Sweet itch or something else?

[Hormonal Filly]

Every Spring my 5yo (ISH) mare gets itchy. I tried leaving her naked last Spring and kept her clean, but she kept itching.

I bought a ‘sweet itch’ rug last year, but she was even worse so I sold it. I’m guessing because she was hot?

She’s never itched her mane or tail sore but if left naked in the stable will rub her bum and middle of her mane on the side of the stable. She had a Horsewear thin fly rug on the last 2 days (had comments from other liveries ‘why isn’t she naked’) but over night (kept in) has still been rubbing her tail?

She hates flies in general and is very sensitive.

Does it sound like mild sweet itch?
Are there any fly rugs which are thin but do the job? Any advice appreciated.

When I bought her from Ireland mid summer as a 3yo she had no symptoms.

TIA

 

[Gloi]

Sweet itch tends to be worse as summer goes on so if just in spring it probably isn't. If it is all summer , certainly treat as if it is .
Is it when she is moulting? Has she a pal to do mutual grooming with?

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Sweet itch tends to be worse as summer goes on so if just in spring it probably isn't. If it is all summer , certainly treat as if it is .
Is it when she is moulting? Has she a pal to do mutual grooming with?

Sorry - it goes on all summer. Starts Spring time. Last year she got obsessed with itching one area of her neck. Thinking of it the benzoyl cream did help.. so I’m guessing it must be. How come she starts itching even though she’s rugged 24/7 though? Or is that just how it is..

She is moulting, yes has a friend to groom with

 

[rabatsa]

I discovered that my itchy mare was made so by grass. This year she has no access to any and is still itch free for once.

 

[tda]

Could be worms, neck threadworm I think its called, and pinworm on the bottom

 

[Gloi]

How come she starts itching even though she’s rugged 24/7 though? Or is that just how it is..

That's how it is, unfortunately. The rug just reduces the areas that can be bitten so cover as much as possible with a proper sweet itch rug, not a fly rug which midges can get through and still bite. Cover the legs and anywhere else not covered by the rug and hood with a sweet itch cream and make sure she is in an electric fenced area so she can't rub as rubbing damages the skin and makes them itchier.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I've had one with sweet itch and a rug solved 99% of the problem as the midges couldn't get at the horse to bite them!

So if you have one where the symptoms persist even after rugging (as long as you've used a proper sweet itch rug and NOT just an ordinary fly rug), there might be other factors making the horse itchy.

I'd be inclined therefore to get the vet out and take some bloods; this would eliminate sweet itch (reaction to the bite of the cullicoides midge) or not from the equation, and should tell you what might be going on.

Meantime avoid feeding garlic as it can make any immune-system reaction a lot worse.

Hope you get to the bottom of this.

There is a very helpful "Sweet Itch Support Group" on FB which you might find helpful.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

So if you have one where the symptoms persist even after rugging (as long as you've used a proper sweet itch rug and NOT just an ordinary fly rug), there might be other factors making the horse itchy

Thanks all, much appreciated.

She has a regular fly rug on at the moment (Horsewear) and is still itching her tail over night.

What sweet itch rug do you recommend? I borrowed what I thought was a Sweet Itch rug last year for a couple of weeks, she itched worse which I thought was because she got to hot?

One of the liveries said this morning sometimes if you rug them.. it makes it worse?! She advised to turnout naked 24/7 without a rug, without ability to itch anything but my mares in at night at the moment.

 

[Gloi]

One of the liveries said this morning sometimes if you rug them.. it makes it worse?! She advised to turnout naked 24/7 without a rug, without ability to itch anything but my mares in at night at the moment.

After having had ones with bad sweet itch for 20 years I would tell this livery to *$*@(+&+-&*$ !!!!!!

If money is no object and you have electric fencing get a boett with matching hood.
Otherwise there are several similar style heavy cloth rugs Horsewear, Shires, Premier Equine etc which give good coverage and don't tear as easily. Do cover the head too, though and put sweeitch cream on the legs. .

 

[Melody Grey]

If you’re not fully convinced it’s sweetitch, try feeding brewer’s yeast. It’s a bit old school I admit, but seems to help some…and is unlikely to do harm at worst.

 

[smolmaus]

After having had ones with bad sweet itch for 20 years I would tell this livery to *$*@(+&+-&*$ !!!!!!

Agreed! However....
My mare definitely has sweetitch and those thick snuggy hood rugs did make her too hot and did make the itching worse. I use the Shires Highlander SI rugs that are much cooler. Shes a warm little creature anyway and wasn't clipped, lots of horses do very well in the snug types of rugs.

 

[Gloi]

Agreed! However....
My mare definitely has sweetitch and those thick snuggy hood rugs did make her too hot and did make the itching worse. I use the Shires Highlander SI rugs that are much cooler. Shes a warm little creature anyway and wasn't clipped, lots of horses do very well in the snug types of rugs.

I Hated Snuggy hoods but loved the boett which weren't at all hot.


Fetching combination of Premier Equine (I think) and boett hood

 

[smolmaus]

I Hated Snuggy hoods but loved the boett which weren't at all hot.


