Sweet Itch?

[Lizzy Koltai]

My old mare is itching her face raw. The flies torment her way more than her teammate. So much so that she will stand in the shade all day rather than go out and graze. I’m currently bringing her into the barn during the day and tying her up with hay in front of her. I don’t think she appreciates this setup, but at least she’s eating (she is too skinny, and hasn’t been gaining this summer. My pasture is pretty poor still, but her younger teammate has gotten quite fat on it). Today while I was looking at her, I started wondering if she is having an immuno-response to something. The midges? The flies? Undetected lice or mange? The Nutrena Boost I have her on? The boost is a ration balancer with added fat from rice bran. Or is it possible that having her on the boost is making her more attractive to flies? She also gets soaked oats and has free choice access to a variety of minerals.

Any tips for identifying the underlying cause of extreme itchiness? Also, what are recommendations for giving her some relief?

Lizzy

[dominiquer60]

We had a mare with bad sweet itch. Contact Jennifer Judkins at Resting Heart Farm, she was able to help her some and she uses nutrition as a place to start. Anything with carbs or sugars can increase inflammation responses, like itching. Your mare sounds a lot like ours in regards to loosing weight and no appetite in the summer.

Best Wishes with this issue, I wish I could tell you more,

Erika

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