Key Benefits Respite is ready mixed: saving you time and trouble each day. Respite contains more Nicotinamide than any other brand - giving your horse maximum comfort. Nicotinamide, a form of Vitamin B3, has been well established in both human and veterinary medicine as a modulator of the immune system, dampening down over reaction that leads to irritation and itching caused by midge bites and grass/pollen allergies. It is fed daily as a liquid additive to the horses food concentrate. Feeding should begin as early in the season as practical before insect activity reaches a peak. Skin diseases are common in horses; in a country like the UK for instance it is thought that over 50,000 horses suffer from skin-related problems & conditions but the problem is that many have very similar appearances. There are a number of causes of these conditions, for example: feed hypersensitivity, genetic predisposition, stress, nettle stings and, all too commonly, saliva from insect bites – especially from the Culicoides fly (midges), a problem of seasonal nature known popularly as Sweet Itch. Some breeds are genetically more prone to Sweet Itch than others, for example thoroughbred horses are much less likely to be affected than cob-type ponies. Sweet Itch symptoms usually start to appear in the spring - when the midges become active - but can persist well into the winter months especially if the season has been mild. After being exposed to the allergen (e.g. saliva from the midge bite) allergic horses can develop a Type I hypersensitivity reaction and histamine is produced. This is an‘over the top’ immune reaction to the bite, resulting in swelling and itching of the skin. The horse will start to rub and chew at affected areas that can then become infected. The more often a horse is bitten the worse the reaction becomes. Some horses can become very debilitated & temperamental throughout the spring and summer months as a result. FAQ's
