Some horses can become restless and in the very worst cases may even start to lose weight because of the condition.

Skin may also look scurfy or dull in patches, although it is a symptom which could indicate a different condition.

Self-trauma from scratching may cause hair loss, bleeding and thickening of the skin.

Affected areas will appear lumpy or scaly and usually inflamed or hot to the touch, but you may also just notice areas where the hair appears ruffled and rubbed.

Itching will often be focused on the neck, mane and tail, but these areas are not exclusive, and the worst affected horses may end up rubbing and biting at their skin wherever they can reach.

Some will be severely affected by just one or two bites, whilst others may experience no reaction at all. Symptoms of sweet itch will vary widely from horse to horse. There are many other allergens with the same or very similar clinical signs as sweet itch but may not be caused by midges. If notice your horse or pony scratching, the first thing is to ascertain whether they are actually suffering from sweet itch. How to spot sweet itch in horsesĮarly diagnosis and treatment of sweet itch will give you a much better chance of being able to manage it effectively.

The condition varies in severity from the horse occasionally scratching their tail on a tree to the very worst cases who will scratch and scratch, causing self-trauma, which in turn can lead to secondary infections.

The term ‘sweet itch’ literally describes the sensation experienced by the horse in reaction to the bites, it can also be referred to as ‘pruritis’. Sweet itch is the most common allergic skin disease in the UK and affects around 5% of our horse population. Culicoides) which can affect almost any horse or pony – regardless of type, breed and age – but research does show it is particularly prevalent in some native breeds. Sweet itch is an allergic reaction to bites from mosquitos, flies (e.g.

Itch relief for dogs with allergies