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Taking the sting out of sweet itch

Karen Coumbe MRCVS

21 May, 2004

As we gradually inch towards summer, recurrent seasonal pruritus, or sweet itch as it is more commonly known, begins to aggravate susceptible horses and ponies. The first signs usually appear in spring — the itching settles down and virtually disappears during the winter.

The severe itchiness in the summer can cause some horses to rub so hard that they destroy the fences in their paddocks. Others can be unsafe to ride, as they can drop to the ground suddenly in order to roll and rub their backs and necks. Some cases will rub their bellies along the ground in order to itch the sore areas of their undercarriage. However, most cases are not as severe, simply having a thin tail and scurfy mane.

Sweet itch is an allergic reaction to the saliva injected when midges, sand flies and other insects bite a sensitive horse. It only occurs in those which are hypersensitive to these fly bites, which means it will only affect one or two horses within a group.

There is a tendency to think that the midges swarm around the sore areas and make the condition worse. In fact, the biting midges start it off, then it is exacerbated by the itching and rubbing, which inflames the sensitive skin further.

Taking precautions

The best therapy for any insect hypersensitivity is to avoid the offending creature. Unfortunately, in Britain it is not that simple. Midges tend to breed in wet areas, such as lakes and streams or even puddles and water troughs.

Ways of physically preventing midges include:

• Moving the horse to a field away from water, preferably on top of a hill

• Regular cleaning of midge breeding areas, such as water troughs

• Stabling the horse from about 4pm to 8am when midges are at their worst

• Use insect-proof mesh on the windows and door of stables where possible

• Hang insect repellent strips in the stable out of the horse’s reach

• Install strong ceiling fans

If your horse already has sweet itch, it is essential to be aware of all possible ways of controlling it. Many owners recognise the typical clinical signs and will treat it themselves with non-prescription remedies (see readers' suggestions below).

Unfortunately there is not a single treatment that offers a total solution to the condition. Consult your vet to confirm the diagnosis and find out what is the best approach.

In severe cases, where the skin is extremely sore and uncomfortable, your vet may consider using steroids to control the skin irritation. However, steroids do carry side effects, including potentially causing laminitis.

Steroid tablets can be given in the horses feed, allowing the dose and its effects to be monitored carefully and altered as necessary. This is much safer than using long-acting steroid injections — and it may be the only solution for severe sweet itch sufferers.

Reader's tips to prevent sweet itch

• Pills and potions. Every letter stressed the need to carry out the treatment on a daily basis, otherwise the midges would start to bite and trigger off the itch/scratch cycle

• The most common remedy applied to horses’ skin was benzyl benzoate. If applied neat it tends to sting so it should be diluted half and half with water, liquid paraffin or cod liver oil. Apply daily to the mane and tail

• Regular daily, or more frequent if possible, application of the most effective insect repellent for that particular horse and environment

• Many HORSE readers use the midge and mosquito repellents designed for people on susceptible horses

• A new potential treatment is the long-acting flea sprays, such as Frontline, prescribed primarily for dogs. This should be applied every few weeks to be effective

• Calamine lotion was also used successfully, but this soothes sore skin rather than stopping the flies from biting. Sometimes it is mixed with benzyl benzoate

• Soothing oils were used with some success. Several readers report the use of Avon’s Skin-So-Soft, while others suggest using glycerol. However, whatever product you try, always test it on a small area of skin first, in the horse proves sensitive to it

Related articles:

• 'Beautiful bottomed' horsefly named after singer Beyonce
• 'Fly grazing' horses cause £12,000 of damage
• Should horses be allowed to drink cold water?
• More foxes being killed in Scotland than before the ban
• Winter hoofcare advice
• Top tips for a stress-free winter
• Reduce your horse's vet bills this winter
• Reduce your horse feed bills this winter
• Reduce your winter hay bill
• Winter skin problems in horses

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