What is sweet itch?
This is an intense skin irritation affecting principally the mane and tail regions of the horse. It is caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to the bite of the Culicoides midge. These midges are usually active in the summer months but may be active year round in tropical regions. The midges are most active in the early morning and late afternoon.

Other names for Sweet Itch condition are as follows:
Queensland Itch
Summer Itch
Summer Eczema
Allergic dermatitis

What are the symptoms?
Sweet itch is very itchy and the horse rubs and bites itself often to the extent that it may cause bleeding.
The bites cause a local allergic reaction with the development of papules and pustules. The sores can weep and may even bleed.
With the continual rubbing the skin can become thickened and often there is substantial hair loss in the most affected areas. In fact often a horse may loose most of its mane or tail if left untreated.
Most affected areas are the tail and mane but places that are also affected include ears, poll, face, chest and ventral abdomen.
Seldom the condition affects horses younger than two years as its basis is in allergic disease so the horse must first become sensitized to the midge bite.

How does the midge bite have such a profound effect ?
The saliva of the midge is the principle allergic agent. Some horses may have a genetic predisposition to the disease which partly explains the individual nature of the condition. When the horse has become exposed to the saliva it will develop antibodies which precipitate a hypersensitivity reaction when next exposed to the bites. It is very hard to control in that it only takes so few bites to trigger the allergic response. The inflammatory response involves the release of various chemical mediators including histamine which is responsible for the intense itchiness observed in sweet itch cases.

Apart from the Culicoides midge other fly species have been associated with similar hypersensitivity reactions including the stablefly, horsefly and the blackfly.

How do we treat or control this condition ?
Calm Coat has been recommended by Horse Journal and unprecedented 7 times for fast and immediate relief and remedy of Sweet Itch...
click here for horse journal article...