# Feeding a Sweet Itch Sufferer



## redfoxhunter (12 May 2015)

I know there are millions of threads on sweet itch, but cannot find anything with simple instructions on what to feed!

I manage with a snuggy hoods sweet itch rug/regular baths/clipping and hogging/fly repellent/nettex itch stop salve/coconut oil/avon skin so soft. Horse has also had injection this year, but doesn't seem to be making that much difference - he is a severe case.

Now I want to concentrate on his diet, see if that helps too. He is always fed brewers yeast and micronised linseed. He is a very laid back boy in the summer and takes a lot to get him going. I have heard low sugar/starch for sweet itch sufferes, but can anyone give me simple instructions on exactly what I should be feeding him (so as to not aggravate sweet itch AND to give him that bit of sparkle and energy that he needs)?

Sorry for double post, but wanted plenty of people to see it and wasn't sure on the best place.

Homemade chocolate brownies in return for the help!!


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## Leo Walker (12 May 2015)

Low sugar diet, so limited access to grass, mine was worse on clover and rye grass. He got 40gms salt, 75gms Brewers yeast, 100gms linseedmagnesium in some form, and a good mineral balancer. In either unmollased chaff or fast fibre etc. When sweet itch is flaring up it can make them lethargic so I wouldnt be too worried about feeding for energy

That pretty much cured my old horses sweet itch. He went from being covered in sores and so itchy he was lethal to handle, to living out unrugged, with no signs.


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## foxy1 (16 May 2015)

As above, except my horse was better with no sugarbeet (in fast fibre), have a look at red rufus feeds. Salt very important, and with a severe sufferer worth putting on spirulina; I bought some from cots herbs. Agree with comments above too re feeling lethargic when having a flare up, I think if you can keep the sweet itch under control you won't need to worry about energy levels as much, but if you still do then a couple of handfuls of oats works well.


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## sonjafoers (16 May 2015)

Hi, I feel your pain!

I have a mini who is a severe sufferer kept in a high risk area unfortunately. I've tried everything since I had him but am now managing to keep him out naked all day and boett him before dusk which gets removed after dawn and he does brilliantly.

I've tried all sorts of supplements, brewers yeast, linseed etc but nothing really made any difference. He's now managed by using BiteBack Sweet Relief lotion/cream which I swear by and have recommended to loads of people and Blue Chip Lami Light.

I also have one of my ridden horses on the Lami Light and it works brilliantly for her too - it's low starch, molasses free etc etc and it also seems to give a bit of oomph. My mini is led from another horse about 3 or 4 times a week for an hour so he works quite hard and this gives him the energy he needs.

I had quite an interesting chat with my vet once and he says he notices a huge connection ( can't find the word I'm looking for ) between increased exercise and reduced itching so the Lami Light may not have any relevance to the sweet itch at all and it may just be his overall management but it could be worth a try. I'd really recommend trying the Sweet Relief too, it's been a miracle for me.

Good luck.


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## Micky (16 May 2015)

Second good reviews with spirulina supplement


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## _HP_ (17 May 2015)

FrankieCob said:



			Low sugar diet, so limited access to grass, mine was worse on clover and rye grass. He got 40gms salt, 75gms Brewers yeast, 100gms linseedmagnesium in some form, and a good mineral balancer. In either unmollased chaff or fast fibre etc. When sweet itch is flaring up it can make them lethargic so I wouldnt be too worried about feeding for energy

That pretty much cured my old horses sweet itch. He went from being covered in sores and so itchy he was lethal to handle, to living out unrugged, with no signs.
		
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It probably wasn't sweet itch then....there is no cure. It's sounds like your horse was allergic to other things than than just the midge as are many horses that itch.


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## _HP_ (17 May 2015)

I manage my lot (I have 3) by covering them so he can't  be bitten . A good rug and repellent, electric fencing so they can't trash it and a good low sugar/starch/grass diet which any horse should be on works for us

I try not to bath or clip as I feel this leaves them more vulnerable to being bitten.

I can highly recommend coopers fly repellent plus or net tex stop itch for the place the rug can't cover and also to look at the location of your field as even a slightly better positioned field ie slightly less trees,  a bit further from the much heap, slightly more exposed can make a huge difference. 
My cob went form suicidal to manageable with a location change


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## Leo Walker (17 May 2015)

_HP_ said:



			It probably wasn't sweet itch then....there is no cure. It's sounds like your horse was allergic to other things than than just the midge as are many horses that itch.
		
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It is sweet itch, hes had it since he was a yearling, been diagnosed by untold vets and I'm pretty sure it was confirmed by a blood test at one point. He does still itch mildy if bitten, but he doesnt have the extreme reaction he used to. It is definitely midge bites that cause it. But I'm going to stop posting on sweet itch threads as I am fed up of being told its not sweet itch and it couldnt possibly work. Because it did and still does


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## redfoxhunter (18 May 2015)

FrankieCob - what sort of salt, just table salt?


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## Pearlsasinger (18 May 2015)

FrankieCob said:



			It is sweet itch, hes had it since he was a yearling, been diagnosed by untold vets and I'm pretty sure it was confirmed by a blood test at one point. He does still itch mildy if bitten, but he doesnt have the extreme reaction he used to. It is definitely midge bites that cause it. But I'm going to stop posting on sweet itch threads as I am fed up of being told its not sweet itch and it couldnt possibly work. Because it did and still does 

Click to expand...

There is a reason that it is called sweet itch.  That reason is that the old horsemen realised that there was a link between sugar and the itching caused by some horses' reaction to midge bites.


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## Smogul (19 May 2015)

Pearlsasinger said:



			There is a reason that it is called sweet itch.  That reason is that the old horsemen realised that there was a link between sugar and the itching caused by some horses' reaction to midge bites.
		
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Debatable. Our vet reckons it is called that because of the peculiarly disgusting sweet smell that comes from the infected bites, something you now only see in cruelty and neglect cases. He says normal gangrene and pus have nothing on it!


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## Gloi (19 May 2015)

We've had ponies with sweet itch for years and haven't found any feed made the sweet itch either better or worse. 
Rugs, repellents and a breezy field help much more.


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