About Sweet Itch
We've all heard of Sweet Itch, even if we don't actually own a horse or pony that is unfortunate enough to suffer from it. Sweet Itch affects thousands of horses, ponies and donkeys all over the world each summer, regardless of breed, type or age (though generally Sweet Itch does not affect horses or ponies in their first year of life). Reports indicate that between 5 and 10% of the UK horse population are affected by Sweet Itch and in some countries the affliction rate is much, much higher.
The FAL Pro Sweet Itch Plus Rug effectively defends your horse against attack by biting midges, helping to break the cycle of Sweet Itch. Designed to be light, completely breathable and non restrictive, this remarkable rug provides maximum coverage and therefore protection from the biting insects and sun's rays. It also offers your horse the natural therapeutic benefits of Silver, helping to improve circulation and reduce microbial infections, making this one of the most effective ways to help protect your horse against the trauma of Sweet Itch.
What are the symptoms of Sweet Itch?
Sweet Itch is an extremely irritant dermatitis - basically an inflammation of the skin - that causes severe itching, dandruff, thickening of the skin and hair loss. The affected areas are most typically the top of the tail and mane region while the neck, withers, saddle area, hips, legs, head and belly regions can become affected in more severe cases. Desperate itching may result in severe lesions and sores developing, which can become infected if left untreated.
Sweet Itch is a very distressing condition for both horse and owner and can lead to severe discomfort and desperate attempts by the horse to relieve the irritation by scratching on anything available to him. The horse's temperament may also change. He may become more lethargic and lose his 'sparkle', or he may become more agitated and uneasy while being ridden or in the field.
So, what causes it?
Sweet Itch (veterinary term - Summer Seasonal Recurrent Dermatitis) is caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of flies from the Culicoides genus, or what we know as midges. It results in hyper sensitivity to the bites of these flies, with the horse's immune system producing an extreme response which damages the horse's own skin cells and causes the symptoms of Sweet Itch.
Sweet Itch is a seasonal problem as these midges are only active from April to early November. Moist, decaying vegetation is required for the development of young midges, so they are more common in well-wooded areas, particularly close to watercourses and lakes. These midges do not fly in strong wind, heavy rain or bright, clear sunshine and dislike hot, dry conditions so are most active at dusk and dawn.
How do I know if my horse has it?
Diagnosing Sweet Itch is generally fairly simple as the symptoms and seasonal nature of the disease point firmly to the disease. It can develop at any stage in the horse's life past his first year and although hereditary predisposition may be a factor in its development, environmental factors play a major part in its development - where the horse was born and early exposure to midges. There is also evidence to suggest that stress can be a factor when mature animals develop Sweet Itch. Sweet Itch is not contagious and so can not be passed on from one horse to another. However, if conditions in the horse's immediate environment are particularly favourable to a high midge population, more than one horse in the locale may display symptoms.
In the UK Sweet Itch is classified as an unsoundness and so should be declared when a horse is sold.
What should I do if my horse has it?
There is currently no cure for Sweet Itch, so careful management of affected horses is an essential response for the welfare of the horse. If your horse has Sweet Itch, you should avoid keeping him in fields with conditions favourable to a high midge population, so avoid marshy, boggy fields close to wooded areas. A more exposed field may alleviate his situation as the midges are blown away by wind. However, this is not always possible.
One of the most effective ways to relieve the symptoms of sweet itch is to protect your horse with a FAL Pro Sweet Itch Fly Sheet. This remarkable new rug incorporates X-Static®, the textile fibre that has a layer of pure silver permanently bonded to its surface, into the enormously effective design of the FAL Pro Sweet Itch Fly Sheet. While the cut and design of this rug is exactly what you would expect from a FAL Pro rug, it also acts to provide maximum coverage and therefore protection from the sun's rays and biting insects. However, the benefits don't just stop there. The Silver Interactive technology only available from FAL Pro offers your horse the additional natural therapeutic benefits of Silver, which has been shown to repel microbial and fungal infections, promote effective circulation and healing, reduce allergic reactions in sensitive horses and helps to break the cycle of Sweet Itch.
Research shows that flies will not fly from light to dark, so the black skirt of the FAL Pro Sweet Itch Fly Sheet acts to provide superior protection to your horse's sensitive belly region, without the annoyance of a belly pad. A light but extremely durable rug, the FAL Pro Sweet Itch Fly Sheet offers your horse complete protection from head to tail. A matching fly mask is available for purchase separately, to protect your horse's sensitive eye and ear region. Fully breathable and also heat reflective, the FAL Pro Sweet Itch Fly Sheet will also act to keep your horse cool and comfortable this summer, making it the perfect rug to protect any horse from the summer hazards - flies and sun - not only those with Sweet Itch. Ideally your horse should start wearing his FAL Pro Sweet Itch Fly Sheet before the symptoms of Sweet Itch appear. However, due to the therapeutic properties of this amazing rug, it will act to promote healing and recovery in an already afflicted horse.
This ground-breaking new rug has already received the recognition it deserves at the recent BETA International trade fair, where it won best new horsecare product at the BETA 2005 Innovation Awards!
Silver Interactive technology case study
Murphy's Law (known as Monty to his friends) has not had an easy life. Although Sweet Itch looked like the obvious diagnosis for the 7 year old, Monty's mane and tail area was not affected and his belly was painful, extremely itchy and susceptible to infection as he scratched on the ground in vain attempts to ease the itch.
Monty was referred to the Animal Health Trust at Newmarket in August 2003, where 65 different allergy tests revealed that Monty was in fact allergic to 63 of the tested substances! As time passed Belinda became increasingly frustrated and anxious as all treatments failed to cure him. She had been warned that if Monty's problem was not got under control she would probably lose him within 2-3 years.
Hearing of Monty's plight in June of this year Chris Eadon, National Sales Manager for FAL Pro, contacted Belinda. The therapeutic benefits of Silver are well documented, and Chris believed that a lightweight fly sheet that incorporated FAL Pro's new Silver Interactive lining would make Monty's life more comfortable. The results astounded everyone. Immediately Monty was happier and more relaxed. According to Belinda, Monty has an 'almost perfectly normal belly this year, and this is the 1st year that I have been able to ride him in summer'. Monty is now 'less bored, and much, much happier!' 'It's a miracle really, I can even ride him and think about competing again - sheer heaven - and I put the majority of this down to his Silver Interactive rug'.
Monty and Belinda have 'been to hell and half way back', but the new Silver Interactive technology from FAL Pro looks set to make this horse's life a lot easier, more comfortable and much more fun!