What Is Sweet Itch In Horses?

Sweet itch , also known as Culicoides Hypersensitivity, is a skin disease caused by an allergic reaction to midge bites. Affected horses and ponies are sensitive to the irritants in midge saliva, which cause a localised irritation within the skin.

How do you get rid of sweet itch on a horse?

Veterinary Treatment
There is no immediate cure for sweet itch. Typically, veterinarians will start by performing some diagnostic tests to rule out other causes for the itching by scraping a small skin culture. The treatment that follows may include steroids, antihistamines, and antibiotics to prevent infection.

What is the best treatment for sweet itch?

Unfortunately there is no real cure for sweet itch and it is simply a case of putting measures in place to stop the midges biting wherever possible. Steroids can offer relief from the clinical signs (skin irritation and itching) in the short to medium term.

How serious is sweet itch?

Intense itchiness – itching can become so severe that the horse scratches itself on anything available including posts, stable doors and trees. Vigorous tail swishing in an effort to keep the insects away.

Where do horses get sweet itch?

Sweet Itch is a skin disease (sometimes called summer itch or seasonal allergic dermatitis) and is caused by an allergy to the saliva of certain biting flies or midges (e.g., Culicoides spp.).

Can Apple cider vinegar help with sweet itch?

Here are some of the best suggestions: Use fly sheets designed or modified to extend at least halfway down the horse’s tail, thereby covering areas that gnats especially like to attack. Add cider vinegar the horse’s feed. Apply small amounts of Avon’s Skin So Soft bath oil to the most vulnerable areas.

Is sweet itch painful?

Most horses that suffer from sweet itch are very itchy, and will traumatize their skin by biting and rubbing on anything they can find; this results in broken hairs, bald patches, sore and painful bleeding skin which can be quite distressing for all.

Can sweet itch be passed on?

Incidence of sweet itch
There is evidence that susceptibility to sweet itch is genetic, with evidence that the disease may be passed from one generation to the next with foals from an affected stallion or mare being more likely to develop the condition.

Can sweet itch spread?

Sweet itch is a highly pruritic disease for horses, pruritic is the medical term to say it itches! In France, most of the rashes can be seen at the base of the mane, on the croup and at the base of the tail. Then, progressively, these rashes spread out onto the neck, withers, back, face and sometimes even the ears!

What age does sweet itch start?

The disease is generally noticed from four years of age onwards and tends to become more severe as horses get older.

Is coconut oil good for sweet itch?

For the careful cleaning of irritated skin on horses with sweet itch. The refatting properties of organic coconut oil, neem oil and rosemary oil offer intensive care to skin and coat and can prevent dandruff formation and itching if used early on.

How do you test for sweet itch?

At present there is no reliable blood test or other allergy test to detect sweet itch sufferers out of season but research is ongoing. Currently there is no cure for sweet itch and lifelong treatment is necessary.

Is sweet itch hereditary in horses?

A long-term study from the Czech Republic confirms that horses can inherit a susceptibility to the allergic skin condition known as “sweet itch,” which is technically known as insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH). Researchers have determined the heritability of sweet itch is “medium to high.”

What happens if you give a horse too much sweet feed?

And feeding a horse more concentrates than he needs can be harmful to his health: The intake of too many calories leads to obesity, and high-starch grains have been implicated in a variety of health problems, including colic and laminitis.

What happens if a horse eats too much sweet feed?

The consumption of too much starch/sugar stresses the digestive tract and can lead to colic and laminitis. High starch and sugar concentrates should be fed in limited amounts, especially to sensitive horses.

How do you calm an intense itch?

How to relieve itchy skin

1. Apply cool treatments. Apply a cold compress or a wet washcloth to small areas of skin that may be itchy due to a rash, bug bite, or burn.
2. Take an oatmeal bath for additional relief.
3. Apply moisturizer to damp skin.
4. Consider combination therapies for chronic itchy skin.

Does garlic help sweet itch?

Do not feed garlic for sweet itch. Garlic stimulates the immune system, however sweet itch horses already have an overactive immune system.

Can I give my horse Benadryl for itching?

Over the counter diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or comparable antihistamines can be used in an emergency for horses with severe hypersensitivity or allergy. Prolonged use is not advised. There is no literature to support the use of diphenhydramine in horses. You are using this product at your own risk.

Why is my horse rubbing his mane off?

Mane rubbing is often caused by insect bites, particularly from ticks that attach to the horse’s neck skin to feed on blood. They are hard to see, but easy to feel by running your fingers through the base of the mane. Even after the ticks are pulled out, an itchy sore may remain for a week or more.

Does sweet itch vaccine work?

Trials of the new vaccine, in 34 privately-owned Icelandic ponies, showed a significant reduction in signs, giving hope to those trying to manage this chronic seasonal ailment. Sweet itch is the most common dermatological condition in equines, affecting up to 10% of horses worldwide.

What triggers an itch?

Some common causes are: Allergic reactions to food, insect bites, pollen, and medicines. Skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dry skin. Irritating chemicals, cosmetics, and other substances.