Sweet Itch

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Hetfinch

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Nov 26, 2001
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Hi all

It's been a while since I've visited New Rider, due to pooter problems and taking on a new boy - Pally (15.3 Welsh x). One of Pally's problems is sweet itch. Now, I have some Benzyl Benzoate to rub into the areas, but does anybody have any good advice re: hygeine, cycles of the parasite, etc. etc.? Any advice at all would be great!

Thank you

Heather (and Pally, who is probably at this moment rubbing his backside up against a fence somewhere!!)
 
OK here we go Sweet Itch 101.

Cause - allergic reaction to the bite from Culicoides midges.

Usually start in spring as it gets warmer and goes on until weather cools off in autumn.

Midges are worse early morning and early evening so try and avoid turn out at these times if you can (not always practical I know).

Benzyl benzoate daily is the first order of attack (and the cheapest), problem is it washes off when it rains. Needs to be put on the base of the mane, top of the tail AND under the belly along the middle (this is where the little beggars like to bite). For rain-resistance you can mix it 50:50 with liquid paraffin - makes it really messy but it is more effective. Make sure to wash your hands after putting it on or after handling treated areas - it stings like mad if you get it near your eyes.

Itchnomore by Equine America has very good results but is much more expensive. Cheapest source is via www.horseandponysales.co.uk/gift/equine

Most effective I've found is Permethrin, very expensive from the vets but it is in Lyclear lotion (for headlice), still expensive but dilute 50:50 with 70% IMS and only needs applying every other day.

Feed supplements - garlic may help, various proprietary products eg NAF D-itch. Most effective one is American product called Bug-Check, I think you can get it over the internet.

Homeopathic remedies: Arsen Alb 1M twice daily for 5 days if you can't get the 1M try the 6c strength) , Sulphur 6c three times daily until sore patches heal, Culicoides midge 30c four time daily for 10 days then once daily through the season. Abrotanum 30c four times daily for 4 - 5 weeks. You may get an initial 'flare-up' when you start them but that will settle within a few days.

Cover-up: Boett rug designed especially for sweet itch sufferers, expensive but very good. Combo fly sheet from Weatherbeeta is not as effective but much cheaper (£45 i think).


Field: as open as possible, preferably an area where it tends to be breezy, avoid trees if possible.

If none of the above help and the horse is not laminitis prone they can have monthly steroid injections through the vet.
 
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I think Lgd covered just about everything but:

Try and remove all possible scratching posts. We taped ours in with electric fencing so all she could rub on was the floor!

Boett Blanket is the easiest way to control the sweet itch. The aternatives on the market just dont live up to it!

www.sweetitch.co.uk or it might be .com have a lot of useful advice.

I wouldnt recommend stabling-midges still go in the stable, and you have a nice box with 4 walls that can be rubbed against!

To prevent itching when there are no scabs try: 200ml lotion E45, 200ml glycerine, oil of citronella or tea tree oil. This repels the flies and soothes the skin at the same time. Put it all in a bottle and fill the rest up with water. It separates, so needs shaking before use!

Hope this helps!
 
Get in touch with the Icelandic horse soc. They have found a rug of a very similar design, made of the same material for half the price of a Boett rug, direct from the manufacturers.

The Boett is better then the other fly sheets as it stops the little blighters getting in under the rug. Really covering them up and stopping the midges biting is the only real way to stop sweet itch.
 
http://www.aromesse.com

these people do a cream called aromaitch. not very expensive either. I bought some for Libby and I used it every day along with washing her tail every other. Cleared up in a WEEK!!!! I would HIGHLY recommend it. They do sell it to over seas I think.

Also just incase no one has mentioened this yet. You shouldn't be using bezolbenzoate on broken skin. It is an irritant. I was using killitch which has it in and it made it worse. Only good for preventing sweetitch before skin breaks!
 
