Sweet Itch or Summer Excema
This article was originally published in Saddle Up magazine, July 2011 Issue.
Every summer my 7-year old gelding suffers terribly from “sweet itch”. He is itchy from early spring until fall when the weather cools off. Fly sprays don’t seem to work and I hate to see him suffer – is there anything I can do for him?
Sweet Itch is also often referred to as “summer eczema” and is caused by a hypersensitivity to insect bites - usually flies, mosquitoes and especially biting midges (“no-see-ums”). Horses become intensely irritated and itchy and will look for almost anything solid to scratch on. Insects prefer to bite to skin where the skin is thin and sensitive: mane and tail hair gets itched out; the underbelly, sheath and udder gets bitten; and bald spots can appear elsewhere on the body. The belly can get so itchy that horses will lie down and rub back and forth on the ground in an effort to get relief. The female insects require blood for their eggs and feed primarily at dawn and dusk although the victim’s skin reactions can last all day.
It’s interesting to note that it is only a specific horse in a herd that attracts biting insects to the point of discomfort. These horses not only attract more bites but have actual allergic reactions to the bites which are why they experience increased pain and itching. Dark coloured horses often have more problems but aside from colour, insects are drawn to suck blood from those animals that have a compromised immune system. The skin has a protective layer known as the acid mantle, a layer of lactic acid that protects the skin from bacteria, parasites, insects and infections. Like any organ of the body, the acid mantle can be damaged by diet, poor nutrition, stress, poor immunity, blood toxins and food allergies. This then predisposes the skin to inflammation, infection and hypersensitivities. The opportunistic blood-sucking insect will be very attracted to this “weakened” condition. It is similar to observing a group of tomato plants under attack by ground insects – they only eat the “weaker” plants and let the “strong” ones flourish.
The most effective approach therefore is one that builds up the immune system and restores the acidity of the mantle. Sweet itch horses should not be given any grains such as oats, barley, corn, sweet feed or other commercial feeds containing these grains as the high sugar content will depress the immune system and aggravate allergy reactions. We then use a liquid combination of herbs (Summer Tincture) containing Calendula, Echinacea, Linden, Thyme and Yellow Dock – this is given orally by syringe or added to food. Together these herbs will detoxify the blood and liver, cleanse the lymph, neutralize allergy reactions, heal the acid mantle and build up insect resistance from the inside. It is best to combine it with 4,000 mg of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) as the Vitamin C will restore acidity to the acid mantle and help to boost immunity. Use ascorbic acid rather than a buffered form of Vitamin C, such as calcium ascorbate.
Because the acid mantle has a high content of essential fatty acids it can also be beneficial to feed ¼ cup of crushed flax seed (fresh) or 4,000 mg of Evening Primrose Oil to decrease inflammation, relieve itching and improve immunity. Homeopathic Apis can be used to relieve acute episodes of swelling, pain and itching. Apis is also a very effective remedy for bee stings providing very fast relief (for humans too!). For external relief of insect bites, open sores, wound healing and skin rashes apply Tea Tree Oil combined with Goldenseal (Riva’s Healing Oil).
A complete regimen would include:
Marijke van de Water. B.Sc. (Clinical Nutrition), DHMS
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