My understanding is that you need to use EquiMax, not other brands. I can’t speak to the lameness but for my mare the crusty bumps got worse for about a week then started to lessen before the DD in two weeks.
I suspect that my horse has had this for a few years. After reading up on it, I discovered that NTW can cause contracted tendons in foals. Is it possible this can happen in an older horse as well?? My horse has been doing an odd thing with his hind fetlock joint for awhile–the hoof will be flat on the ground but the fetlock is flexed or upright sometimes. If he’s standing for awhile, when he starts walking it will sort of pop over when it bends; it seems to improve the more he moves. It almost seems like the tendon is contracting but it doesn’t seem to bother him much. I’ve been walking on hills thinking that maybe I can stretch it a bit.
He does have a 10 yr. old injury on that leg. Just above the ergot, he had a puncture wound that didn’t heal properly and it has a bit of dried scabby (proud flesh?) growing out that I have to trim. It’s quite possible that the tendons never healed properly and there is scar tissue bothering him, but would it take this long to show? Oh, he is 26 yrs. old and is ridden regularly. There could be a multitude of things wrong at his age but the NTW/tendon thing caught my attention.
I just finished reading this entire thread-- granted it took a few days. I am anxious to start this program on my 2 older (19 & 20) show horses, both of which have some itchy-scratchy areas. The older one especially on his tail. I am worried about the timing of the expected results-- as noted on this thread. I don’t want the “worse before better” results to coincide with a horse show. Any thoughts?
I would suspect a stifle issue before I suspected any “contracted tendon” issue in an adult horse 
Agreed.
I was at the barn yesterday and it looks like the other hind leg pastern is becoming more upright now too. It’s weird, because he doesn’t feel off and it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. He’s still eager to walk and trot, even up hills. Wouldn’t a stifle injury show some sort of lameness? I just had him adjusted 3 weeks ago by Carol Edwards and his one hip was a bit locked up on the side of the first ‘contracting tendon’ but she didn’t mention anything unusual going on.
There is no heat or swelling that I can find anywhere. I’m going to have a vet look at him but I was really disappointed in the last lameness exam I had them do on him (“Oh, I don’t know and I have no time right now” was her reply when I had her out for another issue.) I sometimes think that because of his age they don’t really care. The NTW/contracted tendon link seemed significant. -sigh-
[QUOTE=hr;5721343]
I just finished reading this entire thread-- granted it took a few days. I am anxious to start this program on my 2 older (19 & 20) show horses, both of which have some itchy-scratchy areas. The older one especially on his tail. I am worried about the timing of the expected results-- as noted on this thread. I don’t want the “worse before better” results to coincide with a horse show. Any thoughts?[/QUOTE]
I definitely believe NTW can be an issue, but I recommend cleaning sheaths and udders first. I just did that with my 2 itchy scratchy horses, and they showed immediate relief. I am ashamed to say I didn’t know a mare could get that crusty between her teats, especially when everything looks good from the sides. I was cleaning her back foot and happened to glance up at her udder. Yuck! I could see the crusty gunk when her leg was raised/stretched. She nuzzled the person holding her while I cleaned her, she loved it so much. She had broken tail hairs and a small rubbed spot on her tail head, which should have been my first clue!
Still looking for an answer regarding timing of treatment, so as to not have them in the “gets worse before it gets better” stage when a show is scheduled?
[QUOTE=hr;5729136]
Still looking for an answer regarding timing of treatment, so as to not have them in the “gets worse before it gets better” stage when a show is scheduled?[/QUOTE]
hr: I put two horses through the EXACT same NTW treatment at the EXACT same time. One horse had no reaction except to become less itchy. The other horse got bumps/lumps.
[QUOTE=hr;5729136]
Still looking for an answer regarding timing of treatment, so as to not have them in the “gets worse before it gets better” stage when a show is scheduled?[/QUOTE]
I don’t have a good reference handy, but I’ve read the “flare up” lasts about 72 hours after worming before getting better.
