What is Sweet Itch?
Sweet itch is the lay man’s term for Summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis (SSRD). Simply defined, sweet itch is the allergic reaction horses develop to the Saliva of Culicoides midge, the biting gnat. Most people refer to the biting gnat as “no-see-ums.” Biting gnats are quite troublesome and they are active between April and October. You will mostly find them in places where water is stagnant such as marshes and ponds. They can go as far as half a mile in search of a good meal. Biting gnats usually disappear in the winter period provided the temperate is cold enough. As such, those who want to buy horses around this time should be aware of the risk of buying horses that has already been infected with sweet itch.
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