Sweet Itch is an allergic reaction that may result in itchy skin lesions, typically on the tail. Some horses are sensitive to bites from a specific type of midge – when bitten by Culicoides midges, these horses can experience inflamed and itchy skin: sweet itch. Watch for this allergic reaction during the warmer months, generally between April and October.
Symptoms include skin lesions on affected areas – which may include the tail, mane, back, ears and/or head. These lesions are generally very itchy and cause the horse to excessively scratch affected areas, which will usually result in broken hairs, progressing to bald patches and then irritated and/or bleeding skin. In severe cases, the skin may become thickened, blackened and/or wrinkled with the hair becoming coarse and sparse.
Unfortunately there are few treatments available for this condition. The best defense, in this case, is a good offense! Prevention, prevention, prevention. This can be accomplished a couple of ways including insect repellents and blankets to prevent bites from midges. It has also been suggested that immunotherapy (“treatment designed to produce immunity to a disease or enhance the resistance of the immune system to an active disease process” – dictionary.com) may help. Another option is to go directly to the source and work on your farms fly control. Equisearch.com has an interesting article with some suggestions for prevention (apple cider vinegar in your horses feed, applying menthol products, rubbing dryer sheets on your horse, etc.)
If your horse is allergic to these midges, watch for signs of infection. Their attempts to scratch the affected areas can introduce bacteria, potentially causing a whole other slew of problems.
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