bullfinch
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If only my horse knew half of what I have forgotten, we could win the Olympics!
Posts: 131
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Post by bullfinch on Jul 20, 2009 13:49:07 GMT 1
Hi,
As everyone knows, the flys this year are a major headache! Two horses in my yard have developed sweet itch for the first time, despite being in the same area for the past four years
My question is this – is it definitely going to occur every year now that they have got it? If the flys are ‘normal’ next year – will they still get it? It’s weird how it just occurs in horses who have had no problems in previous years
Also – has anyone used Butox, for cattle, on horses with sweet itch?
Thanks
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Post by jill on Jul 20, 2009 14:16:17 GMT 1
If it genuinely an allergic reaction, then yes, they will almost certainly have it for the rest of theit lives, unless the veterinary profession find a successful way of damping down the allergy. The lady at the SI centre reckons it is in every horse, but brought out by stress, and I imagine the stress of being pestered by flies could do it if that is true.
Sorry, no knowledge of butox.
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twiglet
Elementary Poster
Posts: 67 
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Post by twiglet on Jul 20, 2009 20:44:25 GMT 1
hi bullfinch
If you Google search for "Total France forum" and look under the horse section you will find quite a lot of info and discussions about Butox.
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Post by jen1 on Jul 21, 2009 0:07:07 GMT 1
my yealing got it last year for the first time, in october would you belive, this year he has been wearing a snuggy hoods set ,being fed scratch from global herbs, has eurax on when he is itchy, i feed him neem leaf, and im using benzol benzoate, mixed with neem oil and water and it seems to be doing the trick,
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bullfinch
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If only my horse knew half of what I have forgotten, we could win the Olympics!
Posts: 131
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Post by bullfinch on Jul 21, 2009 17:17:12 GMT 1
I am amazed that there is so little info on butox - according to the french horse DG it is the best thing ever and keeps every fly away for up to 4 weeks with only one application!! Surely someone out there has used it?
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Post by donnalex on Jul 21, 2009 23:03:52 GMT 1
Yes I have bought a bottle of it and am using it on some of mine. I have not put it on the two that are in foal as it is not supposed to be used on horses so I am being careful.
I cant say I am impressed with it. I turned a yearling and a two year old out with a very generous dose of it on them at a friends field and two weeks later had to go and pick them up as they were being eaten alive by horseflies. Mine dont have sweet itch but I expected the flies to leave them alone and they dont!
All the palaver of getting hold of it is not worth it. It is expensive, you have to have a cattle herd number to order it and I got mine from Ireland, so in future I will sick to Spot On for cows or Flypor, I think they are just as good and I can get them at the auction when I go.
One problem I found with it is that it runs off the horse as you pour it on and I wasted some of it, because it is a thick liquid it does not soak into the coat. I had to rub it in with my hand as it was just running off. The others soak straight in.
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bullfinch
Intermediate Poster
Elementary Poster
If only my horse knew half of what I have forgotten, we could win the Olympics!
Posts: 131
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Post by bullfinch on Jul 22, 2009 13:19:59 GMT 1
Thanks Sylvias Mother, thats the information I needed!!!
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clarita
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Post by clarita on Jul 24, 2009 8:56:03 GMT 1
 Hi there. I have a pony who suffers dreadfully from sweet itch - I have tried EVERYTHING over the last 6 years, with mixed results but have finally found something that really works. Also from France - a solution called Derfen. You can order it on the website derfen.com. Another owner in our yard recommended it as it was also the only thing that helped her poor boy It smells pretty terrible, but it is really worth a try. Good luck Clarita
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Post by harriet72 on Jul 29, 2009 21:54:49 GMT 1
I've been feeding Skratch from Global Herbs since the spring. Have to say that I didn't hold out much hope, as the D-Itch last year made no difference, but - fingers crossed - my boy has mostly stopped itching, to the extent that he can now take going out without his Boett on. I even realised that I'd stopped putting fly repellent on as well.
He does still seem to itch a litle bit, but his next-door neighbour who is also on Skratch has stopped itching as well! Nothing else has changed between last year and this, but last year I had a Fell pony with only half a mane and open wounds, and now I'm having to trim his mane (don't tell the Fell Pony Society!) in order to get it all under his Boett!
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Post by Susan on Jul 29, 2009 22:26:54 GMT 1
I know June tried many things with one of her polo ponies that suffered bad and in the end Boett rug was the answer.. she then got another pony who also suffered.. she tried a normal fly rug it wasnt enough and she also wears a boett icelandic type and that works..
I honestly think if I had a horse who suffered I would simply give in and buy the sweet itch rugs and know they do the job so well.
By the way I thought the sweet itch issue was caused by a midges not simply ordinary flies
I know it is very common in Icelandics who come here with no resistance to them as they do not have them in their own natural country.. or am I wrong on that count.
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Post by donnalex on Jul 30, 2009 10:06:32 GMT 1
By the way I thought the sweet itch issue was caused by a midges not simply ordinary flies Butox is being marketed as an anti midge treatment, supposedly to help combat Blue Tongue in cows which is also carried by the cullicoides midge. |
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bullfinch
Intermediate Poster
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If only my horse knew half of what I have forgotten, we could win the Olympics!
Posts: 131
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Post by bullfinch on Jul 30, 2009 13:47:36 GMT 1
Clarita, how often do you have to give this Derfen? Daily? Is it a pour-on or a spray?
Thanks
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bullfinch
Intermediate Poster
Elementary Poster
If only my horse knew half of what I have forgotten, we could win the Olympics!
Posts: 131
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Post by bullfinch on Jul 30, 2009 13:54:59 GMT 1
I forgot to ask something in my last post!
What about native feral ponies? Do they get sweet itch? They must do!
What happens to them then? You can’t put rugs on them or bring them in each night and put them out each morning – has anyone seen new forest ponies with sweet itch? And how bad do they get, do they rub their tails and manes bare?
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gillmcg
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Post by gillmcg on Jul 30, 2009 14:13:46 GMT 1
Link to the derfen site: www.derfen.com/I've ordered a sample for a friend in the UK to try as he's found absolutely nothing that works. The 1floz sample was only €2 with free postage within France so worth a try. I figure if they're happy to send out a sample that cheaply they must believe it's effective..... |
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ann
Intermediate Poster
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Post by ann on Jul 30, 2009 14:23:53 GMT 1
My Connie had it for four years ago, but has not had it since. So it is debateable as to whether the allergy is permanent.
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Hi there. I have a pony who suffers dreadfully from sweet itch - I have tried EVERYTHING over the last 6 years, with mixed results but have finally found something that really works. Also from France - a solution called Derfen. You can order it on the website derfen.com. Another owner in our yard recommended it as it was also the only thing that helped her poor boy
