Has my horse got leg mites

[Rach_b1998]

Hi, I've been told my horse has leg mites recently but I'm not sure. On his legs he has millions of little black specks. I always thought that with him being grey it was ground in dirt. I've had him five years and he's never had scabs or made a point of itching them. Could they be right, has he got leg mites? X

 

[wkiwi]

Do they wash off?
You could always collect some and get the vet clinic to look at them under the microscope.

 

[ester]

you can't see them with the naked eye and if he hasn't any symptoms then no, or if he hasn't they aren't causing him any issues.

 

[Rach_b1998]

No, I've scrubbed at them with shampoo and when he's molting they come off on his fur x

 

[Rach_b1998]

Thanks 😄

 

[wkiwi]

Ticks can appear small and dark before they have a feed. But I would think that you would also see larger 'post-meal' ones too as well as irritation to his legs. The ticks also like long grass and certain weather conditions (so tend to be in some areas/paddocks only). A friend of mine had a massive tick problem when they turned their horses out onto long grass in a new field (farmer didn't tell them there was a tick problem).
I would be surprised if it was ground in dirt if you can't scrub it off, but maybe there is something else he is contacting that is stickier? Are all the bits the same size and shape?
Photos? Or you could look at google images for various things and see if other horses look like what you have?

 

[wkiwi]

oops, posted twice as internet having spasms, so this one edited so people don't have to read the same stuff.

 

[Rach_b1998]

thanks, it's definitely not ticks. The grass isn't that long (mid hoof). There all similar shapes and sizes. I will get a phot and post it. I've googled leg mites on horses and most photos show them to be white or ulcerated which makes me think there not mites. Thanks for all your help 😊😊x

 

[Rach_b1998]

How do I attach an image? X

 

[[42010]]

Rach, did you ever get to the bottom of this issue, what the black specks were? My horse has exactly the same. My vet calls it dermatitis but this is a blanket term for a range of skin conditions. Any advice on what you did to get rid of yours would be appreciated.

 

[cowgirl16]

My old grey pony gets black specks on his legs. It's dead skin. He's got a greasy coat and gets scurfy. They will brush off. I wash him with head and shoulders shampoo. When washing his legs I give them a good scrub with a soft brush, gets all the dead skin out. They come up pure white and no black specks. Could this be your problem?