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Information you may find useful from other online sources... Sweet Itch - Pool House Vets Sweet Itch is one of the commonest skin diseases seen in the horse. About 2.8% of horses in the U.K. are affected to some degree. Most horses show signs between 1 and 4 years of age and the condition generally worsens with each summer. All too often ponies purchased during the winter months prove to have Sweet Itch the following summer! Certain breeds are particular prone to the disease, Shires, Hackneys and Welsh ponies have all been suggested as susceptible breeds. Sweet Itch is caused by hypersensitivity to the bites of the tiny fly Culicoides. In the UK the fly is present from April to October but peaks in numbers in May to September. They feed on the horse at specific sites usually around the tail head and under the mane. There are 20 species of Culicoides present in the UK and some feed underneath the horses' abdomen. Culicoides is very small and can pass through conventional mosquito netting. They are most active in the dawn and dusk. The midges breed in aquatic habitats, decaying vegetation, manure or water troughs. Affected animals are very itchy, may rub the tail intensely, and become restless. Prolonged rubbing results in crusting, scaling, skin thickening, hair loss and damage to the skin. Mane and tail hairs may be broken. Treatment Consult your Veterinary Surgeon as soon as the problem becomes evident. A thorough clinical examination will be needed to rule out other possible causes of itching e.g. Lice and Ringworm. Your Vet may be able to use drugs (e.g. corticosteroids) to control the problem, but good insect control is ESSENTIAL. What is Sweet Itch? - horseactive.co.uk Sweet itch is a skin condition caused by an allergy to the saliva of small midges called culicoides. The midges swarm for an hour or two around sunset and are active from around April to October. They tend to bite equines around the tail, head, withers and base of the mane and they like to breed on wet or marshy land. The midges saliva causes an intense irritation in thousands of horses and ponies. Sweet Itch appears in varying degrees of severity in horses of various breeds and there seems to be a genetic link. What are the symptoms? Affected horses are intensely itchy and mainly rub their manes, tails and sometimes the underside of their bellies until they are red raw and virtually bald in these areas. The fly bites form blisters, which can weep, causing crusting, scabs and scaling. Open sores can often develop. Skin thickening and hair loss pigmentation may occur long-term. Controlling Sweet Itch There is no cure for the condition - it can only be controlled. This can be done in various ways: • AVOID CONTACT WITH MIDGES. Stable the horse during the times when the midges are about. This is normally between 4am - 10am and 4pm - 10pm. If your horse has to be outside during these times, you could try to have a muslin summer sheet and neck cover made. A sweat rug type lining would hold the muslin away from the skin and prevent the midges biting directly through the muslin. There are also specialist rugs available to combat sweet itch. • USE FLY REPELLENTS and insecticides to prevent the midges being attracted to the horse. Insecticides containing pyrethrins and benzyl benzoate have been used for some time with success. • STEROIDS can be used to control the horse's allergic responses. The steroids reduce the reaction and the itchiness to make the horse feel much more comfortable. • AVOID WET CONDITIONS and grazing on marshy land. Sweet Itch Treatments Without treatment the condition tends to get worse every year. There is no known cure at the moment but there are a variety of treatments available that can help relieve the symptoms of Sweet Itch and prevent further distress to your horse Contact Information
Lucky Stirrups, 16 Firsleigh Park, Roche, St Austell,
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