Itch started in last 10 days

Midlandsman80

Hi all,
I have a nice RID gelding rising 4, has never had an itch but two weeks ago he started his mane and slightly at his tail, at first i blamed him companion as he is always biting at him but I know its some sort of itch now. I am washing it daily and treating it with stuff from equine store, I will get it looked at in a week when my neighbour who is a vet gets back from hols.
In the mean time I am wondering if if would by unusual not too get this until 4 and not to have gotten it earlier in this fairly long dry summer?

I am a novice with horses so don't know much about this kind of stuff...

marley123

It could be a touch of sweet itch!! My mare had awful problems this summer with rubbing her tail... Benzol Bezonate/Ascaboil are available in chemists which should do the trick.

Midlandsman80

marley123 wrote: »

It could be a touch of sweet itch!! My mare had awful problems this summer with rubbing her tail... Benzol Bezonate/Ascaboil are available in chemists which should do the trick.

Thanks, but is it unusual that it started so late in the year after the heat and flies had almost totally gone? I would have expected it earlier if it came at all?

MDFM

Have you treated the horse for lice? It's very possible that this is the problem, and not sweet itch..Though I wouldn't rule out sweet itch either. But initially I would treat for lice. Wash the horse, use Hibiscrub, don't need to use much of it. Then apply lice treatment - vet shop or local farm supplies will have some sort of Pour-on that you can use on the horse..most Pour-On's for sheep can be used on horses. My yearling started stratching for no reason other than what I can only assume was lice as once I treated him with pour on the itching stopped.
If I were you I would act on it straight away as once the horse starts stratching, he can do a lot of damage (ruin mane, tail, cut himself etc..) in a very short space of time, which is not only unsightly but very uncomfortable for the horse.

Midlandsman80

MDFM wrote: »

Have you treated the horse for lice? It's very possible that this is the problem, and not sweet itch..Though I wouldn't rule out sweet itch either. But initially I would treat for lice. Wash the horse, use Hibiscrub, don't need to use much of it. Then apply lice treatment - vet shop or local farm supplies will have some sort of Pour-on that you can use on the horse..most Pour-On's for sheep can be used on horses. My yearling started stratching for no reason other than what I can only assume was lice as once I treated him with pour on the itching stopped.
If I were you I would act on it straight away as once the horse starts stratching, he can do a lot of damage (ruin mane, tail, cut himself etc..) in a very short space of time, which is not only unsightly but very uncomfortable for the horse.

Hi,
Have used those exect two products on wednesday so hope they do the trick, like you say I dont want much harm done to the mane and he has a bit done already, happened so so quick, was 10-12 inches long one day and 4-6 about 2 days later, any advice on helping that to regrow? should a put a neck cover on him? he is being broken at the moment so dont need to mind him fairly well.
thanks

horselady123

Sounds like lice or fleas rather than sweet itch. To check for lice, you can part the hair in the areas he is having the majority of the itching. Sometimes you will see the lice or little black specks called flea dirt (http://www.divine-journeys.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/flea-dirt.jpg).

If you are still unsure and want to wait until your vet it back, try using a tea tree oil based shampoo in the meantime. It helps get rid of fleas, lice, and should sooth most discomfort from fungal or sweet itch irritations until the vet can see them.