Fetching combination of Premier Equine (I think) and boett hood

Nobody seems to dislike the Boett! Have to say my bank account likes the highlander better for how easily repaired they are and it worked well for us last summer. She is on a breezy hill most of the time though which is a big advantage.

I will say one BIG PRO of the snuggy is how absolutely adorable they look in their little baby gros i was very annoyed it didn't work for her

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Aww what gorgeous ponies @Gloi and @smolmaus, she does look super cute! Is she in a Highlander now? I think I’ll have to buy one. Are they true to size?

It’s rather windy at the moment, I read midges can’t fly when it’s to windy? Well, last night she was stabled in a thin sheet and she itched her tail over night. I’m surprised as it’s indoor stables, although they do have an open door at the other end she’s quite sheltered.

I’ve mixed some Benzyl Benzoate up (20% mix) with E45 cream to use but it’s hard to get it to the roots.

I do have some neat Benzyl Benzonate left.. I might mix some with baby oil and only put it on the areas not in the sun (tail/lower mane) as someone said that in a fairy bottle is easy to squirt right in.

 

[smolmaus]

Aww what gorgeous ponies @Gloi and @smolmaus, she does look super cute! Is she in a Highlander now? I think I’ll have to buy one. Are they true to size?

I've found them true to size. Friend with a wider model of cob found it rubbed his shoulders and had better luck with the weatherbeeta version.

Mine is actually out in a turnout atm and absolutely drenched in biteback as she came in shivering in a soaked SI rug with the hideous rain and wind we are having the last 2 days. It's compromise time.

E45 is quite thick, so will be good for some applications and not all. I agree with finding a sprayable version, you can really get it down to the skin on the tail dock that way. Not very dignified for the pony but they just have to suffer it

If your mare got bitten at any point in the last couple of days it could be that making her itch her tail last night. The itch isn't always immediate and its not always in the area where they're bitten either. In my case, we don't get midges in the stables but thats where she can really rub at her mane on the stable door. When they're out 24/7 she probably gets bitten more but doesn't have anything to rub on. Its compromises all over the place sometimes.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

E45 is quite thick, so will be good for some applications and not all. I agree with finding a sprayable version, you can really get it down to the skin on the tail dock that way. Not very dignified for the pony but they just have to suffer it

If your mare got bitten at any point in the last couple of days it could be that making her itch her tail last night. The itch isn't always immediate and its not always in the area where they're bitten either. In my case, we don't get midges in the stables but thats where she can really rub at her mane on the stable door. When they're out 24/7 she probably gets bitten more but doesn't have anything to rub on. Its compromises all over the place sometimes.

Thank you for the reply @smolmaus. I’ve forgotten the fact she will get bitten when I ride I rode at 8am yesterday, wet but sunny so perfect midge weather. I didn’t put any midge cream on either.. duh!

I’m guessing it would have been then she got bitten.

Do you leave your mare out 24/7 then? As you say, it’s when she’s in she itches most but I’ve always liked to have her in during the day in summer.

Just ordering a Shires Highlander now, I think I’ll have to clip her once it warms up so she doesn’t over heat.

 

[smolmaus]

They're out 24/7 in the summer so hopefully in a week or two. That's not my choice tho, everyone gets chucked out 24/7 at my yard. It's typically onto hills with a decent breeze rather than the hardstanding we have surrounded by trees and shade so it's not a terrible situation.

Its completely situational so you just have to do whatever suits your mare. And don't beat yourself up about mistakes either, nobody is perfect and SI is a pain in the backside. You can just do your best!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

They're out 24/7 in the summer so hopefully in a week or two. That's not my choice tho, everyone gets chucked out 24/7 at my yard. It's typically onto hills with a decent breeze rather than the hardstanding we have surrounded by trees and shade so it's not a terrible situation.

It’s completely situational so you just have to do whatever suits your mare. And don't beat yourself up about mistakes either, nobody is perfect and SI is a pain in the backside. You can just do your best!

Sounds perfect field situation. Ours is open, so breezy but no shade at all so a bit annoying mid summer.

Will see how things go. Thank you. I’ve looked up and seems liquid Paraffin can be mixed with BB as well as pig oil. I have some pig oil, and it’s speakable (she’s never naked) so I’ll put some of that on the tail later.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My Louis gets a bit itchy but not sweet itch I used to use a shires bug rug which stopped it but he gets really hot under it, I started him on a supplement from Herdleader it's the oral itch solution and last year in that drought he didn't need the rug at all and had a full mane and tail.

I started him on it a week ago ready for summer and I haven't seen him rubbing at all.

 

[Tracking_up]

You could have described my horse from the previous couple of years, but much worse last year. Rubbing neck and tail, but no where else. Tried the Killitch chemical, with no relief.

Happened to be at vets for unrelated issue, and vet diagnosed sweet itch.

Bought the Boett rug, and he's now wearing it. Put in on approx a week too late as he started to rub his tail, but much less rubbing now.

Alison at Itchy Horse is very knowledgeable and helpful. https://itchyhorse.co.uk/

 

[Dasher66]

The boett rug goes in a domestic washing machine and can be mended on a sewing machine. They even send you a scrap of fabric to help with patching if it gets torn. I used to take the rug off late evening, wash it overnight, and the put it back on the pony early morning.