# Sweet Itch in Horses: UK Guide — Quick answer

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/horse-sweet-itch-uk): Sweet Itch in Horses: UK Guide — Quick answer. Sweet itch is an allergy to Culicoides midge bites and the UK's most common allergic skin disease in horses, affecting around 5% of the horse population, according to World Horse Welfare. There is no cure — manage it with a full-body fly rug, repellent, stabling at dawn and dusk, and vet support.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/horse-sweet-itch-uk): Sweet Itch in Horses: UK Guide — What is sweet itch?. Sweet itch is an allergic skin reaction to the saliva of biting insects — principally Culicoides midges, though black fly (Simulium) and mosquitos can also trigger it. According to World Horse Welfare, it is the most common allergic skin disease in UK horses, affecting around 5% of the horse population, and is particularly prevalent in some native breeds. Severity varies enormously: one horse may scratch its tail occasionally, while another rubs itself raw. Without management, symptoms typically become more severe year after year.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/horse-sweet-itch-uk): Sweet Itch in Horses: UK Guide — Signs to look for. - Intense itching focused on the mane, neck and tail — the classic pattern — though badly affected horses rub wherever they can reach - Skin that looks lumpy, scaly, inflamed or hot to the touch - Ruffled or rubbed patches of hair - Hair loss, bleeding and thickened skin from self-trauma - Restlessness; in the worst cases, weight loss Regular grooming helps you spot skin changes early — and early action is the single biggest factor in keeping sweet itch under control. Your vet can confirm the diagnosis, sometimes using intradermal allergy testing to rule out look-alike conditions, including other allergic skin disease and infections such as mud fever.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/horse-sweet-itch-uk): Sweet Itch in Horses: UK Guide — Prevention — your main defence. According to World Horse Welfare, prevention is far better than cure: | Measure | How it helps | |---------|--------------| | Full-body fly rug | Physically blocks bites; buy a spare so rugs can be washed and rotated | | Repellent | Pyrethroid/permethrin-based products are often most effective; patch-test DEET products first as they can cause soreness in some horses | | Stabling at dawn and dusk | Biting midges are most active at dawn and early evening | | Mesh screens | Special mesh over stable doors and windows keeps midges out; introduce gradually | | Paddock choice | Avoid waterlogged ground and soft mud where midges breed; windswept fields hold fewer midges than sheltered, still ones | | Field shelter access | Gives turned-out horses somewhere to escape peak midge times |

Source: https://pethealth.org.uk/health/horse-sweet-itch-uk