Skin Conditions, Lumps and Bumps
Sweet Itch can be a severe, debilitating and distressing disease for both the horses that suffer from it and the owners that try to manage it. It is an allergic reaction to the saliva of the midge causing itching of the mane, tail and whole body. It is usually easily diagnosed due to the seasonal nature and symptoms.
Management is the key for reducing signs of this disease. The aim is to reduce contact with midges. This can be done using a Boett rug, fly repellent, avoiding turnout at dawn and dusk, avoiding fields with standing water, avoiding fields sheltered from wind and using an insecticide such as benzyl benzoate. Ideally these methods should be started before the midge season starts (March -October).
Medical treatments can be used to try and reduce the itch but come with side effects so by far the most important thing to do is prevention.
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- Feather mites are most likely to be found in heavily feathered breeds such as Cobs and draughts. It causes them to bite at their legs and rub the back of the fetlocks and pasterns. It causes deep scabs that can become infected if left untreated. There is no licensed product for the treatment of mites in horses but we have experience of using dectomax injections (2 injections 2 weeks apart) along with clipping of the feathers. The bedding must also be cleaned out and the stable disinfected as the mites can survive in the environment.
- Lice can cause horses to become itchy in the winter months. They are particularly prone to living on thick haired/native breeds or unclipped horses. They are found mainly around the mane and tail. They cause itching and flakiness of the skin. Deosect is the treatment of choice. It kills adult lice so two treatments 14 days apart are needed to kill any hatching larvae. Treated animals cannot enter the food chain so section IX on the passport must be signed. Please contact us on advise on the correct usage of deosect.
-Sarcoids are a benign growth of the skin. They are caused by infection with bovine papillomavirus. The level of immunity to the virus varies, hence why some horses never get a sarcoid and others get many. The virus can be spread by flies. Sarcoids are difficult to treat and are notoriously unpredictable. A sarcoid may remain unchanged for many years, or may grow and spread rapidly. Rarely sarcoids can shrink or disappear on their own.
Treatments can include topical cream, laser removal, cryosurgery or intralesional therapy. Treatment choice will depend on size, location and type of sarcoid. Please book an appointment for your horse to have an examination to determine the best course of treatment.
-Melanomas are a common skin tumour seen most frequently in grey horses. They are so common that over 80% of grey horses will develop one at some point in their lives. They most frequently are benign but can become malignant with time. It is best to remove melanomas when they are small and benign. It can be very difficult to remove or treat them if left to grow large and start to cause physical problems due to location.