Sweet itch?

poiuytrewq

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I’m wondering if my horse has sweet itch.
It seems to be worsening each year. He isn’t rubbing what I thought tonne classic sweet itch places, tail and mane but his face. He always has little sores on his face. Yesterday I tied him up to wash off and during that time he rubbed a bald patch by his ear.
He’s always a bit itchy, as soon as his saddle comes off he’s having a scratch but his face is taking he brunt of it.
He also has what looks like wire scratches across his rump (we don’t have wire, not sure what he’s doing this on)
I’m going to clip him out. He’s v hairy and when in full work we always clipped all year round (he’s semi retired)
 

windand rain

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I had a highland that always rubbed her face at this time of year never any other time but it got raw and hairless if she had anything to rub on We concluded that it was some sort of pollen allergy possibly a grass species it went again a few weeks after hay was cut
 

Fransurrey

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My sweet itch mare rubs her face badly. At this time of year she wears her fly mask 24/7, or she rubs holes in her face and ears. The wire rubs are possibly top of a fence post/edging of kick boards/a nick in the wood of the stable. Restricting her grazing helps, as do antihistamines and neem oil applied to itchy areas.
 

SEL

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My mare can itch her face raw and a couple of years ago vet gave me a wash in case it was bacterial infection. Made no difference but steroid cream really helped.

They also got me to worm her because apparently it can be a sign of problems.
 

poiuytrewq

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Last year I had trouble with harvest mites so I blamed them but they were visible on his face and I can’t see any this year.
I did wonder about trying antihistamines actually.
 

poiuytrewq

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I will dig out fly hoods, I’d not bothered yet as the flies are not bad yet here and he’s only out overnight. They spend so long covered throughout the year I try and make the most of naked time 😊
Any idea what worms SEL? He is wormed and I do fec’s but anything’s worth covering.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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OP can you post some photo's of where your horse has itched himself?

My old boy had sweet itch, and his mane & tail were the primary areas which he would rub.

IF yours had the condition, I'd expect rubbing to take place in those areas as well as the face, especially at this time of year.

Is there buttercups in your grazing field? Your horse might be sensitive to that, or to other pollens. You could try using a grazing mask (don't leave it on 24/7) and see if that improves the situation.
 

poiuytrewq

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No no buttercups, he is pink nosed and gets the most awful burns so I only graze him in the two paddocks we have that never get buttercups.
It’s anywhere on his face he can rub at.
 

DD

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the vet will be able to tell you via a blood test , money well spent. This is how my horse was diagnosed.
 

SEL

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I will dig out fly hoods, I’d not bothered yet as the flies are not bad yet here and he’s only out overnight. They spend so long covered throughout the year I try and make the most of naked time 😊
Any idea what worms SEL? He is wormed and I do fec’s but anything’s worth covering.
Well she got me to do a double dose of ivermectin which I then googled & saw was for neck threadworms. Thought no more of it (i did the wormer) until my other one itched and I said to another vet about neck threadworms - apparently we dont get them in the UK.

The other one got dectomax which would clear threadworms anyway if he'd had them.

Itchy horse #1 did show signs of neck threadworms including having pink eye problems - but obviously that could be 101 other things too. So no wiser really but I'd give her the ivermectin again if I had to!
 

_HP_

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If it's just the face, it's most likely to be pollen related I d have thought. You don't wonder if they have sweet Itch...you know it! It's a horrible condition
 

Pinkvboots

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My mare had very mild sweet Itch and she would rub her face and mane no where else, so she wore a sweet Itch neck and face mask with a regular fly rug.

The geldings I have now occasionally rub there mane and tail so I buy pure undiluted benzyl benzoate and mix it with aqueous cream, I apply it to the areas they tend rub every few days and it stops them rubbing it through the summer.
 
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