Sweet Itch and Remedies...

[Jay.o]

I have been using something called NetTex and rubbing it right into the tail and along the mane. Apparently this stuff is the best around, has anyone used it before? Its called NetTex (I think) Sweet Itch Salve. Its a pink gunk that smells yummy and minty :p

And, also I have been using some Benzol Benzoldate (sp) mixed with some other ingrediants. You have the base of the Benzol and then add a few drops of citronella, and a few drops of something else, shake and put it on. Can you use Benzol Benzoldate without adding anything to it, or not??

I am nearly running out of the made up benzol stuff and need to mix some more shortly. Only, I cant remember the ingrediants :o - theres jars and tubs of stuff in the tray at the yard, only i cant remeber how much of what goes where :rolleyes:

Thanks for any help...

[shandy84]

Benzol can be used neat - I have to for Shandy as she is allergic t tea tree and citronella.

[notpoodle]

i havent tried benzyl yet .... horseyheaven reccomenden bioforce's equineem soothing lotion though which seems to be working a treat! the top of her tail doesnt look like a pompon anymore :)

oh and does anyone else have a sweet itch victim that scratches and rubs on the ears? angel's ears have taken a bit of a battering :( it looks like it's healing quite well though, been sticking aromaheel on them.

julia
x

[chapsi]

horseyheaven reccomenden bioforce's equineem soothing lotion though which seems to be working a treat!

Where can you buy that stuff? is there any mail catalogue that stocks that stuff?

So far, I've been struggling with sweet itch for over a year. For a lusitano horse this is tragedy. They are supposed to be long maned.
So far, what I find to works better is to wash his tail every day with glicerine soap and then to apply a leovet lotion (can't recall the name in german, it's yelloe though, made with carrot oil amongst other stuff)

[notpoodle]

www.bioforce.co.uk - check whether they have suppliers in portugal (email them maybe!). alternatively, try websites of alternative pharmacies who might be able to ship the stuff over to you!

julia
x

[chapsi]

thanks.

[xcuddlyponyx]

My pony zoe has always suffers from sweet itch. Ive heard of net-tex, but I use a combination of products. This year, I decided to try a sweet itch rug (rambo fly rug - £45) its been working really well. One problem.. it didn't cover her head. Whilst it kept the sweet itch at bay everywhere else, her face was raw. We tried a fly mask, held on by a headcoller, but it was blue (the mesh) and she pulled it off.. we belive this was because she couldn't see properly. Our home made fly repellant also didn't work. We bought some lincoln fly repelling antiseptic gel, and some fly away fly spray. We used the gel on her lesions, and just sprayed the fly away over her rug. Its amazing what its done, and in the middle of the sweet itch season aswell. Benzl benzoate (or so ive heard) is only supposed to be used to soothe the symptoms, its not to be used on the actual sores, as it can make it worse. I don't know if its true, but it did help my pony when we used it on her. Use petroleom jelly on sores as a barrier to the flies (flies hate it). Gold label wonder gel is brilliant for soothing sore area, and it helps the hair to grow back quickly too. Always use a fly mask (we finally found a cheap mask that she could see through, and so wouldn't pull off.. 3.99). Hope this helps, I'll definately give net-tex a try.:)

[Jay.o]

Thanks for all your help and advice :)

Cuddleypony, definately try NetTex, its really good stuff!! Its got some sort of ingrediant in it (oil based I think) that soaks in and leaves a greasy 'film' all around where it's applied - the flies cant land of it (hehe)

And for sores I have been using Boots' Zinc and Caster Oil cream (its for nappy rashes really :o )

[Trueman]

Veterinary herbalist Stephen Ashdown has some interesting observations about sweet itch remedies here www.freevetadvice.co.uk

[galadriel]

Someone here mentioned that MSM has been used in sweet itch.

I looked it up and found that MSM can have similar effects to a steroid; a steroid can reduce allergic reactions, which is nice, but long-term use of steroids isn't pleasant. But MSM apparently can act similarly... I found references to it being used for people with skin conditions.

