Grass mites!!

Keira 8888

Keira 8888

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Hi guys,

hope you are all well!

Does anyone have any experience with pesky grass mites? Prince has been nibbling his legs for a few days ago and the vet has now confirmed grass mites. I will be clipping his very small feathers tonight and applying a treatment prescribed by the vet but from what I’ve read they can be persistent little buggers!

Any helpful tips from you knowledgable folk would be much appreciated. I heard that neem shampoo is meant to be useful too? Anyone ever used that?

Thank you!
Keira x
 
I have a nightmare with harvest mite every summer, from a few weeks ago til as I remember mid/late September.
I’ve posted several times in desperation!
My horses have never really been feathery, I have a cob but don’t keep his hairy legs, they get effected on their faces and legs.
Ive tried so much stuff including the injections which did nothing.
Just recently I feel like I’m keeping on top of it better.
Previously I’ve been treating with whatever then several days later they are all demented again and so I decide that that product is rubbish and move on to the next.
The fact the mites are in the grass means every time I turn out they re-infect The scratch itch cycle takes hold and I have sore miserable horses and a very stressed me. :(
So the past few weeks I’ve been dusting the earth stuff beginning with D (someone help me out here ?‍♀️?) on their faces and legs every other day. This seems to be controlling things far better.
I keep it in a lidded tub and have a very soft long bristled brush to just blob it all on with.
It’s mega cheap and is working as part of a treat and prevent routine.
If I miss an application they start itching instantly.
 
A word of caution for anyone that doesn’t treat them. My Freisian mare has had them as long as I’ve known her. When I took ownership I started to treat them. I’ve had success with a sulphur dip, but one leg was persistent. She was stamping her legs on Saturday and when I checked there were maggots ?. She must have had a small wound and the perfect place to lay eggs. I’ve now clipped the underside of her feathers and they seem to have all gone. My vet said that mites are rare in horses without feathers so I may chop them all off if the problem comes back.
 
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Oh, another caution!
I do fec and have done Equisal tests. My horses have always tested clear, or good as, no horse is ever clear... but since the mites they will test positive for tapeworm in Autumn (never spring) The mites carry or act as a host to tapes so it’s even more important to worm correctly for tape worm if you have this issue!
 
Ours get mites every summer. We stay on top of it with a particular shampoo & treatment. Definitely contains sulphur, but can't remember the other ingredient. Will dig out the study that found some success with the method. It's not a miracle worker, but certainly works better than anything else we've tried.
 
Not wanting to criticise anyone's management; but may I sound a word of caution - particularly if you have these cobs with pink skin & white hair on their legs as these sorts of horses tend to be ridiculously sensitive to any new product and anything caustic can set off a very nasty allergic reaction.

I've seen people recommending pig oil and sulphur; a few years ago I just didn't know any better, and used it on my old boy. I just didn't know! Yes I should have patch-tested, but didn't as had heard it recommended in so many places. He came up very sore and red, poor old chap. I feel terrible about it now.

But just sounding a warning. It is easy to try something new which you see recommended - and which might work for someone else's horses - but may I urge people to patch-test a small area first over a 48hr period just to check everything is OK. This is important particularly with a pour-on remedy (the majority of which are meant for cattle not horses!) as once its on, its on.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Not wanting to criticise anyone's management; but may I sound a word of caution - particularly if you have these cobs with pink skin & white hair on their legs as these sorts of horses tend to be ridiculously sensitive to any new product and anything caustic can set off a very nasty allergic reaction.

I've seen people recommending pig oil and sulphur; a few years ago I just didn't know any better, and used it on my old boy. I just didn't know! Yes I should have patch-tested, but didn't as had heard it recommended in so many places. He came up very sore and red, poor old chap. I feel terrible about it now.

But just sounding a warning. It is easy to try something new which you see recommended - and which might work for someone else's horses - but may I urge people to patch-test a small area first over a 48hr period just to check everything is OK. This is important particularly with a pour-on remedy (the majority of which are meant for cattle not horses!) as once its on, its on.
Click to expand...

