do these 'itch' supplements actually work?

[eventerbabe]

I'd love to hear of your experiences (good and bad) as regards the itching/sweet itch supplements that are on the market.

Kes doesn't have sweet itch, but something made his tail itchy enough that he spent a whole day scrubbing it up the wall of the stable and has balded himself in several patches :eek: i've been treating it topically with tea tree oil shampoo and NAF D-itch ointment which seems to provide him with short term relief, and we've been alternating this with benzyl benzoate.

I'm sure it is not sweet itch, he only ever itches when stabled during the day. We have no issues with him rubbing in the field at all. I am also slightly worried about his skin, it's very scally and leather-like under what little top tail hair he has left. Any suggestions on topical applications to soothe/calm this also appreciated :)

[martini55]

My sweetitch routine is applying killitch (basically benzyl benzoate) every few days (more often if needed) and I also give her periodic baths throughout the summer with diluted hibiscrub- really clears up the skin. This seems to work well with Martini. I have tried feeding Naf D-Itch and it was rubbish. I began feeding it and also rugging up well before the midges started to appear but the supplement made no difference what-so-ever. I already spend a fortune on supplements so I gave up feeding it after around 3 months.

On another note, I have seen a few of the horses on our yard rub themselves when stabled and none of them suffer from sweetitch.

[eventerbabe]

On another note, I have seen a few of the horses on our yard rub themselves when stabled and none of them suffer from sweetitch.

that's kes. He doesn't bother at all in the field, and he's plenty of oppertunity as there are 3 telegraph poles that look like they'd be attractive itching places :rolleyes: it's JUST in the stable (he's stabled 6am-4pm just now). But there must be something bothering him for him to practically bald his tail :(

I'll try hibiscrub on his tail, see if that helps his skin any :)

[No_Angel]

Ceryn seems to have some sort of sweet itch. We give her switch (from the vets) when she starts to itch and that seems to last for a few weeks.

[Palomino Mare]

i'jm an avid believer of d-itch.

my pony, by no exaggeration has chronic sweetitch and was one of teh first ponies in the country to try out the vaccines and is at the top of the sweetitch society's list for any new treatments.

the only thing for her that work are:
d-itch (one scoop given all year round, increased to 3scoops during the summer)
benzyl benzoate
and tee tree shampoo

[Siogfinsceal]

Hi, just after buying a tub of orchards 'super bye fly' for one of ours at the RS will let you know if its any good. Im also going to try baby oil with tea tree mixed in

[eventerbabe]

i'll be interested to hear how you get on with that Sigofinsceal :) i might just bite the bullet and try the D-itch, can't make him any worse( i hope!! :eek:).

[Siogfinsceal]

The tea tree is worth a shot anyway they have tea tree shampoo in boots at the moment its only 2 euro so no loss if it doesnt do the trick (was stocking up at the weekend!) I think they had tea tree oil for about a fiver too.

[capalldubh]

If it only happens in the stable, it's probably more of an anxiety thing (it's called somatising when it happens in humans ;)). Horses that do it seem to go into a sort of trance as they scratch and their eyes glaze over (my old share mare used to do it). It's like absentmindedly biting your nails when you're not actively engaged in doing something. You could attach door mats to obvious rubbing spots, or just add lots of toys etc to stable.

There aren't special flies that only bite in the stable, it's just when they're not out walking around and watching the birdies in the trees, they notice that they're itchy :)