Sweet-Itch

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Bananarama

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Hi there is there anyone out there with a pony who has servere sweet-itch... mine does
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I was Just wondering if anyone had anynews on last years vacine trials? He wears a boett but he still ends up looking like this(below) in the midge season
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Any help appreciated.

Lower neck and shoulder
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Tail
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neck/mane
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Mine never had it as bad as that, but he did rub all his mane off and some of his tail. I found Sweet Itch Salve Complete works well to sooth it a bit. Not sure if you have tried that?
Not sure on the vacine
 
Ok thanks, we have tried countless creams and sprays it just doesnt help. We have used the stuff which is meant to be best in the world.. its ok. Really hoping he can get a vacine this season but douptful
 
Move away from Scotland,sorry.Think he would need to be stabled nearly all day with a mesh over door and boett on all the time and electric fence all round the field when out.
I feel so sorry for him it must be so painful for him.
Start the boett very early ,if that is him with a rug what would life be like without one !
 
Have you tried moving him? my mare had quite bad (not half as bad as yours) sweetitch whilst at one yard but i moved her for the end of last summer and she was fine... she was even out without her boett! she used to get funny lumps as well but had none at the new place...Some areas are more prone to midges buts its trial and error really!
 
ooh poor boy. Didn't know anything like that could still happen if he wears a Boett, mine stopped itching completely with it and a friend had a similar good experience with the snuggy hoods version (although the velcro tail bit did rub his tail off!!)
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Ask a silly question but is he in it 24/7? If he's that bad i'd be tempted to have a second one to ride in. Having said that I Wish someone would make one specifically designed to be ridden on.

Good luck whatever, its been years on trial that vaccine, hasn't it.
 
I'd second Bonita's comment, whilst I know its a big deal to move I know it can work, when my boy went into hospital for a month he was happy without his boett no sign of itchiness... but then again I don't think the flies dared come anywhere near it was so spotless clean there!
 
They are not prone to being bitten, the immune system just over reacts when they are.
Yes he has moved around, but with no sucess.
He is not stabled as in my experience the result of this is he gets bored and finds new ways to itch.
As to moving away from Scotland, not an option.
And without a rug... well when he was sold to his previous owner (riding school) they wernt told about the condition.. and well he was a bit of a mess and in alot of pain.
 
He wears it 24/7 from early march to mid october, with the exception of being taken off to groom(at good times of day) and bath. He used to be ridden in it but is now retired pretty much but when he is ridden he wears it. And there is one made specifically for riding.. the top and tail I think its called, find it on www.sweet-itch.com
 
Wouldn't Scotland be quite qood for sweet itch sufferers anyway? I thought if u have a lot of breeze/wind midges don't like it?
 
i cannot stable my mare in summer cos she will itch on the wall.in summer she has a boett and lives behind leccy fencing with any trees fenced off.
once the skin is broken thats the start of the vicious circle.

edited to say..this year she had a little scab behind each ear and i feel we managed rather well.
 
I have heard that Camrosa works very well.

My mare rubs her face only and it has worked a treat on her. The midges and flies keep well away! ( I think it is because it is gloopy, as it has no particular smell other than a bit like vasaline)

When I got the stuff I read the info leaflet and it was made by a family that had a pony that suffered with sweet itch. They tried anything and everything over the years and in the end, made their own pot of goo. I believe it was their vet that advised them to have the product made up, as he was amazed at it results.
 
My ID mare has suffered from sweet itch and each year she seems to be getting better (started at 2 and is now 4). She was turned out on a side of a hill this summer (windy!) and was okay until she was brought in and then she went mad rubbing on everything.

I have had Avons' skin so soft recommended to me, apparently it works well on humans also. I have bought a load in ready for next summer, just in case she isn't growing out of it but haven't tried it yet.
 
Yeh the avon skin so soft works wonders on both me and my pony. Because its oily the midges dont like to land on it and the smell is a deter too. We use it on my geldings nose where the boett doesnt cover and it helps alot. Really Im only intrested in the vacine as he is ok mostly with alot of patience and time spent on him. The pictures above are mostly when he has managed to get a rip in his rug, as its old and getting weaker so he has a new one for the coming season
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Have you had her allergy tested? We thought one of mine had Sweet Itch for years (he always itched half his mane out every year) and no creams / Boett etc. worked, had him allergy tested by a vet up Fraserburgh way (dont know where in Scotland you are?), turns out its not SI at all! He's allergic to most grasses, dustmites and hay moulds
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So he's now on a 6 month vaccine course which we are hoping works (might, might not).

Might be worth getting yours tested. They also test for midge so you'll at least know if its definately SI or not.

Best of luck with it, itching is such an awful thing to have to deal with especially to your horses degree.
 
the boett helps him alot he is just still bad. Pretty sure its sweet-itch as he is worse on midge days and ok on a windy day. If its not SI then hes been treated for it for over 10years, that could turn out to be intresting if it wasnt. And Im on the west coast
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Yep..I have a cob who gets as bad as that..to the point that I even considered having him pts. However I have moved him to a field that is high up the valley, overlooking the sea and he doesn't even wear a Boett anymore for the most part. Its always blowing a breeze and usually a gale..lol.. If I moved him back down to my paddock at home he'd look like yours in a day. When they are that bad its almost impossible to keep them comfortable.
The only advice apart from moving is to keep the field as poo free as possible, nowhere near muckheaps, streams or any water source or trees/bushes etc. Use electric fencing so he has nothing to rub on or wreck his rug on and just keep him dosed up on fly spray etc. I've heard brewers yeast is good although I've never used it. I've found Net Tex Sweet Itch Salve to be the best although messy..

This is my cob now in the summer
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first time he'd had a mane and tail since he was two!! His herd mates didn't recognise him without his boett...
 
aww lol Im glad to hear you are doing well with your cob
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His field is poo picked at least 3 times a weak and not to near any of what youve said, worst is a few trees on the other side of the fence
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There is a farm where my other horse is kept that is higher and overlooks the sea but havnt been there long and dont know ifit will be much better, and also its far away and I like to see him a few times a day especially because of his SI and if he was out there then it wouldnt be possible:(
 
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