Topic:Sweet Itch
Sweet Itch, also known as equine insect hypersensitivity, is a seasonal allergic reaction in horses caused by bites from Culicoides midges. This condition leads to intense itching, primarily affecting the mane, tail, and abdominal areas. The hypersensitivity results from an overactive immune response to the proteins in the saliva of these insects. Affected horses often exhibit symptoms such as hair loss, skin lesions, and behavioral changes due to discomfort. Management strategies typically focus on minimizing exposure to the biting insects and alleviating symptoms. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and management of Sweet Itch in horses.
[Prevalence of health problems in midlife Swiss warm-blooded horses]. The breeding of a healthy horse is the basic requirement for optimal performance. This is also specifically stated in the breeding goal of the Swiss warmblood horse and should be achieved through a strict selection of the stallions. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the current state of the population to optimize breeding. Data on the health status of Swiss warmblood horses in the age between 6 and 16 years (midlife) were collected by a telephone survey and analyzed descriptively. Following the heritability of the most common health problems were estimated. Data on 1,861 horses...
Homeopathic prescribing for chronic conditions in equine veterinary practice in the UK. Twelve Faculty of Homeopathy veterinarians recorded data systematically at 777 consecutive homeopathic appointments for horses over a period of 12 months. A spreadsheet enabled the recording of information, which included the date of appointment; horse and owner identity (anonymised); sex of horse; main medical problem treated; whether the condition was chronic or acute; whether the appointment was new or a follow-up; owner-assessed clinical outcome on a seven-point scale, ranging from -3 to +3, compared with the first appointment; homeopathic medicine(s) prescribed; and whether any convention...
Potential of infra-red thermography for the detection of summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis (sweet itch) in horses. The feasibility of using infra-red thermography for early and out of season detection of summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis (sweet itch) was tested on 13 sensitive and six insensitive horses in Israel. In summer (June, July and September) six affected mares and two unaffected sensitive mares (one of them a pony) were clearly 'warmer' in the affected zones than three insensitive mares. In winter (February and March) unaffected sensitive horses could be differentiated from insensitive mares by the warm areas detected in the affected zones. Small numbers of Culicoides imicola bites may have bee...