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Post by bobalong on Jul 15, 2008 8:04:59 GMT
i have a 17 hh warmblood, ive had him a year, when we 1st went to see him lady said he had sweetitch, it was very bad a month later when we went to collect him it was much better,
it was managed well last summer, and not really a issue, then in the winter we moved yards, all winter he continued to itch. i wasnt convinced it was SI so i had a skin biopsy done on him. it showed up nothing!
now for some reason, poor boy is going itching like mad, our fields are kept poop free so little flys, you may see the odd bug on the face but not more than a couple,
when i say hes itching, and i say its not sweetitch... this is why... hes itched hes withers.... not the neck or mane, inside hes ears. the top of hes rump. and over the last few days hes done hes side. he does not have any thing contagious, my horses all share rugs, headcollers, brushes etc. he does not have lice/mites.
im going to get blood tests done this week, but hes getting so bad the thought has entered my mind to PTS. a life of itching is no life for him.
hes currently flysprayed twice a day he has a flyrug on, and i also spray over that, he has sweetitch kill itch (dont think its helping) he has de itch cream, he has sudo cream on any raw bits......... he in a field, where theres little to itch on with a horse that wont groom him back. i cant put him neat a stable as he will literally be on the floor itching.. weve also recently tried a course of oral steriods.
any ideas guys?? im hoping im missing something....
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ceej
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Post by ceej on Jul 15, 2008 8:33:23 GMT
is there any mollasses or barley in his diet - both of these things can cause the symptoms you describe (plus lumpy skin)
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Post by Becca on Jul 15, 2008 9:10:07 GMT
try eliminating one thing at a time, it definately sounds like an allergy to something, feed seems the most likely if he dosn't get many flies around
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Post by aimee on Jul 15, 2008 11:06:20 GMT
I'd smother him in lice powder just in case
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ceej
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Post by ceej on Jul 15, 2008 11:11:18 GMT
I'd smother him in lice powder just in case I found that a really good bath with dermoline is the best stuff for lice infestation - you actually brush out the ddead lice at the end - urgh!! |
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Post by aimee on Jul 15, 2008 11:47:06 GMT
haha lovely!  |
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Post by bobalong on Jul 15, 2008 12:21:21 GMT
hes been deloused many times, vet originally said lice... erm no.. there was none,
feed wise he was chaff and conditoning mix, took out the conditoning mix, and replaced with barley rings the itching remined the same. sugar wise hes on a very low sugar feed, the barley has little as does the hifi lite.
the vet is out tomorrow to take bloods, its a tough call but im going cut ALL hard feed out for a few days. to see if it eases off, unfortunatley due to the fact its taken months to get him looking good, its nothing i want to do, but will privide hay for him,.
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Post by jack on Jul 15, 2008 12:42:56 GMT
flypore from the vets is good for flies and miges and does lice as well it lasts for a month
it could be something in the field that he could be alergic to try changeing the fly spray as that could be a problem give him a bath but patch test what you are going to use ichy gone is something eles has he had a skin scrap done is he scaby any where that he is scratching there was something eles i was going to say use but i cant remember what its called though i did post it on here some where with someone that was on about sweet itch i will have a look
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Post by jack on Jul 15, 2008 12:48:22 GMT
ok it was pure neem oil its good for all crawlies it comes from a tree it does have to be pure when its cold it looks like lard and you just warm it up and it truns into a liquid just smother it on and it lasts for quite a while i worked for a lady whos hore had realy bad sweet itch would drive him wild ( he was a shire ) it cleared it up completely
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abi
Intermediate Sh*t Shoveller
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Post by abi on Jul 15, 2008 12:49:49 GMT
he could be allergic to something?
what is he fed?
mine isnt allowed hayledge because she comes up in bumps everywhere due to an allergy to the proteins in it, so could be something he's eating. x
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Post by aimee on Jul 15, 2008 13:12:38 GMT
Well its a mystery! Glad you have decided to get a blood test done then you might know for sure! It might be nothing at all, lots of horses (mine included) love a good scratch!
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ceej
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Post by ceej on Jul 15, 2008 13:59:07 GMT
I would cut out the barley altogether - it can cause quite strong reactions...check out Allen & Page Ride and Relax or calm and condition - honest its worth a go sorry i originally tried to quote you bobalong but must have pressed modify post - I havent really edited it...  |
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Post by florence on Jul 15, 2008 22:38:28 GMT
My boy suffers from sweet itch but, like yours, he's itchy all year round. It's got worse over the last few years (he never used to get it at all) and I've had skin scrapings and blood tests done in the past all with negative results. However, this year he's been frantic and I too thought he would have to be PTS. The vet agreed with me that his immune system is breaking down and he prescribed steroids. We started on 100 per day gradually reducing them to a low dose that keeps him calm and virtually itch free. The blood tests also showed he now has an inflammatory bowel disease and had an infection of the bile ducts, caused by bacteria escaping from the bowel . This in turn was attacking the liver and he was prescribed a three week course of antibiotics. I don't know if the problem with the liver was making him itch too, but I know that some liver problems can cause itching. The blood tests were done mainly to find out why he was dropping weight. The antibiotics have sorted out the infection and the liver function is back to normal, he's put on weight, the bowel disease is greatly reduced and the steroids are helping this as well as the itching. At first I was advised to keep him on a maintenence dose of steroids for the summer, but because it's beneficial to the bowel disorder, the vet said to keep him on them permanently.
