop him rubbing off his tail and forlock and feeling so uncomfortable it must be horrible! Has anyone found something that really works???

Thanks :) :)
Click to expand...

I've taken on loan a pony who has very bad sweet itch-last year he had rubbed alot. I've read that what works for one sufferer won't for others so you do have to do a trial to see what will help you. I'm using Nettex on his face and tail-it's working but is quite greasy- and No Rub on his mane. This isn't greasy so it doesn't affect the reins. I'm also feeding Brewer's Yeast which I think has really helped to keep the flies off. He has three Premier Equine sweet itch rugs which I wash every other week to keep them clean. When it's not pouring with rain he wears a Horseware fly mask. This has a rigid frame which helps to stop him rubbing his face. So far we have one small rub on his cheek so I'm really pleased but that's been hard work and applying the lotions and potions every day.
 
Hilton Herbs Bye bye itch food supplement which can be fed most of the year and builds up resistance, and spray is very effective I found .Neem and liquid parraffin cream was good too as it acted as a barrier to the midges reaching the skin..tail/mane hair grew back beautifully.
 
Last edited:
The main improvement in mine this year is down to immunology injections - the bloods came back with allergies to culicoides midge (which I knew it couldn't be, he doesn't start itching until mid June) a plant I had never seen and black fly (ah!!!). We opted for the immunology injections for just the black fly (at £125 for each allergen I wasn't really going to get all three) and it has really helped. Someone on the FB group has it for hers and says it gets better each year. Not cheap but if you compare it to all those lotions and potions and rugs...............................mine has a PE waterproof fly rug and has minimal damage to his mane or tail this year. Both rubbed a little but still hair covering on both.
 
I have always used Rambo or Mark Todd fly rugs/sweet itch rugs, but have just bought the snuggy hoods neck and body and it is great. He seems really comfortable in it, and he is not losing his mane any more. He is in a paddock where he can't scratch as well. Fingers crossed it lasts!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top