Skin Care

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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What is Neck Threadworm?

If you read through any moxidectin or ivermectin based wormer packet you will find a long list of parasites written on the pack.  No doubt, you will find the words Onchocerca cervicalis inscribed neatly towards the end. In lay man’s term, Onchocerca cervicalis is known as neck tthreadworm.  Neck threadworm is as long as a ruler; yes it’s that long and surprisingly, it’s secret to habitat is the nuchal ligament of a horse. Neck threadworm runs through the length of the neck, covering from the poll to the withers with its flat ligament part attached to the cervical vertebrae.

Neck threadworm is a parasitic filarial worm that produces many hundreds of larva in its lifetime which is said to be ten years. The larvae are deposited in the horse’s skin, around the chest, shoulders, head, mane and tail, and the mid line of the belly. The adult worm finds its resting place in the nuchal ligament of the horse.

Neck threadworm affects almost, if not all horses. Though it affects most horses, neck threadworm doesn’t pose a risk for all horses. This is to say that neck threadworms are not a problem for all horses but for those that react badly to their microscopic larvae. This reaction is known as Onchocerciasis. Horses that are affected by this condition experience itching around the chest, neck, head, underside of the belly and the shoulders. This is why horse owners jump to the conclusion that their horses suffer from sweet itch when they observe these symptoms.

Much attention isn’t given to neck threadworms by horse owners because they are assumed to be itch and because they do not live in the intestine. Sadly, this problem is on a rampage as most horses are affected and it’s quite unfortunate for horses who are kept in warmer and humid climates as they are more prone to it.

The Culicoides fly is the biting insect that carries this parasite and that’s why neck threadworm is often confused with sweet itch or Queensland itch.

DOES YOUR HORSE HAVE NECK THREADWORMS OR SWEET ITCH?

Since neck threadworms are often confused with sweet itch, it’s important to identify which is affecting your horse so you can take the right treatment measures.
If your horse is experiencing itching;

• It could be that your horse is suffering from sweet itch or whatever it is called in your area and is just reacting to the saliva of the insect.
  It could be that your horse has neck threadworm and that has affected his immune system and increased his sensitivity to fly bites. In this case, neck threadworm has triggered sweet itch as a secondary response.

It could be that your horse has neck threadworms considering that he is rubbing the base of it’s mane, along the mane, down the ventral line that is under the belly, under the chest and around the face and neck.

HOW TO IDENTIFY NECK THREADWORMS IN YOUR HORSE

Identifying neck threadworms can be somewhat confusing for horse owners considering that other parasites cause itching and skin lesions.

Horse owners are familiar with the widely known summer sores caused by Habronema.

In this case, flies lay their larvae on open cuts which then remain open until the cut is washed and larvae are removed. This condition is easy to tell as infected cuts oozes out bloody fluids.

This isn’t the case with neck threadworms.

Besides sweet itch, neck threadworm is also confused with Threadworm.

Threadworm is caused by the parasite Strongyloides westeri which infects foals. The clinical signs of these other parasitic infections are somewhat clear – this begs the question, how do horse owners identify neck threadworms in horses?

Studies show that neck threadworms have a distinct life cycle and it’s presentation depends on the horse.

It might come off as itching in the underside of the neck in a horse A or come off as itching the front of the withers in horse B. Even so, a horse that has never experienced itching before may start itching his face furiously.

All these are early signs of neck threadworms and are usually recognized by the owner only that they are confused as sweet itch.

Other signs of neck threadworms to look out for include weeping spots, a scaly crest at the mane as a result of rubbing, and small lumps that form on the horse’s face and neck and along the underside.

Then check the base of the man just outside the withers as that’s the focal point of neck threadworms.

Also you can consult a veterinarian to collect a simple skin biopsy from any affected area.  The skin biopsy is now left in warm saline and the presence of Microfilariae can be checked with microscope.

WHAT ARE THE TREATED OPTIONS?

Medicated Shampoo and Neem Oil Skin Lotion to the rescue! Neem Oil Shampoo and Neem Oil have been proven to relieve the symptoms.

A Neem Oil Skin Lotion works by stopping cycle of the larva thereby reducing the itching and leaving the affected area unappetizing to the culicoides. This promotes healing in the skin.

Experts strongly advise that horse owners deal with the neck threadworm internally by using ivermectin wormer.

After all, you will find neck threadworm on the packet of ivermectin

Ensure you consult your veterinarian to advise the recommended dosage and frequency of usage. Most veterinarians recommend the use of injectable ivermectin.

While the adult neck threadworm that lives in the nuchal ligament cannot be killed, the larvae can be killed. This is why it’s crucial for you to look out for the early signs so you can begin treatment before the larvae grow into adults.

 

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Wondering why your horses mane and tail looks a little rough and not as shiny and healthy as it did before?  Most horse owners would love for their own favorite pal to have a luxurious, thick, long, beautiful and shiny mane and tail. Some horse owners will even go to great lengths to make their horse’s mane and tail look and remain beautiful. It doesn’t matter that you have great dreams for your horse, don’t be surprised when you walk to the barn to find your horse’s tail worn and tattered from itching and rubbing. 

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Ringworm which is otherwise known as dermatophytosis is a skin infection caused by the dermatophyte fungus. The dermatophyte fungus infects dead tissue that are present on the superficial layers of the skin and spreads quickly. The fungus spores then starts to eat away the hair, slowing causing bald patches that widens up. 

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Now it’s that period of the year where we hold on to the last days of summer before we are ushered into the crisp days of fall. In the fall season, the humidity is on the high side leaving your horse dehydrated and the temperature reduced at night. The insects in your horse’s barn are aware that the fall season is coming and their time is coming to an end. So they spend their remaining time irritating your favorite horse. Before you know what’s going on, your favorite horse has got dandruff everywhere on her body. 

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Now it’s that period of the year where we hold on to the last days of summer before we are ushered into the crisp days of fall. In the fall season, the humidity is on the high side which sadly also contributes to skin issues such as scratches in horses. Scratches is a common skin condition that affects horses and it taggers the fetlock, the back of the pastern, the heel and in rare cases the cannon bone. Some veterinarians refer to scratches as pastern folliculitis or pastern dermatitis. Scratches is also called cracked heels, greasy heel, mud fever or dew poisoning.

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If you look closely at the hind cannon bones of 5 in 10 horses, chances are you will find patches of grey greasy dirt scattered on the front. In lay man’s term, these patches are referred to Cannon crud. If we go by the medical term, it’s called CANNON KERATOSIS. Most horse owners mistake these patches of grey dirt as fungal infection or splash of urine on the hind legs of there horses. Cannon crud is neither a fungal infection or a presentation of urine splashes, it’s actually the aftermath of excess production of keratin in the horse.

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What is Rain Rot?

Rain rot which is otherwise known as Rain Scald is one of the skin infections that affects horses. Rain rot is caused by the bacteria Dermatophilus congolensis. Although rain rot is one of the common skin infections that affects horses, it isn’t as severe as it looks. The down side is it takes time for hair to grow on the affected parts that has experienced hair loss. Not to worry, at we provide a simple yet effective and painless treatment method to combat this common horse infection. 

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Types of Horse Shampoos

The skin of a horse is sensitive and not just so, it is also vulnerable and prone to irritations and adverse reactions to the elements. As a result of this, there are different types of horse shampoos and conditioners that are designed specifically for the care and protection of the delicate and sensitive skin and coat of horses. The different types are created to tackle and solve certain problems that horses have.

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Horse ShampoosRead More