Sweet itch starting - seeking treatment advice

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Onwards&Upwards

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Hi, wondering if anyone would be kind enough to offer pointers.

Got new horse last year in summer who seemed 'rubby' with head and tail on fence posts. Blasted 1-2 times per day with baby oil, which seemed to generally hold it off, then the behaviour disappeared in winter. Haven't had to deal with sweet itch ever before but looks like this is what i'm facing as behaviour has started up again over past few days including in field today.

He has never rubbed raw or caused himself any major destruction but obviously i want to stem the reaction. Am filling up the baby oil again to spray and will bathe him every 1-2 weeks with tea tree oil shampoo when it's warm enough as per last year but what else? Reluctant to use benzyl b. as don't want anything too chemical on him. Gut instinct says brewers yeast in feed but is it too late to start - will starting him on it do anything now reaction's apparently started? Also would like to avoid rugs if possible in summer, particularly as it's a mild case.

Have done a thorough forum search but all options left mind boggling a bit so what do you think of the above plan?

Also was using NAF Citronella fly spray last year - anyone got any better recommendations? the DEET stuff, maybe? Thank you for input.
 
Thanks J&S. Am i right in thinking it's based on B vitamins?

Flying Solo, thanks but that's what set my mind boggling as to all available options!! Wondering about possible viability of plan in first post mainly
 
Often what works for one horse deems useless on another so its trial and error but always best to treat asap. My mare only really rubs her tail and I just use pig oil and sulphur which keeps the itching very much at bay. However as with anything new its always wise to do a skin test first to make sure theres no reaction.
 
Thanks.

Kerilli, think Killitch based on benzyl b?

Cambrica and amandap, thought I was going to be early enough if it reoccurred - seemingly not so makes it all more frustrating :( any idea if brewers yeast may still be effective once has had time to work into system and best place to source best price quantity big enough to trial?
 
Onwards&Upwards said:
Thanks.

Kerilli, think Killitch based on benzyl b?

Cambrica and amandap, thought I was going to be early enough if it reoccurred - seemingly not so makes it all more frustrating :( any idea if brewers yeast may still be effective once has had time to work into system and best place to source best price quantity big enough to trial?
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Thats true its early in the season this year probably due to relatively mild winter so im sure many owners will be caught out. Good luck and keep posted on successful treatments.
 
We feed good quality Brewers Yeast (we tried feed grade but our horses didn't like it) and apply Nettex Itch Stop salve to all previously affected areas after washing with surgical shampoo. I think tea tree shampoo would work just as well. It's never too late to start but keep feeding it right through the year from now on. Feed 25g for every 450kg of horse. Google Brewers Yeast powder for horses there are a few places that come up
 
you really should have covered up by now,
once they are itching,that shows they have already been bitten.
 
Took my daughter to a grass roots training session last weekend and been warned to be very careful what we are feeding our horses now the BE rules have changed as a lot of supplements that could be fed/used last year for sweet itch are now not allowed.
 
Cahill said:
you really should have covered up by now,
once they are itching,that shows they have already been bitten.
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Aware of the bitten and itching link but as a. i couldn't even have been sure before that it was sweet itch, b. was not told of any previous history, and c. it's a really mild case, don't feel especially that the closing-stable-door-after-horse-has-bolted statement above is that helpful. it's also early in the year for it as others have said. have also read of quite a few cases that don't require covering up as other treatments work.

nagseastsussex, we're not affiliating but thank you for the future pointer as know some events run under be rules

majca1, thank you - think will take this line of action and sourcing some BY today as new line of attack. Fingers crossed
 
Onwards&Upwards said:
Aware of the bitten and itching link but as a. i couldn't even have been sure before that it was sweet itch, b. was not told of any previous history, and c. it's a really mild case, don't feel especially that the closing-stable-door-after-horse-has-bolted statement above is that helpful. it's also early in the year for it as others have said. have also read of quite a few cases that don't require covering up as other treatments work.

nagseastsussex, we're not affiliating but thank you for the future pointer as know some events run under be rules

majca1, thank you - think will take this line of action and sourcing some BY today as new line of attack. Fingers crossed
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I would definatly cover him up with a sweetitch rug. My mare also has it mildly (didn't know when I bought her) and she is as happy as you like in her rug and is rub free (rambo sweetitch hoody too). I couldn't find anything to feed or put on her that was effective enough to keep her rub free and happy. Maybe get on the brewers yeast anyway, but as it takes a while to work into the system I wouldn't be expecting it to show benefits soon enough for your horse so would cover up asap anyway - by a long way the most effective solution, much cheaper too than fly sprays and different solutions to put on the coat.
 
