Sweetitch "vaccine"

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Has anyone participated in it previously?
If so, how well did it work?
Thinking of trying it, but at £60 per 10 pills I would like some opinions first.
Thanks!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Is this the BioEos one you're talking about? I got the BioEos stuff from the National Sweet Itch centre last year; I can't say with any accuracy whether it improved the situation or not as my boy moved yards. However, I'm going to use it this coming year now he's home at my place for the foreseeable future, and see how it goes.

IMO its possible to throw good money after bad on various gunk that's supposed to be a fix, but the BioEos stuff did come very well recommended and from a (hopefully) reliable source. My boy certainly wasn't any worse and might well have been noticeably better, but again, changing location might have been the reason for this.

Be interesting to know if anyone else has trialled it?

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Yup, the ones from the national sweetitch centre.

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Nobody else?

 

[imr]

Not personally but vet mentioned it the other day as he is working with boehringers on trial of it here (assume it same as he referred to sweetitch vaccine) as lots of horses here get skin problems and got impression it was generally working. Bound to have him out again in next couple of weeks so will ask.

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Not personally but vet mentioned it the other day as he is working with boehringers on trial of it here (assume it same as he referred to sweetitch vaccine) as lots of horses here get skin problems and got impression it was generally working. Bound to have him out again in next couple of weeks so will ask.

That would be lovely, thank you!

 

[Emily91]

Not sure if anyone can answer this but...

How can you have a vaccine for sweet itch? its not caused by a pathogen?? Its a reaction to bites? Or so i thought?

Any ideas anyone?

Interesting stuff!!

 

[tasteofchristmaschaos]

Sweetitch is a horses immune system overreacting to midge bites. The 'vaccine' is in fact weekly tablets that attempt to return their immune system to normal mode.

 

[Shilasdair]

I used it for one of mine for two years.
She didn't have sweetitch though.
S

 

[Andalusianlover]

Before paying out for such things I would advise people who think their horse has sweetitch to have a blood test taken and have it tested for allergies. My boy turned out to be allergic to loads of things including the sweetitch midge. What I'm saying is the "vaccine" may work for the sweetitch but if your horse has allergies related to "things" that appear only in the summer then your still going to have an itchy horse.

 

[lar]

I tried them last year - waste of money. Had no beneficial effects whatsoever. would have been better buying a new boett. Only thing that helped was moving yard!

 

[TGM]

I know someone who did a sweet-itch trial last year and was extremely impressed with the results. Pony had previously had sweet-itch so bad that they had considered euthanising it. Once on the pills, I understand it was pretty much sweet-itch free.

I'm not sure if it is the same pills that you refer to. I see you are in Kent and I know that the trial was undertaken by Bell Equine in Kent, so might be worth contacting them for details.

 

[MagicMelon]

Before paying out for such things I would advise people who think their horse has sweetitch to have a blood test taken and have it tested for allergies. My boy turned out to be allergic to loads of things including the sweetitch midge. What I'm saying is the "vaccine" may work for the sweetitch but if your horse has allergies related to "things" that appear only in the summer then your still going to have an itchy horse.

Totally agree with this. I thought my last horse had sweetitch as he gave all the symptoms (itched out half his mane every spring/summer and was generally a very itchy horse during the fly season). I had him allergy tested and turns out he wasn't allergic to midgies at all, he was in fact allergic to most grasses, hay mould and dust!! The grasses obviously increased during the growing season of summer (ie. sweetitch season). I did try him on the allergy course, it was made up specifically for him from a lab (think it was in Holland) and sent over in vials for a 6 month period. I injected him at the intervals, but to be honest it had no effect. The vet said it totally depends on the horse, some horses it cures them or at least helps, others it does nothing.

 

[ibot]

its awful when you see a post like this as we are heading thick and fast into the season my horse came out of last summer nto too bad.

i would be intrested in trying anything if it worked ?!?!?

paddy gets so itchy bless him this year i am going turn into a witch and get my potions out and boil him something amazing not sure what yet lol

 

[horseriderdeb]

My horse was on a trial for a supplement last year. Its brilliant and will definitely be using it. Its called Think Itch

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I think I shall probably buy the BioEos tablets again this year and see how things go; as my boy is going to stay where he is for the foreseeable future I will know this year whether its gonna work or not.

The other thing is that any sweet itch "cure" would need to work in conjunction with other preventive measures e.g. rugging, stabling etc (this is what my vet says); and I'm a tad sceptical of anything that poses as a "fix".

Have tried a lot of gunk and wasted a lot of money. Tried the "Think Fly" potion - waste of money IME. Can't remember any of the others.

Mine has Brewers Yeast and Linseed Oil in his feed - plus Clivers when they start growing in the hedgerows coz apparently that's good?

Also I sponge on some Pig Oil with Neem Oil & Tea Tree added, especially brushing through his mane and tail.