Sweet itch? Very itchy horse!

[Horsemadness]

Hi all, wondering if anyone can advise..
I used fly spray on my guy for the first time since I got him (had him about a month) about a week and a half ago, and since I used it that one time he has been really itchy! He has small raised bumps up his neck and has little bald patches where his skin and fur is very flaky, also under his chin he is so scabby and scaly and it looks quite sore! I don't know if it was a coincidence that it happened the day after I used the fly spray on him or if it was some kind of reaction to it, I'm thinking maybe not because I haven't used it since and he's had a bath since too!
I've started turning him out in a fly mask since and have a rug on the way.
But can anyone advise is this sweet itch or do you think some kind of allergy?
I'm not sure if it's sweet itch as it's only around his neck and chin.. No rubbed patches along his mane or his back or tail, just neck and chin!
Has anyone any tips to help sooth him?

 

[MrA]

I'd recommend speaking to a vet, I've just been through hair loss with my own boy although his wasn't scaly. It can be all sorts of things like fungal, allergies, lice and mites. If you are not sure it might be best to just get them out for a diagnosis and then you can be sure to treat with the right thing from the off. My boys problem was lice and mites. One thing the vet did say to me that may be of use is if there is any hair left in the bald spots then it's not fungal as that clears all the hair off them.

 

[Lollykay]

If you’ve never dealt with sweet itch, yes you need to get a vet involved as @Ale suggested.

theres a lot more to sweet itch than just raw skin. The bite of the midge fly can also produce skin burrowing Onchocerca Worms, aka Neck Threadworms.

We have them in the more humid areas of the United States but not near the pandemic level as the UK suffers.

Equine Neck Threadworms: Signs and Treatment - Kentucky Equine Research

Adult Onchocerca cervicalis worms, also called equine neck threadworms, live in the large nuchal ligament that runs from the poll to the withers.

ker.com

I know what works for me, for treatment of sweet itch and to get rid of the Neck Threadworms , as I dealt with both in a major way, with my Arab (RIP Streeter). However, I am in the U.S. so I will refrain from comment as it seems things of this nature are cared for with a much stricter veterinary protocol in the UK, than in the U.S. Many of us in the U.S. pretty much have to be “half a vet” because we either don’t have nearby large animal vets or it costs the first grandchild just to get a vet to the farm, and we save those calls for near death emergencies

Anyway, call the vet as your vets should all be well versed in the treatment of sweet itch and Neck Threadworms

 

[Jessey]

Where the skin is peeling under the chin looks exactly like how my mare reacts to some fly sprays, and once it’s done it, it takes weeks to come off even with baths etc. it’s effectively a chemical burn and needs to peel until all the damaged skin is off, much like sun burn on humans I guess.

The picture of the bald patch isn’t clear, so no ideas on that.

 

[Horsemadness]

Where the skin is peeling under the chin looks exactly like how my mare reacts to some fly sprays, and once it’s done it, it takes weeks to come off even with baths etc. it’s effectively a chemical burn and needs to peel until all the damaged skin is off, much like sun burn on humans I guess.

The picture of the bald patch isn’t clear, so no ideas on that.

Oh really? I was thinking it might be that because it was strange coincidence that literally the day after I used it was when all of this started and he had no issues before, prior to using it he was ofc irritated by the flies but no more than another horse with just tail swishing and an occasional stamp.. Also with the bumps on his neck too it looked a lot like an allergic reaction I'd seen in a horse before..
Yeah not great pics of the bald patches it was very sunny and he was at his limits with me faffing about
With your mare being allergic to fly spray, do you just combat the flies using rugs and masks or have you found any natural fly sprays to be any good?
Tia!

 

[Jessey]

Oh really? I was thinking it might be that because it was strange coincidence that literally the day after I used it was when all of this started and he had no issues before, prior to using it he was ofc irritated by the flies but no more than another horse with just tail swishing and an occasional stamp.. Also with the bumps on his neck too it looked a lot like an allergic reaction I'd seen in a horse before..
Yeah not great pics of the bald patches it was very sunny and he was at his limits with me faffing about
With your mare being allergic to fly spray, do you just combat the flies using rugs and masks or have you found any natural fly sprays to be any good?
Tia!

She’s fine with some fly sprays, some I can use occasionally but not daily before it happens, others not at all. It’s been trial and error and I always patch test before using all over. I do also use a rug, boots and a mask on her when it gets to the point that multiple applications a day would be needed because she has bad reactions to bite too.