sweet itch or horse bite - also in NL

[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

 

[BigRed]

It sounds like your horse is being bitten by the other horse. Sweet itch is a completely different kettle of fish. Tiny midges bite the horse, to suck some blood from them, the saliva of the midges makes the horse have an allergic reaction, the horse becomes really super itchy and will scratch himself until her is raw to relieve the itch. Usually they itch on their manes and tails, but many horses also rub their shoulders and flanks and bellies. If he had sweet itch he would be rubbing himself on any available surface and some of them sit on the ground and rub themselves on the dirt. My own horse bites her chest and tummy.