Sweet itch, will I be doing the right thing??

[ru-fi-do]

I'm thinking of taking on a Shetland of a friend of a friend's on that has sweet itch quite bad over his bum, she has pulled his mane and cut his tail short but he doesn't seem to hardly have any in these areas, his tail is only very slightly rubbed

I have got a Camrosa starter kit so my plan of action was to bath him in the shampoo and apply the cream then put a fly rug on, on the Camrosa instructions it say only apply once a week. His skin is very dry so wou;d you bath him more often to releive the itching or apply Camrosa as directed? I had a mare once that had sweet itch on her tail and I used benzyl benzoate and cammomile and this prevent it but now i would be in a postion to try and clear it up then prevent it. What do you all think? Heres a photo although doesn't show you it all.

Thanks for reading hope it all makes sense!

 

[ru-fi-do]

Please ignore the date on the picture my camera's about had it!

 

[AmyMay]

Are you sure that this isn't ring worm?? It doesn't look like sweet itch to me.

 

[Snowberry]

Marcus used to get patches like that from Sweet itch too

His were so bad when we first got him they were all red and bleeding

This year we've managed it really well by using a rug that covers EVERYTHING (although its been patched up about 6times already this year and I only bought it last month!!)
He has Benzyl Benzonate (sp) applied and is bathed in tea tree shampoo - just for good measure gets marmite sarnies and tonnes of flyspray too!!
This year he's so much better, just his tail slightly rubbed and he has a pretty full mane!! Yay!!
I'd say your plan of action sounds great, we bath marcus twice a week - make sure the fly rug is one that covers it all, with tummy bits too!!

 

[goeslikestink]

i have a horse with sweet ich and i dont think that is sweet ich either i tend to agree as to ring worm

as it got lttle nodlues when the fall of they leave a ring

look if in doubt call a vet -- but to me thats ring worm to
as you have single nodules on sides and back and then lower stomach

 

[ru-fi-do]

To be honest i did think the same at very first glance, but she has had him 2 years and he gets it the same time every year, he is with other horses and none of them have it and it's very itchy, scabby and looks sore, i will try and take a better photo as this one isn't very clear. Do you think Camrosa and a fly rug is the way to go?

 

[AmyMay]

Have you had the vet to look at it at all. If it's so sore they might prescribe a course of steroids which will help with the itchiness and the healing process.

Looks pretty nasty, and I personally wouldn't put anything on it until my vet had seen it.

 

[ru-fi-do]

My vet is coming to see another horse on friday so, I think I will take him on anyway as he just looks like he's craving attention and he's such a sweety and will get her to have a look at him.

 

[sharni]

Doesnt look like sweet itch. could be a rain scald type thing.

 

[flyingfeet]

If it is sweet itch (agree looks odd for classic sweet itch), then this is quite a good place. You can use a relatively inexpensive fly rug to cover this area.

I would then use a course of a soothing ointment (Sudocream is very good) to clear up the patches. Living 24 hrs in a rug should stop any further irritation.

 

[ru-fi-do]

Thanks for everyones help, will give you a progress report in a couple of weeks, he's coming tonight.

 

[goeslikestink]

it could be rain rot

 

[piebaldsparkle]

I agree with post above looks more like rain scald/rot me. Pony next to mine gets patches like this, his are smothered in udder cream which really seems to help

 

[ru-fi-do]

Is rain scald itchy for the horse as he is really really itchy and definately has sweet itch in his mane and tail.
I'm now treating it with Camrosa as the vet isn't coming till next week now, thought i may as well give it a try and it has relieved his itching no end. So fingers crossed it might work, i suppose it could be a mixture of both sweet itch and rain scald. The camrosa cream has now lifted the scab's off his bum and they look sore but at the same time so much better, i can't believe the difference in 2 days looking forward to going up this morning to have another look. I will upload photo's later.

Thank you to everyone!!!

 

[Honeyb060674]

It could be sweet itch,but a highland mare of ours used to get it on her bum and she rubbed it raw...much worse than your little fella looks. To me it look patchy like rainscald, is it under the hair in surrounding areas? It would be weeping too where scabs are forming. My mare had a bad case earlier this year and it took an age to clear. Bathed it in hibiscrub everyday, pick loose scabs off (YUM!) dry it thoroughly, then use a teatree based spray as an antibacterial. It needs to get as much air to it as possible if its rainscald, and to be kept dry.

 

[ru-fi-do]

The hair around the surrounding area's is fine, he has got a really nie coat apart from the sore scab's. i will take more better phot's tonight, it has changed alot since i took these.

 

[ru-fi-do]

I have just posted some updated pictures in the picture gallery if anyone is interested 1 week on with the Camrosa treatment.