Huge Sweet Itch Problem! Help!

[EF_Equus]

Okay guys, I’ve seen a lot of problems solved by posting on here, so I’m going to give it a shot. My new mare whom I picked up on Wednesday has a MAJOR sweet itch problem. Or at least, that’s what I think it is. It doesn’t quite look as bad as the pictures google has, but I want to get it nipped in the bud ASAP. It’s obvious it bugs her and I want her to be comfortable. So what are your guys’ recommendations on affordable anti fungal sprays or creams? I’d love to be able to afford the EQyss sprays, but I just can’t right now. But I also want her to be comfortable and not itchy and rubbing her coat out and scratching her face up. I don’t have any pictures right now, but I’m going out to the barn tomorrow, so I’ll try and get pictures and post them below. Thanks in advance!!

• Faith

[4horses]

Stall in front of a fan. Apply skin so soft or Repel brand Eucalyptus oil (sold in tiny bottles for people). Try Destin ointment. Petroleum jelly smeared on the affected area is cheap. Deworm with ivermectin.

Use a fly mask and sheet if it’s not too hot. My friend uses lycra hoods on her horse during the summer but she doesn’t have stalls with fans. Stalls with fans are the best as midges are poor fliers.

[Xanthoria]

Can I clarify one suggestion above? It’s Repel (or Cutter) brand lemon eucalyptus repellent. Very specific, that ingredient - not citronella, not lemongrass, not lemon AND eucalyptus, but eucalyptus citriodora aka lemon eucalyptus. It really works. And a great, belly covering fly sheet.

Sweet itch is an allergy to the saliva of the culicoides midge, not a fungal issue, too.

[walkinthewalk]

Sweet Itch can spread like wildfire. Since the horse is new to you, I really would have the vet out and give her a steroid shot before it gets so bad she has rubbed herself raw and then might need antibiotics. That happened to me once and I learned my lesson to quickly nip that garbage in the bud.

Good diet does help – that means no sweet feed for starters. A big boost of pure Vitamin E (no added selenium). Also helps.

As far as topicals that depends how far it’s spread, which goes back to having a vet look at her. It’s only June, she is going to need help until the weather gets cold.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

Lots of good info for treatment of “sweet itch” in this thread. Basically people have had good luck with a double dose of Equimax wait 2 weeks, do it again.

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/horse-care/17248-something-to-kill-adult-onchocerca-19-case-studies-posted-page-58

[lorilu]

Coat Defense makes a clay-like paste I put on any irritation as soon as I see it to protect it from flies and midges. They also make a powder lots of folks like. If a sore develops I use a spray bandage product Farnam’s Purishield over a blend of triple antibiotic and ivermectrin. Works better than Alushield spray.
If the Coat Defense paste is too thick, try this zinc oxide paste - Equiderma makes one. My neighbor swears by the equiderma lotion,aslo a zinc oxide product but not a paste. https://www.equiderma.com/products/equiderma-skin-lotion-zinc-oxide-paste-twin-pack-combo

[Xanthoria]

Sweet itch is an allergy to the bites of the culicoides midge. If OP has that issue, neck threadworm/onchocerca treatment, deworming, fungal treatments etc won’t help.

OP do you have a confirmed diagnosis?

[BoyleHeightsKid]

Here’s a thread from horsecity that has great before and after pictures of a horse with an “allergy”
http://forums.horsecity.com/topic/47002656-sweet-itchmtg-pics-new-symptoms/

She did what @ChocoMare suggested and did the double dose Equimax thing. I think the pictures speak for themselves.