H&H readers urged to help with sweet itch survey

Does your horse suffer from the misery of sweet itch? Or have you owned a horse with summer skin conditions in the past two years?

If the answer is “yes”, then your help is being sought with a national survey aimed at improving the long-term welfare of equines which suffer from this condition.

To complete the survey – which should only take 10 minutes – please visit www.mogannonassociates.com/surveys/equineskin/

It should be completed by the end of November 2011. All participants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of three £100 Musto vouchers.

Sweet itch affects thousands of equines. Symptoms include itching, hair loss, skin thickening and flaky dandruff.

The top of the tail and the mane are most commonly affected, and the neck, withers, hips, ears and forehead may also suffer.

Sweet itch is an allergic reaction to insect bites, and therefore an immune system problem. These are notoriously complicated and difficult to deal with.

Topical creams, insect repellants, special rugs and supplements added to the horse’s feed can all help to alleviate the symptoms.

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