Sweet itch

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Megibo

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So Sweet Itch season is March to September...who here has a horse with it and how do you relieve the symptoms? I want my girl to have a mane this year!

Just started her on a supplement called 'D-Itch' which was recommended by someone who had a horse with sweet itch said it reduced the itching considerably. Also have Kill Itch which I'll start putting on mid to end of Feb time and keep it up during summer months.
I've never had a proper plan for her sweet itch but am starting v.early this year. Also she'll probably never be without her fly rug!
 
I've never had a horse with it myself, but a lady I used to know swore by marmite! She gave her horse a marmite sandwich every day as apparently it helps! Not sure how reliable this is though.
 
This is a helpful website http://www.sweet-itch.co.uk/
A good sweet itch rug will help a lot, I buy Benzyl Benzoate and apply it to her mane and tail, you can get it from hyperdrug online and it is cheaper than Kill Itch.
Also feed Brewers Yeast as a supplement which contains the same vitamins as marmite.
 
Start rugging her up now, I use a Boett rug and mask,I've tried the cavellesse, which I will start again next month, the Benzo ben, it can be harsh you have to do 50/50 with water and never put it on skin that has been rubbed sore as it burns, cann't get anywhere near my mare with it, as she can smell it a mile off, so start now before they start rubbing.
 
Boett all the way, mine is already in his as off yeserday the midges are awful here and he's started already. I find sweetitch season is weather related not march to September. Cover up is the best form by far
 
You are right in feeding the Ditch before the midges get going, it will adjust his immune system to alleviate the allergy.

The other thing to use is Neem oil. That will keep all biting insects away.
Neem solidifies so stand it in some hot water. Mix 5ml of Neem 3 ml liquid shampoo and 1 litre of hot water and swab that over the horse. Not a lot of good spraying it as the Neem will clog the nozzle fairly fast. It will hold for at least a week.

Any left over wash over the dog as it keeps ticks and fleas away.
 
Well........,

I read somewhere that it stops the midges hanging around the water trough! I use trugs in my field in summer so always splash some cider vinegar in them. Not sure if it really works but makes me feel I'm doing all I can for him.
 
my vet said start using a fly sheet in feburary before she gets bitten cause once that first bite thats it - also I have used babyoil for last 3 years rubbed into neck and tail every other day in the evening when she comes in with her fly sheet on during day - remeber in direct sunlight baby oil can burn. This seems to relieve her and we have had a few rubs but kept all mane and tail :)
 
Google the "national sweet itch centre" as they've got a lot of advice etc which is helpful.

They've got some "BioEos" tablets, which basically are supposed to have reduced sweet itch symptoms in 90% of cases.

I've given them to mine in the past, but as he's been away at livery in another location its been very hard to tell whether they've helped or not.

So anyone with experiences of these tablets, good or bad?

This winter is bad, very bad, for sweet itches. I was out on Christmas Day, unbelievably, putting mine in his sweet itch Rambo - which I wouldn't normally have been doing until half term week in February!!! Crazy weather.

Ditto the Neem Oil - and yes the dogs get it too!

I've also heard (on here I suspect) that Pig Oil sponged over the coat is good??? Midges don't like oily surfaces, so will stay away.

Feeding garlic is best avoided; the problem being that garlic stimulates the immune system, which you don't want to do with sweet itch, as the condition IS where the immune system is going into overdrive, and this will only make it worse.

Avon Skin So Soft Dry oil Body Spray (the Blue one, original version) is supposed to be fab for keeping midges away (both for humans AND horses!) - and if you go onto the Avon website they've often got special offers on it. Cheap and definately cheerful.

I've also got, for mine, a Horseware Ride-on fly rug; which you basically attach to the saddle when you're riding in the summer months and it keeps flies and midges off the main parts of your horse. Its absolutely brilliant - dunno how I managed without it, BUT my only grouse is that I WISH they'd do it in hi viz colours. Ah well.

Good luck with yours anyway.
 
Okay thanks all, i'm increasing her supplement 'dosage' today as she's been on it a week and will start putting the mane and tail stuff on. she's currently out in a full neck rug as she's clipped so can't fly rug her! but that should be offering some protection, we don't have any biting insects as of yet...
 
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