Vets Being Urged To Raise Awareness Of Sweet Itch

Veterinary practices are being urged to raise awareness of summer skin conditions, such as sweet itch, following recent research1 carried out by Elanco Companion Animal Health, distributor of Cavalesse®, which revealed that vets only tend to be consulted after horse owners have tried to manage the condition themselves (73%), or if the clinical signs have become severe (67%), potentially leading to major welfare implications. This is despite over half (55%) of owners of a horse with sweet itch showing concern that their horse will suffer, and nearly half becoming stressed about the way the condition will affect it (47%). While many horse owners are fairly knowledgeable about the causes of sweet itch and its clinical signs, over a quarter of respondents (26%) did not start managing the condition before the midge season in the spring, which may make managing the condition more frustrating. Indeed, nearly a third (31%) stated that they had to curtail their activities with their horse due to welfare, aesthetic and behavioural issues, such as head shaking, rubbing, unpredictability and aggression. “86% of those questioned considered sweet itch to be a very serious welfare issue if left untreated, with the worst aspects of the condition being the suffering and distress caused by the constant irritation which affects the quality of life of the horse. Over half (55%) felt that sweet itch had adversely affected the behaviour of their horse, making them difficult to handle or ride,” comments Ed Whittle, technical consultant at Elanco Companion Animal Health. “Veterinary practices should be proactively talking to their clients about summer skin conditions such as sweet itch to help alleviate the suffering and distress caused by this frustrating disease.” Elanco Companion Animal Health will be joining forces with the British Horse Society (BHS), The Blue Cross, The Horse Trust, Redwings Horse Sanctuary and World Horse Welfare (WHW) to raise awareness of summer skin conditions, such as sweet itch, during Sweet Itch Awareness Month (SIAM) in March. The campaign will highlight the preventative measures that should be carried out to help alleviate sweet itch and the importance of management of the condition before the start of the midge season in the spring. Lee Hackett, head of welfare at the BHS, comments: “The results of this survey show just how important raising awareness of sweet itch is. All of us, whether we are welfare organisations or vets, need to play our part in educating owners about sweet itch in the hope that they will seek expert advice at an earlier stage and reduce the number of horses that suffer as a result of this condition.” Kerry Taylor, education officer at The Blue Cross, says: “The Blue Cross is pleased to be supporting the sweet itch campaign to raise awareness of the physical and mental impact this condition has on horses. During our May 2011 National Equine Health Survey, skin problems came out the top syndrome affecting horses, and we continue to see many horses coming into our care suffering from sweet itch. Prevention and early treatment is key to managing the potentially debilitating condition.” "The Horse Trust is delighted to offer our support to this campaign. Sweet itch can cause extreme discomfort to horses and we hope to encourage owners to do all they can to manage and prevent this condition," says Susan Lewis, marketing manager at The Horse Trust. “It is very concerning to hear that more than two thirds of owners only consult their vet once the clinical signs of sweet itch have become severe. We fully support the campaign to raise awareness of this condition, which is much more than a mild inconvenience, and without proper treatment, can become a major welfare concern. We would hope vets get the chance to work with their clients early on as part of a routine prevention and management programme,” says: Nic de Brauwere, head of welfare and senior vet at Redwings. Tony Tyler, director of UK welfare at World Horse Welfare, concludes: “World Horse Welfare is delighted to once again be involved with Sweet Itch Awareness Month. We have rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed many hundreds of horses and are therefore well aware that the condition can cause a great deal of distress for both horse and owner.  We believe that having expert preventative advice available to people will be of great benefit.” The management and prevention of sweet itch should include moving the horse away from standing water and boggy land, stabling at dawn and dusk and the use of fly repellents. The most effective fly protection for horses out at grass are light rugs and hoods which can cover all the areas of the horse susceptible to bites. Cavalesse is an easy-to-administer oral skincare product which helps maintain a healthy skin in horses prone to summer skin allergies. For further information on sweet itch, Sweet Itch Awareness Month or Cavalesse, please visit www.fidavet.com, or contact Elanco Companion Animal Health, Lilly House, Priestley Road, Basingstoke, RG24 9NL, 01256 353131.

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