Infected fly bites

annareeves0

annareeves0

Active Member
Dec 18, 2007
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Bournemouth, Dorset
I was grooming ready to ride today and noticed Rosie has loads of 'holes' all along her umbilical area and on her inner thighs. These were really yellow scabby (in a serum type weepy way) and are quite swollen. On cleaning there was a tiny bit of blood and pus and it seemed very sore. Im fairly sure they are infected fly bites?

Neighbour said her old horse had had something similar and she treated for sweet itch (just in a weird area?) She did say she had seen Rosie sat on the floor dragging her belly along (like a dog scracthing its butt - id have loved to have seen that :mstickle: ) Poor love they must be bothering her. I didnt have the heart to ride in case she got sweaty and they stung.

If not looking better in next few days Ill call the vet but in the meantime.....
Any one expereinced this? Infected fly bites? Treatment? Ive hibiscrubbed and applied some yellow fly cream to soothe and deter flies.

She also has some mud fever on the back of both hinds where I suspect she has been trashed the fencing, got caught on the tape, its rubbed and got infected. Shes a right scabby mess at the moment!
 
One of my dogs can back from a walk with this all over his belly and hind legs. Like Rosie when I got closer they were yellow on top and when I popped them pus came out. I did pop then all and then wiped down the whole area with salty water then rubbed in germolin (SP) as it was all I had in the house. The next day it was all cleared up.

Hope see is better soon
 
Along Dolly's belly line and high up inside her back legs are her two weak points with the sweet itch. When I first had her she would sit like a dog in the field dragging her belly along trying to relieve the itching, was awful to watch her poor thing.

Her SI rugs help a lot to cover the middle belly area but I do have to smother the middle line nearest her teats, and all inside her back legs with udder cream that I buy from the local mart. Tis wonderful stuff, like green grease....it soothes any bits that are a bit sore and prevents the midges biting that area again. I was very lax for a few days when I wasn't well and didnt do it daily:redface:...already she has a few raw patches that I am now slathering the cream on.

I'm pretty sure if I didnt treat them they would soon get infected at this time of the year, and be as you describe.
 
That area is the only area that my Rosie suffers from sweetitch/fly irritation. She has very similar in her udder area as its not covered by her rug. I now use itch stop gel stuff on it and it's healed nicely.
 
Damn! Really didnt want it to be sweet itch!

A couple years ago I used a fly spray that made her udders peel (and her subsequently buck me off big time and I ended up in A&E but thats another story) and I did spray her recently (although tried to avoid that area and think it was another brand????) Am wondering if the spray has set off a reaction and now the whole scratch/itch/infection cycle has been triggered? Either way I will treat aggressively this week in an attempt to clear it up and hope it doesnt reoccur. Is there a fingers crossed smiley???

I thought sweet itch was a hyper sensitivity to bites? Isnt this an ongoing, always had, alergy kind of thing rather than a suddenly develop thing? (fishing here for the answers I want to hear!)
 
I would love to say that I don't think its SI but have to say they can develop it suddenly at any age.:poop:

But in view of your past experience I wouldn't jump to that conclusion with her...could well be an over sensitivity to something that is common to both fly sprays? Get it cleared up and then see if she gets it again when you aren't spraying anything under there...if she does I would say it probably is, but really, really hope it isnt for her and for you.:unsure:
 
I wouldnt describe it as sweet itch - sweet itch is an all over body reaction - as you say to a hypersensitivity - rather than a localised reaction to a bite. That said if it continues, then I would head towards the SI stuff more - but to onset from nothing to something so quickly and late in the season - and youve had her a few years, I would be surprised.

I use aloe vera gel on sores for madam :) Describing it as a dog movement is much more polite - looks more like madam is humping the ground :giggle::eek:

PS She may also have laid on an ants nest?
 
YO's horse has sweetitch. She injects him monthly to keep it at bay. He has been out for about 5 days 24/7 and he has this under his belly today. She says this is the area he is worse affected with sweetitch.

Hopefully Rosie doesn't have it. Perhaps something soothing and antibacterial on it - sudocrem might help?
 
sjp1 said:
YO's horse has sweetitch. She injects him monthly to keep it at bay. He has been out for about 5 days 24/7 and he has this under his belly today. She says this is the area he is worse affected with sweetitch.

Hopefully Rosie doesn't have it. Perhaps something soothing and antibacterial on it - sudocrem might help?
Click to expand...

Is that the steroid jab? I give Dolly one very early in the year, but I am holding out to resist giving her another one unless really, really necessary.

Does she have any concerns with him getting lammi from the steroids do you know? Sorry to interrogate but I am unsure as to what way to go with the jabs, give them more often or just a one off at the start of the summer? Would love feed back from someone else who jabs for it. Is the horse rugged?

Sorry----can you feel the white light burning into your eyes!:bounce:
 
Thankfully it all looks much better today. She was a bit grumpy as I put the cream on but she has learn to displace to the salt lick! Love her. Will keep on top of it and hope it clears and doesnt come back.
 
Cortrasna said:
Is that the steroid jab? I give Dolly one very early in the year, but I am holding out to resist giving her another one unless really, really necessary.

Does she have any concerns with him getting lammi from the steroids do you know? Sorry to interrogate but I am unsure as to what way to go with the jabs, give them more often or just a one off at the start of the summer? Would love feed back from someone else who jabs for it. Is the horse rugged?

Sorry----can you feel the white light burning into your eyes!:bounce:
Click to expand...

It is boring into my eyes so much I am compelled to answer!!!

Yes, it is a steroid jab, but it is one that he has every month of the year. Not sure what it is, can investigate in fridge tomorrow!

No, she isn't worried about lammi with him. He is a warmblood, so not porky like a native really. Mostly he is either in loads of the time because mostly she rides every day, but generally he is in overnight at least - midges I guess are worst dusk and dawn. It was only because she has been poorly for a week he has been out 24/7 and she says not being groomed. I think it is more the midges at dawn and dusk that have been the problem.

Klins is always rugged. If not with a fly rug than with a lightweight outdoor rug, very rare for him to be out with nothing at all.

Will report back once have investigated fridge contents!!!x
 
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