Feathered friends Mallenders vs mites Vs both

[Cloball]

I feel like such a bad new horse owner I known she was trying to tell me something this week.
Said feathered pony has sprung out in scabby bits mostly just above the heels on the back and is very reluctant to let me handle her back feet. I've given them a good antibac scrub stuck some sudacrem on for now. There's no evidence of swelling or cellulitis but she is a bit stampy. I had previously assumed it was a stone as she is barefoot and a stone would often fly out. She's sound and not distressed at all.

Main questions:
Should I whip all her beautiful feathers off (she's never been clipped before).

Would changing from straw bedding be better (she has a massive straw bed and only 2 weeks to go before being out full time but I will happily dig it out if best. )

I was going to douse her in neem oil and continue with the sudacrem to see if that helps and if not ask the vet about mites, does that seem like a plan?

Should I carry on hacking out?

 

[Red-1]

Hi, Rigsby gets this!

I can only tell you how I manage his condition. Yes, I clip them off. It means I can monitor his skin.

As I understand it, the mites live neither quite on the skin surface or quite inside the skin. They are in the awkward area where topical treatment is tricky and systemic treatment is also tricky.

I now have them so on Friday I can soften with a product, which at the moment is Farrier's Mallenders and Sallenders cream. Next day I wash with Head and Shoulders. Then clip. I leave them until around Tuesday when he will have a spritz of Pig Oil, but plain so not with the sulphur. Back to Friday and cream and start again.

Other days are available LOL, but once a week is our sweet spot. When I started clipping him, he was reluctant so we ended up doing a little every day.

By Friday, there is a little build up, but by cream and wash, then clip when dry (I usually go for a trot round the village to dry them!) it is controlled.

I find it is not so much the product as softening them so you aren't causing pain, then massaging with the product rather than simply applying it. I find sometimes switching up the emollient helps, I like the stuff in the black bottle most, but the name escapes me. as does changing shampoo. T Gel is effective if it is very bad, but he then reacts to it if I use it too much. When it looks good I stick to a very mild shampoo.

We are on chopped rape straw bedding.

Some people say to avoid biotin and alfalfa. Rigs is on Progressive Earth hoof supplement, which I presume has biotin, and his chop has alfalfa pellets.

Yes, I would ride.

If I miss a clip, he suffers for it.

As I understand it, people who wish to keep feathers get drop on dog medication to kill mites. I prefer to see what is happening, especially as he also has the start of CPL, which has not progressed at all since I've had him, as I keep it well controlled. Dare I say, I even think the crease on his fronts, above the fetlock, has got less deep.

 

[Cloball]

Thanks so much I did a lot of reading last night and it seemed like the end of the world

I massaged in a lot of emollient last night and she seemed to not mind too much as she was resting her foot and not trying to boot me. She seemed, dare I say it, a little relieved I'd noticed but I'm probably anthropomorphising.

I may have to scissor off the feathers it seems like the way to go to get in top of it quickly and I have no showing designs.. this year. I can work on the clipping slowly. I don't want to rush to clip and clip off some scabs which will be sore and create a problem with clipping

She's currently just getting some hedgerow herbs and a mix of hay and haylage. I'm considering adding in a balancer such a forage plus hoof and skin?

 

[Highmileagecob]

A good dandruff shampoo containing selenium (ideally 2.5%) will eliminate mites, with no need to clip. Use on day one, day five and day ten to break the lifecycle and clear any hatchlings. Avoid broken skin, and rinse well. You may find pockets of mites stain yellow, but it fades in a few days.
I have just reordered Selsun 2.5% for old Dobbin, and have had to order on Fleabay from India! On the plus side, he now only needs a scrub twice a year and has been itch free for over eight years.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The best cure for mites that I've ever found was Coopers Fly Repellent Plus but I'm not sure that it is still available.

 

[SEL]

You might have to take the feathers off to get on top of it but I'd try without first. Dectomax injections help mites with some not others. I also find my hairiest cob improves after normal wormers. I do use dog spot on with her because she has fabulous feathers. I have also made up a wash with ivermectin cattle wormer.

The littlest cob needs the minimal amount of molasses possible. I got the wrong chaff last year and although it wasn't that sticky and she only got a couple of handfuls twice a day it set her right off. So did linseed.

I can't use straw so the hairy bunch are on aubiose

 

[Cloball]

Well I was 75% success with my plan and got my foot stamped on for the effort she was NOT impressed. I might have to try one foot at a time at this rate. She is due worming in March.

 

[catkin]

The best cure for mites that I've ever found was Coopers Fly Repellent Plus but I'm not sure that it is still available.

Coopers was fab.
The nearest to it I think is Deosect but it doesnt smell as nice and you have to prep it just before use.

OP, don't know if this will help with your feather clipping dilemma - when Fellboy got scabby on a pastern my vet suggested clipping the actual patch ie heels and pastern and leave the rest so he still had his 'drains' for the wet. If you didnt know then you wouldnt know! He does live partly in though so has chance to dry off each day.

 

[planete]

I have had success with Ivermectin Spot On syringes from my vet, one per leg. I used them once, did not clip, have not had to treat again in the past two years. He is not allowed near any straw, ever. I need to keep the area prone to mallanders well moisturised regularly but that is the only routine we follow right now. He has been on a balancer containing biotin for a few months with no noticeable change.

 

[shortstuff99]

Straw will be problematic and will bring mites back. Mine get washed in neem shampoo and then either frontline or the dectomax injection if needed.

For mallanders mine also get washed in neem shampoo and then I use farriers M and S cream. This has kept both under control for mine for years.

 

[Sossigpoker]

Farrier mite shampoo is targeted at equine mites and will parslyse the mites within 24 hours. Plus it's a lovely shampoo and leaves the feather in lovely condition. Repeat after 10 days to break the mites' life cycle.

For M&S they also do a cream which is very effective

 

[Cloball]

I thought that might be the case. I will call the vet on Monday and see what they suggest as I'd like to get on top of it quickly without getting booted.

 

[stangs]

Does anyone have recommendations for something to treat mites that doesn't wet the feathers? Ivermectin hasn't worked, and I'm worried about exasperating the mud fever if I wash them.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

Does anyone have recommendations for something to treat mites that doesn't wet the feathers? Ivermectin hasn't worked, and I'm worried about exasperating the mud fever if I wash them.

I have been applying Diatomaceous Earth to share horse's legs for mites (under instruction, not because I decided to!) I am not sure how exactly it works but worth looking into?

 

[shortstuff99]

Does anyone have recommendations for something to treat mites that doesn't wet the feathers? Ivermectin hasn't worked, and I'm worried about exasperating the mud fever if I wash them.

I've used mite powder before and you rub it in to the feathers. Did seem to do the job.