Post by Admin on Aug 4, 2005 13:38:20 GMT 1
Subject : SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : Rosie
Date : 31.03.05 8:08:00 PM
hi all
my lovely girlie meggy is known to have sweet itch but i havnt had her long so not sure how severe it will be - so far no signs but want to get in early with anything that works!
Just about to order her some goodies and was wondering what feed supplements people found most effective - and also which fly repellants or any other ideas/techniques/stuff that worked for them.
She currently lives in at night out at day, but i am looking to swap this about when it gets hotter.
Am happy to buy her a boett if i think its worth it - not really keen on the idea of them being "cooped up" in a rig all day but i guess it is breathable and less copped up than being i na stable - what are your thoughts?
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 31.03.05 8:19:00 PM
Benzyl Benzoate, can get it from chemists but you may have to order it. Pongs awful but your nails will grow long and strong.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 31.03.05 8:20:00 PM
.....to rub on itchy places not as supplement. Sorry, just read op again.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : June
Date : 31.03.05 8:32:00 PM
The only thing I've found that works is Coopers fly repellent but it is pretty nasty stuff. My vet is involved in a sweet itch vaccination trial at the moment. The idea is to vaccinate the horse before the sweetitch season starts and probably give a booster half way through the season but that should provide protection. I'll post on the DG if the trial comes back positively. If you are anywhere near Herts I'm sure you could participate if you are interested.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : June
Date : 31.03.05 8:34:00 PM
The only thing I've found that works is Coopers fly repellent but it is pretty nasty stuff. My vet is involved in a sweet itch vaccination trial at the moment. The idea is to vaccinate the horse before the sweetitch season starts and probably give a booster half way through the season but that should provide protection. I'll post on the DG if the trial comes back positively. If you are anywhere near Herts I'm sure you could participate if you are interested.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : varkie
Date : 31.03.05 8:36:00 PM
I have tried practically every lotion, potion, supplement & spray on the market, and I can't honestly say that any of them made any difference at all.
The only things which seemed to make a difference for us were cutting out added sugar (like molasses) & grains from the diet, using a Boett blanket (I know it's sad to use them, but less sad than the results of not using them), and having electric fencing in the paddock to make sure that there is nothing at all to be itched on.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 31.03.05 9:16:00 PM
Has anyone tried Switch. My vet recommended it
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : mel
Date : 31.03.05 10:05:00 PM
i've tried all things but most dont work. net tex stop itch is ok for ears and things and equine america do a brown liquid which i use on his bits! but as an overall repellent i'm yet to find one. bought coopers now and the sweet itch people do spray gold which is good but too expensive to use daily all over.
it depends if you only need ot protect mane and tail or all over. my horse gets itchy all over so its awkward for me.
i've tried most supplements too but none really worked. it depends how bad your horse gets. i've got a boett now but tried everything else first. if its mild you may get away with supplements and sprays.
feedmark do a good skin supplement and you can get different herbs - hilton do some. skratch by global herbs smells very strong and is hard to get them to eat, also didnt work for me - but said to be good.
aromesse do natural products but not sure they were too effective. its trial and error really.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : Kerry
Date : 31.03.05 10:15:00 PM
I tried pretty much everything under the sun for my cob, with my last resort being to try a fly rug. Honestly, it has been a complete godsend and what I was doing back then trying lotions and potions when there were fly rugs, I don't know. In 2003 he was rubbign himself raw to the point he was bleeding and refused to leave the stable. So in spring 2004 I got the rambo sweetitch hoody and never looked back. He was so much more happier in himself and was banging the stable door in the morning to go out when 12 months ago he was refusing to leave his stable. I know a fly rug is expensive, but from my experience worth every penny if it meant Troika was happy.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 31.03.05 10:32:00 PM
Mel
is there any reason why you use one product for ears and another for his "bits" - How effective is the Equine America product?
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : jade
Date : 31.03.05 11:37:00 PM
Been there tried it all from lotions & potions to suppliments.
Kept in stable with mesh and dangling bits of sticky stuff draped from every opening (at dawn and dusk when midges are out in force) Not a bad result but pony miserable and bored.
