Sweet itch

RE: Sweet itch

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 08:48:25 GMT

Thanks She hates being brought in without her friends, and is in the world champion class at wrecking midge rugs.

Wynne

RE: Sweet itch

Wren — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 08:45:19 GMT

Ditto - Switch is great. Sell gallons of it too. Flypor is a cattle product that is also 4% permethrin and considerably cheaper. I haven't really got much experience of the immunotherapy. Some clients swear by Dectomax injection, which shouldn't really work, but does appear to in some cases. I did initially think that it was indicative of a wrong diagnosis, ie. mites rather than sweet itch, but some of the cases it has worked I have been almost 100% sure weren't due to external parasites.

To be honest the best treatment for sweet itch is preventing them from getting bitten in the first place. A physical barrier is often the most effective solution. Make sure any rugs you buy/tell the client to buy are the midge version, not just ordinary fly rugs (much finer mesh), and have a belly cover as well. Boett rugs are the gold standard, though expensive. Rambo do something called a 'sweet itch hoody', which is also very good, and cheaper. There is a version impregnated with permethrin which I have been pretty impressed with.

RE: Sweet itch

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 21:04:08 GMT

Sell gallons of Switch. Apply every 7 days. Works really well. The majority of the horse products are 'natural' and therefore useless. Make them smell of garlic or citronella all you like!

(there was a cow product called Rydect that was exactly the same as Switch but 1/4 the price, but no longer available for cows).

Immunotherapy did nothing for my wife's horse - Switch works.

RE: Sweet itch

Emily Rainbow — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 20:01:29 GMT

Has anyone used Switch? Just got a bottle in to try but not had anybody on it long term yet to try it!

RE: Sweet itch

Joyce Whitehead — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 10:06:26 GMT

OH (equine vet) says he waits till after the season, and has heard some good reports. But he says the waiting till after the season is not particularly scientific! I'd say that with dogs on immunotherapy we just get going whenever. He also says he's had some success with Cavalesse - oral nicotinamide, to be started before the season but acts as an immunomodulator.

RE: Sweet itch

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sun, 19 Jun 2016 08:56:56 GMT

Where are all the equine practitioners when you need them?

Wynne