Sweet Itch Care
- Frequently asked questions
- Which care products and accessories help horses with sweet itch?
- Which products help horses with rain scald?
- What accessories does my horse with sweet itch need?
Which care products and accessories help horses with sweet itch?
Sweet itch is a horse skin disease caused by insect bites. It is not curable - you can either prevent it or treat the symptoms.
For both options, we have sweet itch rugs and fly repellents in our shop, as well as care products for sweet itch treatment. When treating sweet itch, it is important to give the horse as much relief as possible. The more the horse itches and rubs, the bigger the open sores become, opening the door to serious infections. In our care products for horses with sweet itch, you will find lotions, tonics and shampoos that you can use regularly to treat your horse. They support the horse's skin health, moisturise and protect the skin from drying out.
Since mosquitoes are most active at dusk and at night, you should adjust your horse's turnout time accordingly. In addition, it is more than advisable for horses with sweet itch to wear a sweet itch rug with a neck piece, tail flap and udder and genital protection from March to October, which offers the mosquitoes as little attack surface as possible.
In addition, you can support your horse's immune system and health from the inside out by adjusting its feed. For this purpose, feed containing zinc but reduced sugar, protein and grains is particularly important. Feed with additives and flavourings should also be avoided, as any unnecessary ingredient puts additional strain on the metabolism and can intensify the symptoms. You can read about the ideal way to keep and care for a sweet itch horse in our guide on sweet itch. There you will not only find information on what sweet itch is and what symptoms it is associated with, but you will also find answers to the most frequently asked questions about sweet itch.
Which products help horses with rain scald?
Rain scald, also called dermatophilosis or rain rot, is very similar to summer sweet itch. It occurs mainly in the wet and cold seasons. Horses with longer coats also seem to be affected more often, as the moisture can be retained better here. In contrast to sweet itch, rain scald is more of a temporary condition, but can be accompanied by severe pain and fever. You should do the following at the slightest sign of rain scald:
- Contact the vet.
- Put your horse somewhere dry.
- Let your horse get as much sun as possible.
- Wash wounds with a mild shampoo, e.g. a special sweet itch shampoo.
- Clip horses with very long coats.
- General hygiene: disinfect grooming equipment, use disposable gloves.
- Strengthen the immune system from the inside with adapted feeding.
When the first scaly spots or open wounds appear, you should clean and care for them with special eczema products. For this purpose, we have lotions, eczema shampoos and care ointments in our range that are designed for the specific needs of horses with eczema.
Skin problems are often a sign of problems coming from within. To strengthen your horse's defences, you can counteract this with targeted feeding. Our range includes supplements for a strong immune system, a better metabolism and for healthy skin and a shiny coat, which you can buy in the form of feed oils, herbs or pellets.
If your horse develops a thick, very long coat that is difficult to maintain and keep dry during the rainy season, you can clip your horse. Among our clippers you will find models with different attachments.
What accessories does my horse with sweet itch need?
- Sweet itch rug
- Sweet itch mask for turnout
- Fly veil for riding
- Fly repellent
- Sweet itch care products to keep the skin moisturised and nourished