Nasty bug bite

Jessey

Well-Known Member
Dec 20, 2004
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Suffolk, UK
Poor old Jess, there’s a reason she’s normally top to toe in bug gear, as much as I hate it. But this wet/changeable weather has given her a reprieve and she’s been mostly without for a few weeks, she makes it very clear when she does and doesn’t want it on!

Last weekend she was without and got this hefty bite on her face
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Poor sod reacts so badly this is what I looked like yesterday, all the hair has fallen out and the top layer of skin had gone crusty and come away

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Does anyone use a topical antihistamine cream on their horse? Like anthisan or similar?
 
No advice on topical creams I'm afraid, though I'm guessing by now it's probably too late for it to be much use. I wonder if keeping her on some antihistamine tablets in the summer would damp down the reaction to bites so they didn't end up so nasty? It makes a big difference to me if I get bitten by a horsefly, and thinking about it Little In never reacted so badly once I had him on them for his pollen allergy. I used to get them cheap from online chemists, the sops charge a lot more.
 
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No advice on topical creams I'm afraid, though I'm guessing by now it's probably too late for it to be much use. I wonder if keeping her on some antihistamine tablets in the summer would damp down the reaction to bites so they didn't end up so nasty? It makes a big difference to me if I get bitten by a horsefly, and thinking about it Little In never reacted so badly once I had him on them for his pollen allergy. I used to get them cheap from online chemists, the sops charge a lot more.
Yeah too late this time but wondering if I can get something for future, she’s on 15 tablets a day already for her breathing.
 
I didn't realise she was already on them. I shouldn't think a cream is going to do any harm, or even something like calamine cream just to reduce the itching might help. I suspect the problem with antihistamine creams is you need to apply them quickly and you can't be there with a tube of cream all the time.
 
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Sudocrem is quite good - a thick dollop on it should protect for a while, and I think it's antiseptic too.(autocorrect put antisemitic at first)!
 
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I sure do use topicals on bites. It would never occur to me not to:)

This last Monday I thought one of my horses had a snake bite on his nose, as that is how the swelling appeared but there were not and fang holes so it was a bee sting.

The U.S. is coming into Fall and that means the ground bees are on the move and nasty. I figure my horse must have been grazing close to a ground nest and got stung.

I have been at this (horses) for 60+ years, my horse was not having breathing issues, so I did not call the vet.

1. I put him on the human allergy med, Benedryl for five days.

2. In his case I applied the prescription topical “DermaVet” on all the stings (there were quite a few at closer inspection), then I slathered 40% zinc oxide diaper rash cream on top of that to keep the flies and bugs off.

I did that 2X/day all week but I washed his muzzle clean every morning before re-applying.

The swelling went down by Tuesday morning. The Benedryl thankfully did what it was supposed to, so he wouldn’t itch himself to death - which this horse cannot tolerate being the least little bit itchy or miserable in that regard.

I also shampooed his big self down with MalAcetic shampoo Tuesday, which helps sooth the animal’s skin in remarkable ways.

His muzzle was completely healed by Friday. All that remains is for his hair to grow back.

3. I am glad he had his fly mask on as the stings stopped at the edge of the mask😮
*****
I would never-ever NOT put a topical of some sort on a bug bite, sting etc. I have more OTC remedies than you can shake a stick at. Thru the years I have learned what works best for each horse and where the bites are:)
 
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Poor Jess :( - I've never looked but I wonder if there's a horsey equivalent of After Bite? Sorry no help, but sending soothing vibes for her. She does react badly doesn't she. Was it a normal horse fly bite do you think? Or something else?
 
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Poor lassie. If you're ok using antihistamine you could try Anthisan, but I got half a dozen wasp stings on my leg the other day (from a wasp IN MY BED, arrrghh horror) and the thing that gave most relief was tea tree gel, so that might be worth a go.
 
@Jane&Ziggy what a fright, as well as painful! So do you now go into the bedroom in full beekeeper gear to check the bed before turning in for the night? I may be throwing the covers back just to be safe tonight :eek:
 
Yeah this had sudocreme (diaper ointment) on it all week. Dermavet is an antibiotic/anti fungal right @Lollykay? There no indication of infection.

I was specifically wondering about antihistamine creams, it’s still irritating her as she’s now opened it up
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no idea what did it @Trewsers, it could have been a horsefly but we don’t often get them there (as opposed to where the boys are and there’s 100’s), every chance it was a stable fly.
 
Is she out in a fly mask. Maybe the flies are landing on it and irritating her. Id spray with purple spray and just keep lathering in sudocrem or the yellow summer fly cream. Both are antiseptic.

Have you got any betnovate cream, (human prescription stuff) that contains steroid. Woouldnt use long term but a few days of that might take the inflammation down. Ive used it on my dogs.
 
Is she out in a fly mask. Maybe the flies are landing on it and irritating her. Id spray with purple spray and just keep lathering in sudocrem or the yellow summer fly cream. Both are antiseptic.

Have you got any betnovate cream, (human prescription stuff) that contains steroid. Woouldnt use long term but a few days of that might take the inflammation down. Ive used it on my dogs.
Yes she has her mask on unless it’s tipping down. I’ll ask my vet tomorrow if I can use anthisan, I don’t really want to go to steroids if I can help it.
 
Yeah this had sudocreme (diaper ointment) on it all week. Dermavet is an antibiotic/anti fungal right @Lollykay? There no indication of infection.

I was specifically wondering about antihistamine creams, it’s still irritating her as she’s now opened it up

no idea what did it @Trewsers, it could have been a horsefly but we don’t often get them there (as opposed to where the boys are and there’s 100’s), every chance it was a stable fly.
1. Correct:)

2. It could also be a spider bite. Just like ant bites, they can itch/hurt like the dickens for awhile. I would be ok using a topical with a steroid in it, if nothing else was working:)
 
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