I agree with patch testing anything, one of mine had an awful reaction to a fly repellant. The long acting one from the vet that you dilute, and yes, we did dilute correctly.

I have never had this, but then we cut the fields short because of snakes, so maybe that has a bearing?
 
Red-1 said:
I agree with patch testing anything, one of mine had an awful reaction to a fly repellant. The long acting one from the vet that you dilute, and yes, we did dilute correctly.

I have never had this, but then we cut the fields short because of snakes, so maybe that has a bearing?
Click to expand...
One of mine had a similar reaction to a fly gel that I bought from the tack shop so agree, always patch test. She’s oddly fine with Deosect and the stronger repellents.
 
Red-1 said:
I agree with patch testing anything, one of mine had an awful reaction to a fly repellant. The long acting one from the vet that you dilute, and yes, we did dilute correctly.

I have never had this, but then we cut the fields short because of snakes, so maybe that has a bearing?
Click to expand...
My fields have been virtually bare at some points, they still get them. However I had another field half a mile away where they were safe from them.
Do you live in a particularly snakey area? ?
 
Gingerwitch said:
Hi Kris, nothing to add to the thread but wanted to say hi, hope you are settling in well to your new yard and sounds like Prince has landed on his big furry feet. GW x
Click to expand...
Ahh thank you so much! He is doing so well thanks. Loves his new yard and is so happy and relaxed. He is really beginning to build condition and a lovely shine to his coat. Thanks so much for asking x 53AECD28-3ED2-45BF-88EF-EBE520B03E53.jpeg
 
poiuytrewq said:
I have a nightmare with harvest mite every summer, from a few weeks ago til as I remember mid/late September.
I’ve posted several times in desperation!
My horses have never really been feathery, I have a cob but don’t keep his hairy legs, they get effected on their faces and legs.
Ive tried so much stuff including the injections which did nothing.
Just recently I feel like I’m keeping on top of it better.
Previously I’ve been treating with whatever then several days later they are all demented again and so I decide that that product is rubbish and move on to the next.
The fact the mites are in the grass means every time I turn out they re-infect The scratch itch cycle takes hold and I have sore miserable horses and a very stressed me. :(
So the past few weeks I’ve been dusting the earth stuff beginning with D (someone help me out here ?‍♀️?) on their faces and legs every other day. This seems to be controlling things far better.
I keep it in a lidded tub and have a very soft long bristled brush to just blob it all on with.
It’s mega cheap and is working as part of a treat and prevent routine.
If I miss an application they start itching instantly.
Click to expand...
This is fab info - thank you so much x
 
Apercrumbie said:
Ours get mites every summer. We stay on top of it with a particular shampoo & treatment. Definitely contains sulphur, but can't remember the other ingredient. Will dig out the study that found some success with the method. It's not a miracle worker, but certainly works better than anything else we've tried.
Click to expand...
That’s sounds v interesting, thank you ? x
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
Not wanting to criticise anyone's management; but may I sound a word of caution - particularly if you have these cobs with pink skin & white hair on their legs as these sorts of horses tend to be ridiculously sensitive to any new product and anything caustic can set off a very nasty allergic reaction.

I've seen people recommending pig oil and sulphur; a few years ago I just didn't know any better, and used it on my old boy. I just didn't know! Yes I should have patch-tested, but didn't as had heard it recommended in so many places. He came up very sore and red, poor old chap. I feel terrible about it now.

But just sounding a warning. It is easy to try something new which you see recommended - and which might work for someone else's horses - but may I urge people to patch-test a small area first over a 48hr period just to check everything is OK. This is important particularly with a pour-on remedy (the majority of which are meant for cattle not horses!) as once its on, its on.
Click to expand...
Yes this makes 100% sense ?
 
Keira 8888 said:
That’s sounds v interesting, thank you ? x
Click to expand...

Here is the study:
http://www.bellequine.co.uk/downloads/vde855.pdf

They used a benzoyl peroxide shampoo (made by Virbac), followed by a diluted sulphurated lime dip (made by Dermapet). We followed the instructions to the letter with one exception - I think it recommends keeping horses on individual turnout to avoid them constantly reinfecting each other but we just kept our two together and retreated at exactly the same time.

