# Any tips for a very itchy pony?



## bekkalou93 (11 December 2012)

Hi all, 
My 3 year old cob cross is extremely itchy all over. He had the same problem in winter last year and I'm wondering could he simply just be itchy with no cause? Also do you have any top tips for helping itchers?

He gets Wendal's Herb's 'Stop Itch' in his feed as this was the only thing I found that could help him last year. I also put Gold Label 'Wonder Gel' on the parts he seems to itch the most.

Last year he lived out all year round and unfortunately on the fell he was on there was an old sheep pen, which meant as he was itching on this he basically skinned his entire face.

He has always like to have the occasional bum scratch and an itch on the neck. Last winter some horses from a different yard got turned out with him and brought with them a nice lice infestation. However he was itchy before that, and the lice were quickly treated. This year he is on a totally different yard and is still itching like mad. There are no signs of lice, he has been on straw and shavings in the past so I'm pretty sure it's not any kind of bedding allergy. Also there is no irritation on his skin or any sign that something's annoying him - he just loves to rub! 

Please help if you have any ideas how I can help my poor lad, while he seems quite happy itching himself away I can't bear seeing another bald patch on him each time I walk up to the yard!

I should also add it makes no difference if he is in or out - he itches everywhere and will simply rub himself along the wall if he can't find a good itching post. Also it is only on his face and chest so pretty sure it's not a skin condition - he's fine the rest of the year.


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## Cinnamontoast (11 December 2012)

Dectomax injection has stopped my cob itching on several occasions. Recently, I've heard lots about sulphur drops/shampoo for dogs. My itchy springer is having sulphur drops and is tons better, although the evening primrose oil is probably more to blame.


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## Rowreach (11 December 2012)

Do you feed salt?  It can work wonders for itchers


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## Box_Of_Frogs (12 December 2012)

It's almost certainly lice. Start with the most obvious first. Lice are notoriously difficult to completely eradicate and can live in wood, bedding, rugs, you name it for yonks. I find feeding anything to THE HORSE to get rid of the lice in his environment hilarious...you need to get stuff on/into THE LICE to be effective! The various louse powders, as any honest vet will tell you, are a waste of money except as the gentlest of preventatives when there is NO INFESTATION. You need to attack them with something more kickass such as Frontline or one of the similar sprays. Dectomax injections, also repeated after 10 days so expensive, work well to rid the horse of the lice but obviously, don't touch the lice in the environment! Wash all rugs and grooming kit, change bedding. Do the same for every horse that your horse associates with. As with mites, repeat after 10 days to zap the hatched eggs too. Make sure your horse is healthy through a sensible, well balanced diet that promotes his well being and immune system.


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## maccachic (12 December 2012)

If no lice I have found apple cider vinegar feed/in water and as a wash helps and calandula cream is soothing for patches.


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## OFG (12 December 2012)

Box_Of_Frogs said:



			It's almost certainly lice. .
		
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Not necessarily

Was about to post a thread about the same thing as one pony I have is itching like mad.

He's a sweet itch sufferer and managed to control it well over the midge season (which was prolonged and really bad in our area this year). Then in November he started itching again and it's gotten progressivly worse over the weeks.

Took him to the vet and had 3 people checking him for lice, no signs at all. He's had steriod injections to try to break the itching cycle and am using citronella / liquid parafin mix to keep any remaining midges at bay (there are still a few when it gets warmer). Have tried most creams / lotions / potions to no avail.

His skin is incredibly flakey on his neck / withers and base of tail.

Neither of my other 2 horses have this issue and I have had a break out of lice in the past (over 10 years ago) so know it will spread to the other horses if it is a lice infestation.

Am taking pony back to vet this week to get skin scrapes done.


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## 5bs (12 December 2012)

My new cob that came in May was extremely itchy, ended up having a blood test he had raised liver enzymes, one of the readings was through the roof, he was put on milk thistle for a month and then blood tested six weeks latter, vet was abit shocked liver completely normal and no more itching since. Might be worth giving him a milk thistle detox.


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## Box_Of_Frogs (12 December 2012)

There's a ton of things that itchiness could be a symptom of but bear in mind that this pony has had a recent episode of lice. Like I said, you start with the obvious, common stuff first. Common stuff is the most common. Work up to the more exotic from there.


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## bekkalou93 (12 December 2012)

Thanks everyone!

