Sweet itch causes lifelong misery for sensitive horses. Emerging treatments including immunotherapy offer hope for longer-term welfare improvement beyond symptom management.
The welfare burden of sweet itch extends across the entire midge season, typically 7-9 months in temperate climates. Affected horses spend their summers in near-constant discomfort, requiring intensive management that itself restricts their freedom. The prospect of immunotherapy that reduces the underlying hypersensitivity, rather than just managing its expression, represents a potential welfare transformation for affected horses. Investment in research and access to emerging treatments is a genuine welfare priority.