MJR2BT makes a crucial point about patch testing - always, always do it.
 
poiuytrewq said:
My fields have been virtually bare at some points, they still get them. However I had another field half a mile away where they were safe from them.
Do you live in a particularly snakey area? ?
Click to expand...

Yes, not only grass snakes, we have some adders too. Keep everything trimmed and strimmed.
 
I hope this is visible but thought this may be interesting.
This is a close up of the muzzle of a grey TB
The tiny orange clusters are gangs of blo*** mites. They look like pollen, think lily pollen. For a long long time I thought it was pollen from some kind of irritating plant!
I had to resize so hope it’s clear enough to see
 

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Kiera, if that stance with his front feet pushed forward is normal for him at the moment, keep a check on his digital pulses and watch his waistline as we go into the autumn laminitis peak, won't you? He does look a credit to you and I don't want to take away from that, but I know you are a novice owner and I don't want to say nothing and then for you to have laminitis on top of everything else.
.
 
I'm randomly having luck with a pot of NAF Deet based fly repellent cream. I didn't buy it for that reason but he's had so many flies annoying him and i know he bites his legs so thought I'd rub it in to keep them off. Much happier and less itching after just 1 application.

None of the normal mite treatments help usually.
 
I've had success clipping and using Lime a Sulfur Dip (think it was Dechra LimePlus Dip) with WonkyMare earlier this year, when she started to nibble her legs.
Late Mare (feathered) was a particularly chronic case, and the only thing that worked for her was being clipped and sprayed with Effipro spray, 3 times 2 weeks apart.
 
ycbm said:
Kiera, if that stance with his front feet pushed forward is normal for him at the moment, keep a check on his digital pulses and watch his waistline as we go into the autumn laminitis peak, won't you? He does look a credit to you and I don't want to take away from that, but I know you are a novice owner and I don't want to say nothing and then for you to have laminitis on top of everything else.
.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much for this YCBM - funny I was only just thinking about laminitis the other day and that I need to really gen up on it. I will go do some reading on it right now. Do you have any particular tips I should bear in mind other than checking digital pulse and weight? Thanks so much ?
 
Nasicus said:
I've had success clipping and using Lime a Sulfur Dip (think it was Dechra LimePlus Dip) with WonkyMare earlier this year, when she started to nibble her legs.
Late Mare (feathered) was a particularly chronic case, and the only thing that worked for her was being clipped and sprayed with Effipro spray, 3 times 2 weeks apart.
Click to expand...
Brill, very useful. Thank you xx
 
SEL said:
I'm randomly having luck with a pot of NAF Deet based fly repellent cream. I didn't buy it for that reason but he's had so many flies annoying him and i know he bites his legs so thought I'd rub it in to keep them off. Much happier and less itching after just 1 application.

None of the normal mite treatments help usually.
Click to expand...
Fab! Thank you. Will make a note of this in case what the vet gave me doesn’t do the trick x
 
poiuytrewq said:
I hope this is visible but thought this may be interesting.
This is a close up of the muzzle of a grey TB
The tiny orange clusters are gangs of blo*** mites. They look like pollen, think lily pollen. For a long long time I thought it was pollen from some kind of irritating plant!
I had to resize so hope it’s clear enough to see
Click to expand...
That’s interesting! Good to know what this looks like! Thank you xx
 
Just been reading an old horse magazine and a top tip from them was a dog or cat flea collar around the leg apparently works really well use the rubber one not to tightly above fetlock. No idea whether this works but might be worth a try
 
poiuytrewq said:
I hope this is visible but thought this may be interesting.
This is a close up of the muzzle of a grey TB
The tiny orange clusters are gangs of blo*** mites. They look like pollen, think lily pollen. For a long long time I thought it was pollen from some kind of irritating plant!
I had to resize so hope it’s clear enough to see
Click to expand...

Yikes. Not seen that before. Thank you for sharing though, something else to keep an eye out for.
 
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