With our heat (can't use flysheet) and our daily rain (washes off flyspray), I figured it was worth it to try the MSM. It seems to be helping, a lot.

The instructions I've got with the MSM say two scoops aday for a week, then one scoop a day. When I backed her down to one scoop a day, she started having reactions again. Put her back on two, and she's better. Vet will need to come out soon to do the other two's teeths, so I'll ask her if feeding a daily dose like that will be harmful.

[Kanuma]

i use a Boette rug and midge away (from flyaway products!!) to stop stans!!! it realy works last year stan was raw and bleeding all over his back and neck by march!!!!!! and the vet was very worried that he would cause perminant damage!!! he was on steroids as well to try and control it but they didnt work!! this year with the boette and the cream he has a full mane and tail and is doing county M&M classes in august!!!

[Kanuma]

BTW just a thought benzyl benzoate is carcinogenic (sp?) which is the reason you should wear gloves when putting it on!! but are you sure you want to put it on a horses skin when it has been proved to cause cancer in people

[chapsi]

What is MSM?

[galadriel]

MSM is a sulpher compound that's often used as an anti-inflammatory, fed by itself or in combination with glucosamine and chondroitin. I think the MSM stands for Methyl Sulfonyl Methane.

[Miriam]

Originally posted by notpoodle


oh and does anyone else have a sweet itch victim that scratches and rubs on the ears? angel's ears have taken a bit of a battering :( it looks like it's healing quite well though, been sticking aromaheel on them.

julia
x

I do. Rhi is a mess but is stating clear up or was until I forgot to put some stuff on her.

I use Half of Lyclear (you can get it from the chemist - its used for head lice) to half Surgical Spirit. Rub on the ears and face. Its brill. Need to make somemore :D It lasts for three days unless it rains. This receipe came via the courtsey of LGD

[galadriel]

Fantasy's ears are the worst of her sweet itch suffering, and (due to the tenderness and sensitivity) she's still hesitant to let me touch them. I glob SWAT on wherever I can manage.

[xcuddlyponyx]

zoes poll and ears are bad this year. Wont let me put the lincoln fr gel on, but lets me wipe them with those little ir fly wipe thingies. She currently hates having her bridle put over her right ear.

[Cobby]

Originally posted by Kanuma
BTW just a thought benzyl benzoate is carcinogenic (sp?) which is the reason you should wear gloves when putting it on!! but are you sure you want to put it on a horses skin when it has been proved to cause cancer in people

Is this really true? It's so readily available and mine doesn't mention that you need to wear gloves when using it. Kanuma, I'm not trying to say that it's not true, but if it is, it's a big problem as it's used for loads of skin conditions in humans and animals.

[Kanuma]

yep tis true!!! its not massively so but it is, my chem teacher pointed it out (a level chem)!! any thing with benzene has carcinogenic properties it just depends on what it is combined with as to how strong the effects are! if you have noticed that alot of sweetitch remidys ask you to wear gloves this is because of the benzene in them!!

[Trueman]

In reading Stephen Ashdown's interesting website on vet advice for horses I came across various faq's relative to Sweet Itch
www.freevetadvice/sweet_itch.htm and a follow on article.
A product called Anbioflam for skin bacteria was mentioned by Stephen A here www.freevetadvice.co.uk/sensitive-skin.htm and I thought the section on the new herbal insect repellent, Flyfree, particularly interesting:
www.freevetadvice.co.uk/fly_free.htm

I'm not really 'up' on herbs for horses. Are any of you 'experts' able to comment on the products mentioned in Stephen's faq's?
Very interested in the Flyfree, though, and seem to think I read a revue somewhere recently. Horse and Hound ? - can't remember.

Does anybody else know about Flyfree?

[Trueman]

Sorry, gave the incomplete URL in the earlier post
Should read www.freevetadvice.co.uk /sweet_itch.htm

[Trueman]

Yes, it was Horse and Hound where I saw the revue of Flyfree. Here is the address:
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/products/330/56242.html