I know u don't want to use a rug but iv found it far cheaper in the long run. My highland is at ease with a boett on but still itches with lotions etc. Iv tried alsorts in his feed but nothing has worked for him, he doesn't get it bad but to me it's the itch that must make their lives hell.
Honestly rug is the best way. Have a look on the sweetitch center on the Internet they are really helpful. I'm pretty sure iv read somewhere as well not to use tea tree on sweetitch
 
My line of defence starts with the diet, keeping her on restricted grazing and fibre feed only. I feed brewer's yeast and micronised linseed, but may switch to Yeasacc as quality of BY is variable these days. :(

I do use benzyl benzoate, but diluted down to 10% and then 900ml of this is added to 100ml Neem Oil and a squirt of dermolene to act as surfactant. I shake every use and use a soft brush to apply. I would choose Neem over baby oil every time. Application is every 2-3 days.

At this time of year she isn't covered as she has so much coat to lose and is very scurfy. I use a rubber curry comb to give her a thorough massage and remove as much scurf as possible (and loose hair). I also use a squirty bottle to apply a diluted solution of dermolene to the base of mane and tail.

With that regime she barely wears a rug, although we did get caught out a bit with the mild autumn and she wore it then for a few weeks.
 
I had a pony who had sweet itch, bless him wore his boet spring - autumn.
But i was told by a friend that marmite helped! So every few weeks i gave him a slice of bread with marmite on... IT WORKED. Didnt cure but helped him itching and then where he had rubbed sore i used 'Itch Stop' cream and all healed and no more rubbed patches returned. Seemed to just help subside the itch so he didnt scratch as much / hard.
 
Another vote for watch the diet. we had a mare with a number of food intolerances, who showed symptoms of sweetitch. Once we had taken all added sugar and all cereals out of her diet she lost all the symptoms. The naming of illnesses and conditions has some interesting validity IMO
 
I use Switch, a product available from the vets or Hyperdrug [online] at this time of year. it is applies once a week,it is liquid permethrin. I use bensyl Benzoate and a rambo sweetitch hoody in July Aug and Sept.
 
YorksG said:
Another vote for watch the diet. we had a mare with a number of food intolerances, who showed symptoms of sweetitch. Once we had taken all added sugar and all cereals out of her diet she lost all the symptoms. The naming of illnesses and conditions has some interesting validity IMO
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Agree with this! Have drastically cut back grass, no cereals and low sugar/starch choices for my sw mare (added mineral balancing and linseed too) - massive improvement, still needs a rug, but she is alot comfier in her skin.
 
Mine is fed brewers yeast and linseed all year round. A sugar and cereal free diet. He wears a sweetitch hoody from march to october and I use coopers fly repellant 3x a week.

He used to get it so bad he'd have no mane and tail and be covered in raw sores from rubbing, he now has full mane and tail all year round and you can't tell he's got SI.

Like someone else said diffenr things work for different horses - I found cavalesse no help, but its don't wonders for one of my liveries horses, I know peopke who've had success with neem oil as well.

I've found 'normal' fly sprays to be a waste of time and money when it comes to sweetitch! Now all mine have coopers and nothing else.
 
Onwards&Upwards said:
Aware of the bitten and itching link but as a. i couldn't even have been sure before that it was sweet itch, b. was not told of any previous history, and c. it's a really mild case, don't feel especially that the closing-stable-door-after-horse-has-bolted statement above is that helpful. it's also early in the year for it as others have said. have also read of quite a few cases that don't require covering up as other treatments work.
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well,it may help for next year then because it gets worse if not delt with.
 
Horsesforever1 said:
I use Switch, a product available from the vets or Hyperdrug [online] at this time of year. it is applies once a week,it is liquid permethrin. I use bensyl Benzoate and a rambo sweetitch hoody in July Aug and Sept.
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Has anyone had any allergic type reactions to this - it looks very strong but I might try it if it works?
 
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