DIATOMACEOUS EARTH Powder // Net Ex feather mite

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Horsekaren

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A bit of a follow on post from my earlier post about feather mites. Sorry i am bombarding H&H this morning.

yesterday i applied some Net Ex Feather mite powder, this morning i went and applied front line spot on to his skin under his feathers thinking there is no way that powder can work at £5.00

when i went to see him this morning he wasnt itching and ive just gone over and again he isnt itching. I presume the front line would take a bit longer than 4 hours to work so im now wondering if the powder is actually doing something.

I have just seen the key ingredient is DIATOMACEOUS EARTH. I have found a page on ebay that is much cheaper than buying Net ex powder.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10KG-DIA...I6Mywic28iOjE1MDAsImMiOjE3NzgwMX0=&rmvSB=true

Has anyone else used this with success?
 
It'll keep mites off maybe, but won't have any effect on any that are already in/under the skin (assuming it is mites). Basically works by being spikey and ripping the mites exoskeletons to shreds and dehydrating them.
 
Alpaca owners in England seem to swear by diamactous dirt for the alpacas, they create an area With it and the alpacas love rolling in it. I wonder if the main reason is for mites?

I don’t know anything about putting it directly onto skin though. I’m a fan of neem oil, when one of the donks got bad skin (we think was mites, no one was sure) I washed them in neem shampoo and then put neem oil lotion on it and seems to have really helped. He also got frontline type thing anyway from Vet but the neem oil also seems to keep the flies away!
 
My only experience with it is industrial - it is used as a filter medium for fluids. Most people are trying to switch away from it as its not great for the breathing of those using it. But obviously that is in large quantities in comparison to the presumably tiny amount you would use on a horse.
 
Leo Walker said:
I've used it. It seems to work for 48 hours or so then its back to normal. Its more likely to be the spot on working.
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yes this-the spot on that has passed testing and efficacy and has some actual science behind it.

OP the Barrier stuff I mentioned at least has some supportive data of its active ingredient (lavender oil) as does the Equimins. The Lime Dip Equine I mentioned also has some published studies on it's use for feather mites and works in a similar way to the Selsun someone else mentioned.
 
I have half a tub of this left. I found it incredibly difficult to get into horses feathers most of it went over me. That said perhaps if you have a puffer type applicator it would be easier. Didn't find it helped my horses mites though
 
I've used it for feather mites and found it works brilliantly.
The best way I found to use it is to wash the feathers, rub it in well when they're still damp then not brush or touch the feathers for a few days. After that one more dry application then you're sorted.
Cheap, and chemical free.
 
I use it and have done for several years, not only on my poultry externally and internally but also for my dogs internally and I ingest it everyday too. Lots of health benefits just make sure you never breathe the powder in. It is second in hardness to diamonds I believe, it acts upon mites, fleas and internal worms by literally shredding them to pieces so they die. I have a really good supplier , good quality and the best price I have found. 3 grades, never use industrial DE that's used in swimming pools and not for humans or animals. If used regularly and correctly it will get rid of pests and parasites. I use these people to supply me https://diatomretail.co.uk/pages/de-information
 
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Oh I absolutely love this stuff! It's brilliant!

My little vanner came to me with terrible feather mite and I was at my wits end with how to treat them. I'd get to the yard in the morning and there would be blood everywhere where he'd been gnawing and rubbing.

I used spot on (1/2 a pipette for small dogs on each leg), behind the knee or just below the hock once every four weeks - be sure to check for any broken skin or mallenders first though. I also used spot on spray one day and a big dusting of diatomaceous earth on the next - alternating between the two.

Make sure you also treat all the way up the legs, the tail, belly, chest and mane - he had them so bad they'd spread.

I also treated his stable with the flea spray and diatomaceous earth every day until a couple of weeks after his mites had gone. And washed all rugs, numnahs, rollers - even lunge lines, head collars and lead ropes just in case.


This totally worked for me - it did take a good 8 weeks to catch the whole cycle but the persistence certainly paid off. I will be using DE powder now the weather is dry - just as a precautionary measure as it can't possibly do any harm. And I use DE powder on my Jack Chi now too as he is so sensitive to the pipette flea treatments and he is one happy chappy...

The one I use is https://multi-mite.co.uk/

Good luck!
 
Thanks :) touch wood he doesn't seem quiet as itchy. still stamping a gnawing but i guess it will take a little while. I used 4 large dog spot on front line pippets (one on each leg and a few daps on withers, tail and mane. I then used the feather mite DE powder the following day. Ive been sneaky with the scissors and cut away some of the underneath to try and keep them cooler. I have left him out 24/7 for 4 days now unworked, i'm letting him have some time to just enjoy being a horse a bit of R&R then i will bring him in tomorrow and asses how he is doing.

I have ordered some frontline spray, waitrose pet do it without prescription :O. I was thinking of spraying him on the weekend (this will be 5 days after the pippets) would this be to soon? can you Od on front line?
 
I am sorry but DE doesnt work internally. There are untold papers out there that prove that. I can never understand why people are prepared to ingest something thats going to shred worms, surely its going to shred your insides as well or is it magical DE that only attacks worms?!
 
Horsekaren said:
I have ordered some frontline spray, waitrose pet do it without prescription :O. I was thinking of spraying him on the weekend (this will be 5 days after the pippets) would this be to soon? can you Od on front line?
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Too soon and pointless. The original dose it still active for at least 28
days
 
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