skin peeling in areas i've used fly spray

[helenandroger]

has anyone noticed reactions to deet fly spray in the past few wks? my bay started with what looked like dead skin peeling off from scratches on chest and neck, and then what looked like the fly gel having dried on "armpits" and girth area. it is getting worse, and i'm wondering if its the fly spray/gel i've been using. girth area is bit scabby. stopped using the spray past few days and rubbed sudocream in loosen scabs. any comments?

[Rebels]

someone had something similiar to net tex fly spray i think

[QUICKFIRE]

There was a post the other day where I think it was deet fly spay burning their horses, but im not sure who it was?who posted.

[SpottedCat]

Yes - stop using the deet immediately, it will be that causing it.

My horse had a similar reaction to one produced by a well known firm who were IMO very dismissive of me, I won't use any of their products again as I now know they don't record side effects and brush you off if you report any, so there is in my mind no way of knowing how safe their products are.

The hair on my bay grew back white where this happened to him - under the saddle. I did a patch test and followed all the instructions right down to letter but it still happened.

[helenandroger]

i've looked up the other posts, and it would seem that this is the most likely. i haven't used any on him for probi 5 days and yet it was worse on his neck today. ive used it on 2 other ponies with no bad effects, but my boy is a hannovarian so more sensitive skin i guess. if his hair grows back white he's going to look a right mess! never mind. i will take some photos and write to the company to let them know of my experience. back to the citronella home made mixes!

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Just a thought h&r but are you sure it's dead skin and not small sheets of dried fly spray? These would peel off in exactly the same way. Just a thought x

[fatpiggy]

Eek, stop using it and bath him several times immediately. I ran out of my usual stuff a couple of summers ago and grabbed a cheap but very well known brand to use instead. A couple of days later my mare had big welts and swellings on her body, but as she reacts to fly bites by swelling I thought that it was it and sprayed her harder. The next day she wouldn't let me touch her but when I did her skin was literally red hot. I washed her straight away and again in the evening, plus again the next day and she was fine in herself again. A couple of days later her fur started falling out big style and she was left looking a right mess for a couple of days. Basically she was suffering from a chemical burn. What was in the product I'd used - citronella!

[helenandroger]

i too thought to begin with it was the dried spray and gel. my instructor told me this am that shes seen quite a few horses with similar reactions to stronger fly sprays. he looked a lot better this am and the sudocream had removed the crusty bits. have given him a good bath using sheath shampoo on the basis that this should be as gentle as they get, and will do the same again tomorrow. interesting about the citronella reaction! fly sheets and hoods all the way from now on - maybe the riding fly sheets too for hacks. at least those big sucky flies are slow to move and v satisfying when you get them.

[lhotse]

DEET on humans is not generally used long term as with horses. We also tend to have a shower everyday so wash off the residue!! My horse is sensitive to DEET so use a natural oil gel, but only on the areas where she gets bitten by midges, and only if the midges are about. Horseflies will bite no matter what you spray your horse with.

[macnachtan]

DEET is illegal to put in fly sprays used on animals here in the states. Its been known to kill even. I add a tablespoon of garli powder to the feed twice a day. In a months time your horse will faintly smell like garlic (but you have to press your nose hard against them and sniff in order to detect it) and the insects, even horse flies and mosquitos, will leave your horse alone. I feed the garlic during the insect season and lay off in the winter then start back up in about April so that they have the garlic odor by the time the season hits again.