Skin Allergies: Sweet Itch

By Dr. Lydia Gray on December 3, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Skin, Coat & Hooves

My horse is 15 years old and gets sweet itch every spring. Someone told me to add Flax seed meal to her diet. I've started that this winter. I’ve noticed a growth in her mane and tail but was wondering if it will help with the tail rubbing this spring. Thanks any info will be appreciated. TB, Virginia

Dear TB,

That “someone” was right on! Several research studies have shown that supplementing horses with omega-3 fatty acids—such as those found in flax seed and fish oil—reduces inflammation in the body. One study specifically looked at horses with “sweet itch” and found a significant decrease in allergic skin response when they were fed flax seed.

As you know, “sweet itch” is an allergic response to the bite of the insect Culicoides, also known as midges or no-see-um’s. “Sweet itch” is therefore an insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), the most common kind of allergic reaction in horses. In addition to causing horses to rub their manes and tails, “sweet itch” causes itching, crusting, hair loss and thickened skin on the dorsal (back) and ventral (belly) midline of the body. Other insects with different feeding patterns cause an allergic skin response in different parts of the body, such as the head or legs.

While the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are many and definitely include reducing skin inflammation, MSM is another supplement you may want to consider for your horse. This potent antioxidant also has research supporting its use in allergic conditions, specifically recurrent airway obstruction or “heaves.” I also want to recommend APF. This liquid formula contains several different adaptogens, natural substances from plants that modulate the body’s immune response, dialing it up when facing an infection and dialing it down when facing an allergen, such as an insect bite. Since an allergic reaction is an exaggerated response by the immune system to a usually harmless substance in the environment, calming the immune system down is more appropriate than stimulating it.

Don’t forget other measures to help your horse such as insect control (sheets with belly bands, keeping your horse inside at dusk and dawn, and eliminating standing water, decaying vegetation and manure from your property). In the meantime, enjoy your horse’s improved main and tail, coat and hooves, and the other benefits of omega-3 fatty acids!