Clipping feathers - mites

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Horsemad87

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Hi all, I've just brought a beautiful shire cross. He's been stamping his feet so I've had the vet out who confirmed its feather mites. He has advised to clip out his legs and left a wash to apply afterwards. (Currently they can't get the dectomax injection)



Does anyone have any tips on clipping legs. He's only just being broken in and as far as I'm aware never clipped before so I don't want to fully clip him yet. Any tips on clipping his legs without him looking silly that his body isn't clipped?



Also any tips on preventing mites once I have got rid of them would be great too.



Thank you
 
You don't need to clip. Use a good selenium based shampoo - I use Selsun 2.5% and you may need to purchase on line. Scrub legs thoroughly right down to the skin, including heels, ergots and soles of feet. Leave for ten minutes, and rinse well. Repeat on day five and day ten to break the life cycle of the mite. I did my cob monthly after that for six months, and ten years later he gets an annual scrub just in case. Mites are not blood feeders. They live on skin debris and dandruff, so cleaning the skin properly will remove the mites.
 
I have a gypsy cob with feathers like floor-mops. Total PITA.

I also had a heavy cob who was itching and stamping all the time, yet vet could find no evidence of mites and we looked in the direction of CPL (Chronic Progressive Lymphoedema) - there IS a FB page and a lot of what is on there would also be helpful to anyone needing to treat feathermite.

I used to use Mitey Feathers on mine and swore by it; however last year I used it and I don't know whether they'd changed the formula or anything but her feather-hair went all brittle and went brown! I'd also changed my vets about this time and they will supply an ivermectin wash for clients with these sorts of horses.

The other thing you can do (wisdom from my old vet - now retired) is to double-dose ivermectin wormer: three doses at fortnightly intervals which will tackle the problem from the inside-out rather than a topical application. So you'd say administer the double-dose today; next double-dose in a fortnight; next double-dose fortnight after that. However I would say that this was advice give for MY horse and I would urge anyone to speak to their own vet before administering anything anyone else has said.

I would urge you to be extremely cautious with what you are advised too as regards topical applications: sooner or later someone is bound to advise you to use pig oil & sulphur. Please be VERY very careful! This combination can be exceedingly caustic and has potential to cause a nasty reaction (patch test first). But betcha someone will recommend it.........

I clip my pony's legs; we have to take things steadily with her. Not able to sedate her as she fights it hoof-and-nail. So just have to do a bit at a time.
 
Mine came to me with Mites, and he has the most dense, bristles rather than soft feather, so I can’t actually get to his skin!
I have to sedate with Relaquin/Demosedan before clipping his legs, then I spray thoroughly with Frontline. Good Luck.
 
Google for Farrier mite shampoo. It paralyses the mites in 24 hours and there's no need to clip. It contains a naturally derived ingredient that is toxic to equine mites ,.no harsh chemicals needed.
 
Sossigpoker said:
Google for Farrier mite shampoo. It paralyses the mites in 24 hours and there's no need to clip. It contains a naturally derived ingredient that is toxic to equine mites ,.no harsh chemicals needed.
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Is this the stuff you're referring to?
 

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Please wear a hat while treating his legs and be aware that he may feel the need to stamp so plan your position and need to move away with this in mind.

I posted similar on another thread recently https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/first-day-and-horse-kicked.826112/page-2#post-15111107 'When you're ready to handle his back legs again please wear a hat. The kindest horse with mites or whatever can try so hard to cooperate until it is too much. In decades I have worn a hat for handling only one horse and it was while trying to treat the legs of a hairy cob who was just the loveliest lad. He just couldn't help kicking back (not out or at me) much as he tried. I took it very slowly like one leg one day, another leg another day etc. It did get easier. As it happens never in a stable because there wasn't one. I don't think I would have tried in a stable. It was a private yard and he stood ground tied but never left me.'
 
PaulaS21 said:
Hi all, I've just brought a beautiful shire cross. He's been stamping his feet so I've had the vet out who confirmed its feather mites. He has advised to clip out his legs and left a wash to apply afterwards. (Currently they can't get the dectomax injection)



Does anyone have any tips on clipping legs. He's only just being broken in and as far as I'm aware never clipped before so I don't want to fully clip him yet. Any tips on clipping his legs without him looking silly that his body isn't clipped?



Also any tips on preventing mites once I have got rid of them would be great too.



Thank you
Click to expand...
My cob recently had feather mites and we had a close call with clipping the feather off, luckily we used dectomax, and that cleared them off nicely. But if dectomax is not available then I would recommend pig oil if that is available.
 
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