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Discussion on Looking for a good topical to stop itchiness from gnats
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Member:
Damfarm
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Posted on Monday, Jun 9, 2003 - 11:21 pm:
My horse is hyper sensitive to gnats and noseeums. Once he gets some bites he scratches and rubs the hair off his face (nose area) and chest area. I was looking for a good anti-itch topical. Has anyone used Calm Coat by Last Chance Ranch or Relief Equine Body Wash by Equine Elite or anything else to relieve itch?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 10, 2003 - 6:17 am:
I am unfamilar with these products Dana, but I have seen clients and members go through thousands of dollars of such products only to find that they were back where they started from. Wat are the active ingredients in this products and I may be able to help more.
For proven methods to decrease the problem see our articles on itching and sweet itch on the skin disease menu.
DrO
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Member:
Shirl
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 10, 2003 - 11:40 am:
Hi Dana,
Welcome to the world of "itch"! It's frustrating and seems a no win situation. I've tried Gold Bond anti-itch cream and powder, other anti itch stuff you can get in the drug store, ordered "Stop Itch" from Cheval, used some 'itch stuff' vet recommended along with shampoo, used Listerine but nothing seems to work long term. My mare is on antihistamine now, HyDrOxazine and even that don't seem to help a lot. It's a night-mare every summer. Just keep trying. Shirl
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Member:
Chrism
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Posted on Tuesday, Jun 10, 2003 - 11:58 am:
I went through the lot of products and now use a fly sheet (24/7) that protects the body, belly, tail and neck to try to minimize gnat bites.
Prevention seems to be the only thing that really helps.
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 12:42 am:
They do have a sheet for it...it's in past discussions. I used to coat my mare's belly ( after trying everything else ) with swat - at that time it was available only in that rather hysterical pink color. It really helped her - I used to order by the case. I mean, I REALLY slathered it on. She used to pull herself across the paddock with her front feet while lying on her belly. I put it on about 1/4 inch thick on her mane, top of tail, in her ears, and right down her belly. Couldn't ride her......unless I wanted an icky pink girth. But it afforded her so much relief, I had to put it on.
Since then, we've moved to a sunny sandy area, and NO cullicoides!! No allergy!!! Now we have ticks and chiggers.........
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Member:
Leilani
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 12:48 am:
Elizabeth,
Ha,ha, people used to laugh at me because I would use pink Swat under my mare Mele's eyes to ward off the flies. The benefit was when the color faded I knew she needed more fly protection.
She is home now, so I use a fly mask. Much less messy.
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 12:58 am:
Yeah, and oooh that delicious satisfaction of finding dead cullicoides gnats in that pink goo! It really helped to make up for those snide comments - I was know as "Swatgirl" - but I must admit, we also had "Corona Don" and "Reducine Rosie".
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Member:
Fpony
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 6:18 am:
The fly sheet with the belly band really is working for my pony. He gets a break from it at night when i keep the horses by the barn. It is a pain to put it on every morning and I feel a bit sorry for him but I felt worse for him when he was itching and I spent a lot of money on bug spray and had to give him dexamethazone. No medication this year! Kim
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Member:
Suzym
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 12:49 pm:
I also use a sheet AND Swat. Thank goodness there's a white version of Swat now! 
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Member:
Shirl
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Posted on Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003 - 12:59 pm:
My vet recommended putting Zinc Oxide on any sores which also keeps the "pests" from getting to those areas.
Shirl
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Member:
Presario
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Posted on Friday, Jun 13, 2003 - 12:00 pm:
A lot of folks also feed flax (either ground or the Nutra-Flax product that is fortified) to reduce/alleviate the problems from gnat allergies (itching) with great success.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, Jun 13, 2003 - 10:59 pm:
Though there are some subjective reports that this may help a bit and there is a possible mechanism of action, I don't think anyone has shown this is a greatly successful program.
