'Switch' for sweet itch

[Shilasdair]

Hi all
Just wondered if anyone used the pour on permethrin midge repellent called 'Switch'?
If so, did it work?
Or did your horse experience a skin reaction?
I want to use it on my 4yr old but as she has urticaria, it'll be hard for me to judge whether she reacts to a patch test or not, so I'm trying to gauge the likelihood.
Thanks
S

 

[horseriderdeb]

Used to use it on one of mine but have found deosect is better.

He used to hate having it poured down his back. If you use it remember not to do the saddle patch

 

[kellyeaton]

i have just switch from the vets it was very good but i found spot on for cows was better!

 

[H's mum]

Have you tried benzobenzoate Shils?
Brilliant for sweet itch

Kate x

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you tried benzobenzoate Shils?
Brilliant for sweet itch

Kate x

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks, Kate, but she has bodywide urticaria as an allergic response to midge bites, so BB doesn't work.
Unless of course, I fill a tank with it and push her in.

S

 

[Eriskayowner]

Blackjack had really bad sweet itch so we tried Benzyl Benzoate and he was really allergic to it. It burned his neck really badly

 

[Eriskayowner]

I think we tried Switch - I can't remember if it was good or not (which makes me think that it probably isn't!). Blackjack's now on loan to a friend, who swears by his Boett blanket, copious amounts of fly spray. She also mentioned marmite once - I'm not sure if she fed it or smeared it on (!) but she said that worked!

 

[ibot]

ooo i am intrigued what did she do with the marmite??
i am using d itch in paddy's feed so fingers crossed not sure whether to use a spray aswell or not??

 

[Eriskayowner]

I'm not quite sure what she did with the marmite! I remember her mentioning it once and it sounded like she was feeding it to him (BJ will eat anything including bacon sandwiches!)

I can imagine that the midges don't like the smell of it if the horse smells of it!

 

[Shilasdair]

[ QUOTE ]
ooo i am intrigued what did she do with the marmite??
i am using d itch in paddy's feed so fingers crossed not sure whether to use a spray aswell or not??

[/ QUOTE ]

You are supposed to feed the marmite - either by spreading it on some bread, or by dissolving in hot water and adding to the horse's feed.
You can also buy Brewer's Yeast tablets which are supposed to have similar midge repellent properties, but I don't know any details.
Now stop hijacking my Switch thread with your filthy marmite questions.

S

 

[Eriskayowner]

Lol sorry Shilasdair!

I'm helping to bump it though at least?! Marmite could be an option for you though?

 

[Scunny]

Our welsh c has suffered very badly from sweet itch. In the last four years we have tried just about every lotion and potion (including marmite!) with no difference whatsoever

Last year we bought him a Rambo sweet itch hoody, and had to fence off our field shelter and hedges with electric fencing (he could still get close enough to the hedges for shelter but not scratch on them) and applied Avon skin so soft to his belly and benzyl benzoate to his mane and tail. This helped him to keep his mane and tail but he was still terribly itchy and he ended up making a real mess of his face by sitting on his bum and scratching his face with his hooves which is now all scarred (we did try the mask that comes with the hoody but the little devil used to get it straight off!)

This year a friend recommended Switch, so in the last week of February we started using it and put his hoody on under his turnout rug. The bottle of Switch was £32 from out vets for 250ml but I found that Hyperdrug ( http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Flypor-Pour-On/productinfo/FLYPOR/ ) sell a cattle pour on called Flypor that is identical but comes in a 1L bottle for £33.89. I bought this when the switch ran out and it has lasted all this summer (I have one dose left in bottle).

This used with Avon SSS when my daughter rides has made a huge difference to his sweet itch. He still sometimes sits down in the field to rub his bum but he is no longer franticly itchy and can be tied up in the stable to be groomed (as long as you don't leave him alone) and will quite happily stand there for hours. We have even been able to take his hoody off during the daytime when it is hot with no worsening of his symptoms

The only thing I'm disappointed in is the hoody itself, this is it's second season and although the fabric body has held up well, one of the front metal clasps has broken off and all of the neck fastenings are dropping to pieces so next year we will be trying a snuggy hoods rug instead.

Long post I know but I hope it helps.