I hadn't thought of salt, he loves salt licks so I'll get one of those in his stable and see if that helps.

I had hoped it would be something as simple as lice but its definitely not- no trace of them and as he's moved yards I highly doubt that there are any in the fixtures and fittings as we're renovating it so every thing is basically new. Also when the infestation broke out last year we totally blitzed everything over a number of weeks regularly until every last trace was gone. .. Sigh, like I say wish it was something that obvious  He doesn't wear a rug and I threw out all his grooming kit and got a new one after the lice last year.

I'll try the salt first and if that doesn't work move onto the more complex stuff, he's not got any flaky skin and is totally healthy otherwise, it bothers me more than him!


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## mandwhy (14 December 2012)

Is he scurfy? Mine was itchy when I got her in October, nowhere specific just all over itchiness so I give her the old classic micronised linseed and now her skin is great and she doesn't seem at all itchy. Might not cure your extreme itcher but might be a start  

Did you see that episode of rolf's hospital thing with that poor spaniel and its extreme itching? They treated that with sulphur, poor wee thing, CT's comment reminded me of it.


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## Welly (14 December 2012)

Could be worms? I bought a new mare that had a very itchy bum and neck, I thought it was midges. turned out it was pin worms. have wormed her and problem gone. Just a thought.


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## Theresa_F (14 December 2012)

I have been feeding my two a tablespoon of flower of sulphur each day for the past few weeks and have found them to be far less itchy.  I also sprayed manes, tails and bellies with frontline as mites can get into these places just in case.

One thought - does he get very hot?  Mine itch like mad if too warm, hence even when clipped I am carefully not to use HW rugs unless it is below 0


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## HappyHooves (14 December 2012)

Welly said:



			Could be worms? I bought a new mare that had a very itchy bum and neck, I thought it was midges. turned out it was pin worms. have wormed her and problem gone. Just a thought.
		
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Had an RSPCA rehomed companion this summer which itched itself silly, all over. Wormed 5 day panacur when it came, shampoo-d with antilice etc and still itchy. It wasn't until my horse went down with pinworm that I found out that serious infestations with pinworm show with similar symptoms as sweet itch. Used embotape as clearly resistant to most drugs. Was advise Embotape once a month for three months to clear it.


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## mynutmeg (14 December 2012)

It sounds a lot like my mare used to be - she had a shot of dectomax (kills mites) and she stopped itching. A lot of people think of feather mites as something that only affects the legs but they can make them itch all over as well


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## michelejones (15 December 2012)

i have exactly same condition with my cob,tried everything ,got my vet 2 do skinscrapes and blood tests,diagnosed cushings,of wich itchy skin is 1 of the symptoms,2 months on looks and acts like a different horse,all wounds healed, but best of all no more itching,i t s worth a blood test,some vets are offering free tests for it at the moment,goodlock


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## michelejones (15 December 2012)

i have had the exact same pro monentblem with my cob,my vet did skin scrapes and bloodtests,diagnosed cushings,of which itchy skin is a symptom,some vets are offering free tests for this at the moment ,2 months on he is like a different horse,all wounds healed,but best of all mo more itching


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## putasocinit (19 December 2012)

Linseed in the feed and oil stop dryness maybe?


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## CobsGalore (19 December 2012)

You say he was itchy last winter too?

Are you over rugging him? Is he clipped?


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## ha903070 (19 December 2012)

I am going to suggest the same thing as Cobs Galore just has, is he too hot? 

If my big girl is too hot over winter she will itch, one winter when it was quite mild she was unrugged in her stable but was too hot and itched her bum so much she pushed the front stable wall off.
I'd asked to turn her out as it was too warm in the stbles but was told no until she had no stable left.

In freezing winters one rug is enough for her, or she gets too hot and itches. Yet my older tb needs two rugs on to keep as warm as her.

Cobs can be quite warm types.


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## curran (22 December 2012)

Suspect mites or lice and treat with a benzyl benzoate based lotion or cream. It will alsso stop midge bites but you need to spray it on if it's a large area - try Biteback Sweet Relief spray- it works for most horses and it's cheap on Amazon. Also stick to grass hay and salt lick - no additives, supplements etc.


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## Britestar (22 December 2012)

What are you feeding him? Some horses itch when they have a sugar intolerance. Cut out all feed and see if it improves.


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