UGH! Welts/hives from fly bites already! Who uses pharmaceuticals for summer?

[RedHorses]

Blackflies are the first infestation we see each spring. They burrow into the winter hair and bite. Most horses have a welt line across their chest at the base of their neck where the skin wrinkles as they graze. This wrinkle lifts and separates the hair and the blackflies take advantage of the easier access. They also get into the belly line.

Most horses have that welt across their chest. My second horse had two or three welts. I found that if I got him started on apple cider vinegar two weeks before the blackflies arrived, he would get one, smaller welt. So it’s not a 100% prevention method, but I felt the reduced welts were worth it. I keep my horses on ACV all summer. Even though I can’t see a difference, I’m hoping that % reduction in bites carries through.

People will tell you that you must use ACV with “the mother” in it, but I got my results with plain old Heinz ACV from the grocery store.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

We rug here, synthetic combos in white for the heat. One of my mares was being absolutely smashed on her forelegs and came up with huge crusty scabs. So I hung cattle fly tags off of her rug, just adjacent to her front knees. Problem solved. The difference was night and day.

The tags I used are called Cylence tags and are horse-safe. I usually hang two per horse, one off the neck rug and one off the tail flap, but this was much more effective.

Prior to the tags, I tried coating the scabs in a thick mud poultice (tuffrock) to keep the flies off but within half an hour they’d burrowed through the mud and the mare had blood on her legs.

[ridernc]

The only thing that helped my super bug sensitive mare was immunotherapy injections. They have been absolutely life-changing for her in the warmer months. She still gets some normal bumps and bites but not the hives she endured before the injections.

[Renn_aissance]

Yes, I use Zyrtec all summer. I start at 10 pills twice a day, which is enough to give him a good response at the start of the season, and then up it as he develops tolerance throughout the summer.

@Old_Mac_Donald

The tags I used are called Cylence tags and are horse-safe. I usually hang two per horse, one off the neck rug and one off the tail flap, but this was much more effective.

Thank you for this idea- I’m bringing in a fly sheet for the first time this year, and I’ll add the fly tags also.

[JB]

Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is studied at 0.2-0.4mg/kg every 12-24 hours.

That’s 10-20 of the 10mg OTC pills 1-2 times a day, for a 500kg (1100lb) horse

If I were to do this, I’d start at the high end dose, twice a day, until I saw results, then back down to find the lowest dose and timing to maintain.

I see a lot of vets just generically say 10 pills 1-2 times a day, even for big horses. Then when it doesn’t work, the owner says "zyrtec doesn’t work. What should have been done IMVHO is up the dose and/or frequency to see if it works then. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t, but it’s an unfair trial to start with the lowest dose and declare it doesn’t work

[CindyCRNA]

Ok I have never heard this! I will look into it.

[CindyCRNA]

Are you using a fly sheet with a neck or no neck cover?

[Simkie]

Yeah I’ve always started at the higher dose, and stepped it down, like @JB describes. Best case is managing on 10 x 10 mg q24.

I’ve also used cattle tags with success but do the Trizap brand. Either attached to a sheet (at the chest and tail) or tied into the mane and tail.

Do note that some tags contain organophosphates. These carry higher risk of toxicity than the pyrethrin or pyrethroid tags. So be sure to read the label & understand what’s being used.

[CindyCRNA]

That’s why I kinda like the idea of attaching them on the sheet. Or do they have to touch the animal to be effective?

[Simkie]

No, on the sheet is fine.

But still, read the label and stay away from organophosphates.

[CindyCRNA]

Is that why you used that specific tag?

[Simkie]

One of the reasons, yes.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Neck but no hood (full fly masks)

Tags when first attached. Mare’s wounds are covered in medicated sunblock.

Second photo is about two weeks later. That is a white horse wearing a b&w striped rug…….

[Old_Mac_Donald]

[luvmyhackney]

That second picture is amazing!!

What fly mask are you using?

[Old_Mac_Donald]

It’s called an Equivisor. They are AMAZING and $40 AUD each. I sew the nose flaps on (from Caribu @ $6 ea). This year I tried a new technique of using teeny cable ties to attach the noseflap in the corners. Over the nose I used super strength velcro glued on with Tarzan Grip on the upperside of the mask, and a piece of sheepskin on the underside (this mare needs sheepskin). That way I can remove the nose flaps in winter, or to wash them, as they don’t last as long as the masks do.

This mare is 25yo and has nasal tumors and it’s a fine balance between keeping her safe from the sun (she burns like bread in a toaster) and overloading her skin with things that rub.

[IPEsq]

I use Zyrtec all summer. Also for general allergies/asthma. I also find that HorseTech’s Buggzo product will help with the welts even if it doesn’t exactly repel flies (our flies are bad!). Maybe they just don’t bite as much? And Equishield IBH (insect bite hypersensitivity) salve if they do get some as well as on midline–haven’t tried the spray.

[CindyCRNA]

Any of you try Deep Woods Off? I sprayed my guys legs belly and neck this morning lightly along with his regular fly spray as I tuned him out at 6am and worried about mosquitos that eat him alive.

[IPEsq]

I have sprayed my fly sheets with it when the deer flies are out. But not on the horse directly.

[Renn_aissance]

@IPEsq

And Equishield IBH (insect bite hypersensitivity) salve if they do get some as well as on midline–haven’t tried the spray.

The spray works well too.

@CindyCRNA

Any of you try Deep Woods Off?

Yes, directly on the horse. My vet and I discussed that by the time he was likely to develop cancer or something awful from contact with potent chemicals, it would be a moot point (horse is 28.) I use it on the legs. Seems to work OK but doesn’t totally eliminate the belly bites. However, it does help with ticks.