How to Treat Sweet Itch

Sweet itch is an allergic reaction that horses experience toward Culicoides midge, gnat or fly bites. It affects all breeds of horses and is a recurrent condition. This condition causes itching and thickening of the skin, which can turn into sores. If not treated, more serious infections can develop. The most susceptible areas include the top of the tail and mane, the saddle area, the ears, neck and sometimes the belly. Though there is no cure for sweet itch, there are treatments that will help decrease the discomfort.

Things You'll Need

  • Cream with benzyl benzoate
  • Fly repellent spray
  • Calamine lotion or castor oil
  • Summer bed sheet and hood
  • Antihistamine or corticosteroid
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Instructions

    • 1

      Massage a cream with benzyl benzoate into the affected areas, as long as the skin isn't broken. This will help ease the uncomfortable itch.

    • 2

      Spray fly repellent onto the horse's skin, preferably one that contains diethyl toluamide (DEET). This will diminish the discomfort and keep midges away.

    • 3

      If the skin is broken, or hair loss has occurred, apply a coat of calamine lotion or castor oil, both which will bring relief to the pain but will not prevent further attacks.

    • 4

      Cover the horse with a summer sheet and hood that acts as a barrier to midges. This sheet is light enough to use in the summer, and is the best way to manage sweet itch, according to localriding.com.

    • 5

      For serious cases, give the horse a high dose of an antihistamine, which will give the horse temporary relief but may cause it to become vey drowsy.

    • 6

      A tablet or injection of a corticosteroid is the most powerful medication that will bring temporary relief and reduce inflammation, but this drug contains numerous side effects and can lose effectiveness over time.