Vet advised against sweet itch vaccination as its been found to have side effects- namely laminitis.
Never tried a rug as the manufacturers suggest electric fencing to prevent tears caused by rubbing.To me that seemed more unkind- if you're itching like crazy, you want to scratch. So is it the rug that works or the fact they can't rub so there's less evidence of scabby bits?
Anyway,I use olive oil.The stuff you cook with -I've been using it since 2003,£2 a bottle,last ages,brill!
Not saying you're daft but be careful using when its very sunny!One or two applications per week does my pony. He's changed from a miserable scab on legs into a happy cheeky chap with a complete mane and tail.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 01.04.05 0:33:00 AM
ALVA SWEET!!!!
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : Von 2
Date : 01.04.05 1:10:00 AM
I have tried all sorts of lotions, potions, oils, feeds or diets, but the only effective way I found to control sweet itch is to cover them up in some sort of Boett. I do not consider it cruel to prevent my horse from the misery of rubbing himself to pieces, bleeding and scabbed from the effect of letting the mosquitoes get to his mane and tail. My horse also does not think it is cruel as he almost climbs back into the rug himself after we come back from a ride, he knows the difference that rug makes to his quality of life.
Jade, if you rug up early enough in the season you do not need electric fencing as the horse is not getting bitten so therefore does not need to scratch. If you do not rug early enough you will have to protect the rug for about 3 weeks waiting for the itchy effect of the bites the horse had already got before blanketed to wear off.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : mal
Date : 01.04.05 5:01:00 AM
Boett most definately, coupled with Avon skin so soft woodland fragrance..
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : Lyn
Date : 01.04.05 10:25:00 AM
Boetts definatly work. Need to be put on before midges bite though. We have our boys on all winter as well, as the midges never go away. From a stubble mane 2 years ago we now have the mane I dreamed of, about 24 inches in places. Does the dark make hair grow quicker? Do still get a few problema around tail area, so we cover that with something sticky like sodocream. The rug has also lasted 2 years now on a very rough boy, should last at least another year. Also we spray under belly area with a repellant. Rug comes off once a week for a quick wash. It is also excellent at drying out after unexpected showers.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : KH
Date : 01.04.05 11:07:00 AM
Boett without a doubt - it really works but must be left on all the time. You can even ride in it. They get little rips in them but can be easily patched. When you buy one they send you some spare material for repairs. Well worth the money.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : Stacy
Date : 01.04.05 12:14:00 AM
I have just got a new horse and he has has sweet ich i see that you are all talking about 'Boett' what is it and where can i find out about it?
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : mel
Date : 01.04.05 12:51:00 AM
www.sweet-itch.com you have to order directly from them.
i use one product on his ears and bits etc because it seems effective but its not really appropriate for all over use. but his ears and bits are most exposed so the greasy products are ok for those type of areas.
sudocrem is actually good for ears too. the equine america one is thick and sticky and good for 'bits' but can also be watered down and used all over. but you end up needing to bath your horse often if applying all these products all over because they get greasy. where as a fly rug prevents this and you can just apply lotions to the exposed parts.
general fly lotions like coopers dont make them greasy but many of the special sweet itch ones do - as will avon skin so soft.
i've never tried alvasweet. is it any good?
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From : varkie
Date : 01.04.05 6:47:00 PM
People often say that they think it is unkind to electric off everything that a sweet itch pony might itch on. I agree, it's not a nice thing to have to do, but I believe it's better than the alternative. The problem is that a sweet itch pony won't just scratch a bit - they will scratch until they bleed, and then scratch some more. I think that is more unkind than electricing off anything they might itch on.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 01.04.05 7:06:00 PM
Op- if your horsey hasn't started itching yet, then it's probably not AWFUL...?
Can you get in touch with the prev owners+ ask what they used? I got a great long list on what to use on mine lol.
Subject : re:- SWEET ITCH advice - feed supplemets? fly repellants? what works!
From :
Date : 01.04.05 8:26:00 PM
Dont use Alva sweet it made a friends pony much worse.