DrO
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Member:
Bigbird
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Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 2:43 pm:
Hi all - where do you buy Swat? My horse is itching all over - the vet comes Friday. He is itching his chest and neck, mane and tail?
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Member:
Chrism
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Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 3:21 pm:
I've purchased swat at the local tack store and lots of mail order catalogs, such as Jeffers, Valley Vet, Dover and State Line.
However, my mare with gnat allergy needed to wear barrier sheet that covered mane, tail head, body and belly when she lived in a gnat area. I tried every suggesting known to the internet and basically barrier was all that minimized.
I did not try Dr. O's alternate day therapy with prednisalone (sp?) as she was showing.
BTW, she is on a free lease at a new farm and they don't seem to have gnats. So we are seeing if she will still need barrier clothes.
Cheers.
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Member:
Bobs
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Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 3:28 pm:
If you do not know what is causing the itch, the safest thing you can use is cold water. I am speaking from the human perspective. There a hundred products that treat a hundred conditions with the symptom of itchiness(dryness, parasites etc). Use cold water, soaks, spray,or dips until the veterinarian arrives
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Member:
Bigbird
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Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 6:38 pm:
Christine - are you speaking of a fly sheet when you say barrier? Some fly sheets seem to have larger "holes" than others. Let me know what you used. I am waiting for the vet, but thought I would explore what other people have experienced.
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Member:
Vickiann
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Posted on Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 9:50 pm:
A couple of my friends use the Calm Coat and like it a lot, but the key seems to be preventing the bites in the first place. A good fly spray solves lots of problems! There is also a product called Gnat Away (cream works better than the spray) that has no chemicals, etc., and is especially helpful for sensitive areas because it can be applied around the eyes and on the ears. I've used various things for itching such as Witch Hazel, Ivy Dry, or Absorbine Liniment. Some of the trails we ride have very bad gnats so I carry a container of Cutter (product made for humans) insect repellent sheets in my saddle bag to apply wherever the gnats are attracted to. They work especially well against the most persistent gnats (and mosquitoes), and it is an easy way to apply strong repellent to the horses face, ears and wherever needed for horse or rider. It would probably also work against ticks. The horse fly spray I use works great for ticks, but not as well on Gnats as the Cutters or Gnat Away.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 8:04 am:
Hello Lynn,
We explain the most likely cause of your problem and have many recommendations in the article Equine Diseases » Skin Diseases » Hair Loss / Itching / Irritated Skin » Culicoides Hypersensitivity: Sweet & Queensland Itch. There are also some recent edits to the article with regard to antihistimines.
DrO
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Member:
Chrism
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Posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 10:24 am:
I will say again, save your money on topicals for gnat allergies - I've tried everything mentioned without success. Perhaps if I saw the horse every day and could apply every day something might have worked. I've my doubts. I've not had any success with stuff fed either.
Keep horse in when gnats are biting. If it is your property, clean up wet, swampy spots, standing water and use surfecants in ponds to minimize gnat breeding. Keep a fan going in your horse's stall if the gnats come inside.
Use a fly sheet with small holes or stretchy fabric that covers ventral mid-line, tail head and neck.
Initially, I used a Boett Pyjama on my mare which is pricey and hard to fine, but effective for sweet itch. I stumbled on mine used.
When it wore out, I tried a Rambo Dustbuster, which was too fragile - the zip failed (they have since switched to velcro fasteners)and the fabric pulled. Rambo customer service quickly replaced it with a product they offered in Europe for sweet itch prevention, but it is not in the US to my knowledge. That worked, okay. Weatherbeeta also has a mylon type sheet with a belly band, tail head cover, neck cover that I've used, too.
I noticed a nubmer of new products being offered this year.
Try to match fit, durability, small holes, cool fabric as well as you can.
Or, do Dr. O's alternate day therapy.
Cheers.