My horse always has a boett blanket and mask on, 24/7 from March to November and the worst bout of itching occured when the blanket was left off for 24 hours on a rather miserable day! The boett is the single most effective way I have found of coping with sweet itch as I've tried all the lotions and potions - they haven't worked, at best only calming temporarily and they all now say not to use them on broken skin anyway! I do hope you can get your horse sorted out as I know how miserable it is to see them like that. It must be like torture for them. Mine was so bad, it was getting dangerous going near him as he was rubbing on me and nearly ending up on top of me. Getting a headcollar on was almost impossible.
I'm sorry this has been such a long-winded reply but I hope some of it may be of help. Keep us posted on how you get on.
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Post by kateflashy on Jul 16, 2008 5:22:29 GMT
does he have soya in his feed , it is in nearly every mix you buy , but it sounds like a horse i used to look after , he would continously rub himself raw if he got the tiniest bit of soya it was a severe allergic reaction , once he was off soya he was fine , but even if you had mixed a feed with soya then did his just what was on your hand would set him off
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Post by bobalong on Jul 16, 2008 7:51:18 GMT
I would cut out the barley altogether - it can cause quite strong reactions...check out Allen & Page Ride and Relax or calm and condition - honest its worth a go sorry i originally tried to quote you bobalong but must have pressed modify post - I havent really edited it... he has a handful of ride and relax to supplement mins and vits. the barley hes been on since the winter, and at one point the itching cleared up, but for some reason its come back with a vengence. vets out today a couple of people have said it looks like mange (rapidley losing hair on rib cage area.) i think its unlikely as my horses all share rugs grooming kits etc.. and the other 3 are all fine. somebody else suggest phosises (sp) like humans get, as the worst itching is in the areas closest to the bone. the skin biopsy was done months ago, it showed up nothing. |
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Post by bobalong on Jul 16, 2008 7:53:15 GMT
sorry forgot to add. all mine have sugar free/low sugar feeds.
i have now at the risk of him dropping weight, cut out all hard feed. just for a few days.
i feel so sorry for him, as we left last night he neighed, as much as to say MUM YOUVE FORGOT MY TEA!
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Post by aimee on Jul 16, 2008 11:55:53 GMT
You mean psoriasis? I had that, didn't know horses could too. Can be caused by lots of things like sunburn, skin injurys or like mine caused by stress/traumatic experience, it cleared up eventually with steriod cream. But yeah it does itch like mad!
He should be ok for just a few days without hard feed as long as he is getting ad-lib hay or good grass it wont hurt him better to be safe until you know for sure if it is the feed causing it.
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Post by Blonde Donkey on Jul 16, 2008 11:57:08 GMT
can horses get psoriasis?
i have that been trying to get rid of it for ages
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Post by kateflashy on Jul 16, 2008 12:05:44 GMT
my mums got that hers is agrivated by certain soaps and washing liquid and powders
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Post by kitcat on Jul 16, 2008 12:45:55 GMT
I occasionally get excema (sp) on my hands which itches like crazy. Lanes Tea Tree antiseptic cream is fantastic.
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Post by kitcat on Jul 16, 2008 12:46:23 GMT
I occasionally get excema (sp) on my hands which itches like crazy. Lanes Tea Tree antiseptic cream is fantastic.
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saza60
Whipper Snapper
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Post by saza60 on Jul 16, 2008 13:53:19 GMT
to help ur poor boy from being irritated by this iching id put on benzo benzawait(not spelt right but thats how u pronounce it) get it from chemist the best thing in the world for things like that hope it helps sarah x x
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Post by bobalong on Jul 17, 2008 20:58:33 GMT
ive tried benzo thingy... didnt help sudo cream tends to help the bits where theres open wounds, i really have tried most things. bloods done yesterday will be tested for over 60 things, just have to wait for results
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Post by brigadier on Jul 19, 2008 12:47:17 GMT
If nothing showed up on his biopsy it looks like it is an internal problem with his bloods/liver etc as someone has suggested or a reaction to a feedstuff! the only way to find out the first is by blood test and the only way to find out the second is by diet restrictions.
If it is feed the common aggravators are wheat, barley and soya, also sometimes haylage because it is high in sugars. Start a restrictive diet by feeding him some of last years hay- clean and dust free for a couple of weeks- if the itching stops then for the next week introduce a singular feedstuff- maybe some clean oats. If still all is well then the next week introduce sugar beet (non molassed). Document all the changes etc in a diary so you know where you are with it and progress from there. Seaweed is a good general supplement if you need to add one and dont forget the benefits of mint and garley on the skin and blood.
Steroids will in high enough doses calm any skin condition as they supress the immune system however the damage on the organs and joints is huge in the long term so you are best trying to find the cause.
I hope its a food reaction problem as once you find what it is that causes the problem then you can avoid it. Liver and blood problems nearly always need steroids.
Good luck
brig
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Post by only1wu on Jul 19, 2008 23:38:39 GMT
My boy used to itch & scratch in the summer. When he was turned out he used to charge straight to his "Scratching Tree"and have a good go at his withers & tail.
Eventually he was so bad that he need to be covered in fly repellent, wear a bug rug and have a bath once a week.
Then he got laminitis. The vet said that the two were not connected, but we changed his diet, cutting out all cereals and feeding him only Laminitis Trust Approved feed and Formula4Feet. After his 3 months box rest we turned him out. He charged to his "Scratching Tree", looked puzzled, like "Why am I here?" trotted off and has never scratched again.
So we do wonder if he was allergic to something in his feed. Not very scientific, but just what we observed.
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