Sweet itch
The sweet itch is an allergic skin disease of horses with hereditary component.
root cause
Summer eczema occurs as a result of an allergic reaction (hypersensitivity type I) to the saliva of stinging insects such as mosquitoes of the genus Culex , midges or black flies . It occurs most often in places with vertical hair, i.e. on the tail , the mane crest and the ventral seam.
Imported Icelandic horses are particularly vulnerable due to an overreaction of the immune system after import. Usually three out of four Icelanders fall ill in the first year after import. The occurrence of sweet itch in Icelandic horses raised on the continent corresponds to that of other breeds.
Other robust breeds, especially Haflingers, Norwegians and imported criollos, are also more prone to sweet itch, as well as Frisians. In recent years, an increase in the number of diseases across other races has been observed. The reason for this could be, on the one hand, the increasingly popular species-appropriate open stalls and thus increased contact with the allergy-causing insects, on the other hand, the increase in negative environmental influences. Wrong, especially excessive, feeding and lack of exercise also play a role in the onset of the disease.
Symptoms
The first signs, small pustules directly caused by the insect bite, can hardly be seen. Usually the strong urge to rub is noticed first, together with restlessness of the horse. Due to the constant scrubbing, the hair initially falls out and open, sometimes purulent areas form. This attracts even more insects. This creates a cycle that strengthens itself.
The tail beet, the mane crest and also the abdomen and croup as well as the ears and chin are the most frequently affected areas.
Prevention and treatment
A preventive measure against sweet itch is to protect the horse from insect bites, e.g. B. by means of so-called eczema blankets and grazing only at times during which the insects are less active, so z. B. during the day in dry heat or strong wind. Treating horses with repellants also has a preventive effect, as it reduces insect bites.
If there is summer eczema, treatment consists of further prevention according to the above section. In addition, soothing ointments or, in more severe cases, corticosteroids can be used. Any secondary infection that may be present must also be treated.
literature
Investigation of the prevalence of summer eczema in Icelandic horses in northern Germany (PDF; 24 kB)
Individual evidence
- ↑ S. Lange, H. Hamann, E. Deegen, B. Ohnesorge, O. Distl: Investigation of the prevalence of sweet itch in Icelandic horses in Northern Germany . In: Berl. Münch. Veterinarian Wschr. 118: Issue 11–12, Pages 481–489 (2005)
- ↑ Peter Schneider, Karola Schmeil: The summer itch of the Icelandic horses. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 8, 2009 ; Retrieved April 25, 2010 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