Thanks, that helps.
Gave my 7 year old TB Gelding double Equimax 2 days ago. His reaction is exactly as described. Bumps and lumps and a bit sore in one front leg. His problem isn’t as severe as some of the other posters. We are in Southern California and obviously it’s not nearly as wet here,though this past winter we had a lot of rain. I have spoken with a number of vets and have not heard one of them even suggest that the itching and all the rest could be anything other than allergy to gnat bites.
Just recently, I changed my horse’s worming schedule and thats when what once was a small issue became huge. His whole personality changed from puppy dog like, to constantly trying to nip everyone and just downright crabby all the time. I would bet it’s NTW. We shall see.
Has anyone that got on board with DD with Equimax finding that was indeed the answer?
I was just directed to this thread several days ago and have read a LOT of it. What has the actual long termed outcome been since it began in 2008??
I have my first itchie horse in the swamps of south Fl where all creatures grow year round!
DD with Zimectrin Gold 4 days ago as the Equimax was not available locally. This was preceeded by Safe-Guard 2 weeks prior as I initially thought the tail rubbing could have been pin-worms. :o(
Any news to report? I’m surprised there hasn’t been a post since mid 2011.
Maybe that is because everyone killed them all? 
Hi there,
I have come across this site in my constant search for a cure for my itchy horse. I am in Australia and live in an area where this is common. Here it is called Queensland Itch - Sweet Itch in Europe and US I think.
But I have been wondering what else I can do. My horse developed this itch during our winter. I had the vet out to test for lice - but nothing. I have assumed it is itch and keep him covered all summer, complete with face mask.
i regularly treat him with Brute - an insecticide that is rubbed on - and this has helped. Each day I take his rug off and give him a thorough brush. His tail is always a mess, but slowly he is looking better. however this hasn’t fixed the itch and when I take his rug off he is immediately at areas that look perfectly okay. I also see him sitting down in the paddock rubbing his belly - although this year it is not too bad as I have made sure I treat him there. Last year I tried one of those special itch rugs - he hated it!
I am starting to think he may have this problem with the worms - and even though he is wormed regularly I am thinking about the double dose of Equimax. We have a wormer out here now called Equimax elevation - it contains pyrantel embonate, praziquantel and ivermectin. I gather this would be okay as a double dose.
At present I’ve read up to page 10 of this thread and need to keep reading - I’m just hoping this works. I have also spent a fortune on hair testing and herbal mixes, homeopathics, special feeds and ingredients - and yet nothing seems to help.
I look forward to hearing more!
It certainly won’t hurt your horse to try it. It sounds like you’ve tried everything else Have you had a fecal egg count done on him?
No, I haven’t had an egg count done. I did read that they are not overly reliable.
I have just bought a bulk lot of Equimax from an on line store. As I have to go away for a few weeks, I will worm them all with what I have - then do the double dose when I come back.
I went to sleep last night dreaming about worms!!:eek:
FECs are reliable from the positive perspective. If you get a bunch of eggs in a single sample, imagine what’s in the whole horse :eek:
Where they aren’t necessarily reliable is in the negative sense - a 0 count doesn’t necessarily mean the horse is clean, at least not as a one-time thing. But if you get 0/low counts on a regular basis, THEN it is much more reliable and meaningful
DD Equimax worked for me last year. I also treated the sores by washing them with providine iodine, then slathering with a combo of triple antibiotic, athlete’s foot creme, and desitin.
L
Well I made it to the end. Fascinating stuff!
Anybody from the original 2008 posts still doing this? and what’s happening?
I have an old mare that looks just like the photos in the beginning of this thread every summer. I’d like to try the double dosing but…she is 37 years old.
Healthy and sound retired friend. 11 hands tall, with a curly winter coat. No health problems except she is getting up there in years. Has anybody tried it with a real old one?