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Member:
Vickiann
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Posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 6:30 pm:
PRODUCT NAME CORRECTION -- What was "formerly known as Gnat-Away" is now called GNatural Cream, by Gold Nugget. And what I THOUGHT was Cutters because of the container appearance is actually called REPEL -- it has 30% DEET, which I imagine is the active ingredient. Label says it repels for "up to 10 hours." I imagine a number of firms make similar products, and some have an even higher percentage of DEET, which would make it even more effective. As stated in the prior post, topicals usually require daily application, but depending upon the circumstances that can be a big help. When the Gnats bite is during daylight hours, so a once daily application can make the difference between a pleasant or miserable ride or day for the horses.
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 9:08 pm:
We live in an area that is normally very arid; but with heavy mtn. snow pack and LOTS of rain this spring, everything is very green and wet. I am concerned about all the various bugs, inc. mosquitos and gnats. Has anyone here used garlic supplements as a deterrent? I've read that it really helps, but am somewhat of a sceptic.
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Member:
Shirl
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Posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 10:11 pm:
Hi Sara,I used Garlic for one year on Sierra and I can't say it did anything except make her smell like a garlic, breath, urine - you name it. She was highly allergic to a lot of things, including gnats. I used a Bucas Fly sheet with neck cover until it got too hot here in AZ. I finally found a Holistic Vet that used the NAET System to clear the allergins from her system via the meridan lines, and she was good to go after that. I know Dr. O, it's goofy, but I say, "What ever works". Best to all, Shirl
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Member:
Sunny66
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Posted on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 11:20 pm:
Hi Sara,
Some people swear by garlic, and others don't...how's that 
I've used Cheval International's Inside Out...and it did seem to work a little, definately not the be all and end all, but when the other horse in his turnout had flies literally covering his face, my horse had maybe 2 flies hovering around him.
I truly think it depends on the horse...and while it may not truly work, something sure was working.
I have to get some again this year since my boy has been coming in with big bites on his neck after only an hour at pasture.
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2005 - 12:00 am:
The mare I had with cullicoides allergy suffered so badly that she would she would find a pebbly area in her pasture and lie down on her stomach and drag her belly along the ground. We treated her with everything over the counter and all the antihistamine cortizone - prednisone tricks the vet could think of ( at that time the prednisolone angle had yet to come to light ).
The best thing we found was to load her up with swat up to 1/4 inch thick - ears, belly, mane, and tail. And we kept it on. And it only came in violent pink back then. Looked like heck, but it worked.
What really cured her was moving to a breezy sandy area where the gnats are not a problem.....now, we've got ticks and chiggers.
I've always wondered, if the neck, head and body sleazies would help?
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Member:
Mrose
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Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2005 - 12:22 am:
Trouble with sleazies is that they tear easily if the horses are turned out. I was hoping the garlic would work so the horses and I could both use it! I think I'll get fly sheets for a couple of the more sensitive ones, and use the usual sprays and creams on everyone. I've heard about the GNatural before, so think I'll give it a try. If it gets really bad, I'll just have to keep them in the barn during the day.
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Member:
Paul303
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Posted on Saturday, May 14, 2005 - 10:43 pm:
I see Sara. In my show days, there were no such things...we were REAL horsepeople. Before we entered the arena we used hairspray, spit and dippity doo...
But the cullicoides allergy did not respond to "in for the day, out for the night". She spent many gnat seasons done up like a Easter Bunny. Kudos to Swat....but where was the clear stuff when I needed it?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, May 15, 2005 - 7:37 am:
The biggest problem is that it is not just the fly bite you have to deal with but a systemic allergic response that results in the pattern of itchiness that we see with Sweet Itch. Just a little let down in protection and the whole response starts up for hours perhaps days. You have to take an integrated response like described in the article to really make a difference. However garlic has been carefully investigated by entomologist for its potential to deter biting insects and it only makes the tomato sauce taste better.
Concerning Shirley's experience it is difficult to evaluate but suspect whatever happened to her horses it didn't have anything to do with allergins lodged in the meridians. However in blinded studies about 30% of the horses with the problem seem to spontaneously clear of the problem every year.
DrO
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