I used benzyl benzoate on broken skin absolutely fine. In fact, we used to only use it on the sores and then the mixture I mentioned above when Tiv had no sores. Maybe GemmaR-your horse was allergic/extra sensitive to it??
 
yes we use the benzyl lotion on broken skin as well and it has never caused a problem, in fact quite the opposite.

the horse rescue centre was donated some of the AROMESSE sweet itch treatment by the company itself. I can also highly recommend it. Not exactly on the same lines, but we took part in a trial by AROMESSE for a cream that aids healing and helps prevents scarring of wounds. that was absolutely amazing stuff too - Im sure its on the market with them now. sorry cant remember its name.
 
we use sudocrem or nappy rash cream as well, it forms a barrier and is soothing to the skin. on our really determined mare, we put eurax cream on (for eczema) and then slap the sudocrem on - she's 23, has had sweetitch all her life and this is the best thing we've found. the steroid injections didn't do a thing for her, she destroyed her boett rug in half an hour, and she laughs in the face of benzyl benzoate! so we stable her in summer (on tuesday night she opened the three bolts on her door, ate all the breakfasts (15 of them) and then spent the night in the hay barn!) and she tells us when she wants to go out and when she wants to be in. this year she even has a wisp of mane left! different horses do respond to different things, so don't give up if the first few things you try don't work.
 
" Benzyl benzoate should be thoroughly worked into the skin in the susceptible areas every day. However it is a skin irritant and should not be used on the horse if hair loss and broken skin have occurred - application should therefore start before symptoms develop in the spring. If used later its irritant properties can cause areas of skin to slough-off, in the form of large flakes of dandruff. "

Just telling you what i read from sweet-itch.com

Hetfitch - hope what ever you decide upon works with Pally :)
 
the funniest thing was when lynn had made all the breakfasts again and fed the others, polly was utterly indignant that she didn't get one! she'd also eaten about a bale's worth of hay out of the barn...
 
Getting worse.....

Thanks Everyone!

Well, just to update. The patches on his backside have disappeared - yipppeeee!!!!!!

BUT - he has a great streak running down his mane, which is now pink and hairless. It does look like it is getting inflamed as well. So trying a different approach now - thanks to your help.

I looked at buying him a special rug, but have been told that he can completely destroy a rug in one single sitting, so perhaps that's not such a good idea!

Will keep you up to date with his progress, poor chappie.

Oh, and I'll take a look at Monty's thread too!

Thanks again

Heather :)

And Itchy Neck Pally :(
 
Rhi suffers sweet itch and I have found that this year she has not been so bad. I bought a Masta Fly sheet with Neck cover for Rhi last year and put it on in March this year. She also has Itch Free by Dodsell and Horell every day along with Garlic powder. This seems to have helped her as this year she seem to be much better. Last year she was a mess. Only thing is she caught her Neck cover on a post in the field and ripped it. Also if you put Vaseline on her mane this stops the flys from building a nest in it and helps reduce sweet itch in the mane. I have tried it and it has worked.
 
Es: words fail me...

Back on the subject of sweetitch (!)
if he's itchy enough to destroy an expensive rug, poor lad, it might be an idea not to put one on him this year: however, maybe if you get one early enough before the midges set in next spring you might stop it blowing up again after the winter, in which case a Boett rug (or the one Wally suggested) would probably be the very best solution.
 
A friend of mine has a mare with sweetitch. One night we applied Benzyl Benzoate to the usual areas and she went absolutely loopy in the field. We thought she had colic, she'd run and run (looked like the titles to Black Beauty series!) then stop, paw the ground and drop and roll. She repeated this for about 10 minutes or so, she was lathered in sweat and heaving badly.

We managed to catch her and washed her off with warm water before stabling her to keep an eye on her. As soon as we washed her though she calmed right down and 5 mins later was acting normally. We thought it was strange so gave her a thorough going over and it turns out that benzyl benzoate had been rubbed onto an open sore on her belly, we think this is what did it (no other factors to set her off like this).

I also stupidly rubbed my eye with my hand after applying it, I honestly thought I was going blind. It HURT!

So, I'd never use benzyl benzoate on any open sore, cut, etc.
 
Found something that works for him!!

Well, after visiting the Royal show and talking to lots and lots of people, I have found the perfect thing for Palls! It is made by Hilton Herbs and I can't remember what it's called, so I will make a note and let you know. The pink itchy area has calmed right down and he is much, much calmer.

The chap on the Hilton Herbs stall was telling me about Skin So Soft Mountain-whatever-the-smell-is and how widely it is used in Scotland to keep midges away. Going to look for my nearest Avon rep too - for both Pally and me!

Horses, eh?

However, you have given me lots and lots of good ideas for early next year to try and combat the problems early on - thanks.

Heather :) and Pally :p
 
Avon Skin So Soft

I couldn't find Monty's message either!

I am going to go away and do some research and come back, hopefully, with some more info!

The chap from Hilton Herbs who I spoke to was going to contact Avon to find out what they put in it, as it was so effective!

Heather :)
 
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