Harvest mites

[Bossanova]

What are the signs on the legs if they've got harvest mites, bar looking for mites themselves....

 

[amzy]

They will usually either nibble at the legs or scratch one with the other leg and stamp their back feet on the ground rapidly. A vet will usually do a skin scraping to check if the itching is due to mites.

 

[madhector]

Jerry had what looked like the beginnings of mudfever on his legs, turned out to be harvest mites, all he had were small scabs. He also had them on his face

 

[Bossanova]

So prob not bigger oozy scabs and swollen legs.....

 

[fairhill]

Has the horse got feathers and shire-type breeding? If so then it could be mites, and a hyper-allergic reaction.
Chloe gets oozy scabs and swollen legs from mites... and mud rash, and washing and the cold... Last time we got the vet out and she took scrapings to confirm mites. If in doubt I'd give them a good wash and get some frontline on them.

 

[Bossanova]

Nope, no feathers- it's an andalucian!
Hmmm legs bit better this morning though horse just isnt quite right. Vet didnt think it was worth coming to see yesterday and thought it likely it was harvest mites.

 

[fairhill]

How many legs are scabby/swollen? Any heat in them?

 

[Bossanova]

[ QUOTE ]
How many legs are scabby/swollen? Any heat in them?

[/ QUOTE ]

All of them- started with just fronts then backs too and now fronts have settled down. All swollen but no detectable heat. Feet are cold. Horse was biting at coronet bands couple of days ago but isnt anymore. Went out hacking on Saturday but this didnt flare up until Sunday PM. The horse he went hacking with has nothing....

 

[fairhill]

TBH doesn't sound like mites if it's clearing up already.
Could it be an allergic reaction to something he walked through on the hack?

We don't bother getting the vet now to Chloe's legs as they can't agree on a treatment, so we just shampoo (maleseb) and put tea tree cream on to soothe the sores. Her legs have started up again this week.

Thinking about it my other mare got a fungal infection on her hind legs last april. They were swollen with oozy scabs but got worse over time, rather than better. She needed antibiotics and flamizine to get rid of it.

 

[madhector]

[ QUOTE ]
So prob not bigger oozy scabs and swollen legs.....

[/ QUOTE ]

dont think so, Jerry's legs never got swollen, and he had loads of little scabs at one point

 

[Darkly_Dreaming_Dex]

Whats your favourite method to get rid of these mites?

 

[Thistle]

Frontline