Heel mites - advice needed

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My little cob keeps getting heel mites (well I assume that's what it is rather than mud fever, as we have no mud really!)

I've clipped her legs out, and when I first got her, used camrosa which cleared her legs up really quickly. Problem is it seems that unless I keep putting it on every day, she starts itching again.

I wash her legs with hibiscrub weekly, and was trying putting benzol on every day which I think works?*

Just wondered if anyone had any good tips? I think I'm keeping them at bay - just don't want her to be uncomfortable.

Her injections are due next month so i can get some skin scrapes done then if necessary. *
 
If it is mites, you could ask your vet to give her an ivermectin injection. They need 2, a fortnight apart, and it works wonders :-)
 
Dectomax injections from vet should clear it. Be careful about using Hibiscrub too often or over washing the legs as it will strip the protective oils out of the feather and leave your horse more susceptable to mud fever.
 
my cob had the ivermectin injection and it stopped him from itching for about a month and then the itching and sores reappeared. i clipped his legs out as soon as the ground dried up this year and gave them a scrub with a mite shampoo and *touch wood* he hasn't itched. however i got my friends to get some frontline spray from the vets for me (he used his cats as an excuse) and will use that if the itching begins. i know people will say you don't HAVE to clip out their lovely feathers but i know my hairy boy is a lot happier with them gone once it dries and warms up:)
 
Spray with frontline every ten days x three treatments, then use pig oil and sulphur every few weeks for the rest of her life.

PM me with an email address and I will send you a huge note about care of heavy horses/hairy cobs legs.
 
Theresa's spot on!

Don't believe all those people who say that pig oil with sulphur is dreadful stuff and burns your horse's legs. It doesn't. I suffer from very sensitive skin and am quite capable of applying it without any trouble. The flowers of sulphur smell repels mites and the light oil stops anything from sticking to the hair. That includes mud and droppings.

Now, that has got to be a good thing!
 
poppypiebald said:
Theresa's spot on!

Don't believe all those people who say that pig oil with sulphur is dreadful stuff and burns your horse's legs. It doesn't.
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It can do.

Caused a reaction on my gelding, burnt his feathers off a few years back. The only time in his life he's reacted to anything.

I use pig oil without sulphur or ASSS and he's fine. Subsequently heard of others having problems with it too. Like any product, skin test first, some horses are fine, others not.
 
Frontline was the only stuff that gave my horse relief.

At his worst he had sores up all legs and onto his sheath, tummy and chest. He was a welsh D, not at all heavily feathered and clipped fully out. He had a very oily coat with what can only be described as a layer of 'scum' on his skin which did not wash off when he was bathed, if anything bathing made him worse.

He really suffered for a while until we got it under control. Frontline was used each week squirted into heel area and as long as I was rigid in my routine and care he was fine.
 
Agree with Frontline but I just clip them use Benzyl Benzoate (your chemist can get you a nice big jar...if you ask nicely)I then clipped and slathered this on. Left on for couple of days and then rinse off and then slather something greasy ie Aqueous cream or udder cream anything greasy to stop the blighters clinging to the fur. You might have to repeat this ie twice week. The cream will soothe the skin(just be careful if we get blazing hot weather using creams ie sun burn)..highly unlikely at the moment!!

But I really had to work my fingers to those little pin prick oozy in the feathers that were clearly biting him. Keeping the feathers off the ground was also helpful. I would give a wash with hibiscrub just once if the skin is really bad but it is quite a harsh disinfectant you need to wash it off.

I usually found I could treat it myself and never tried the jabs. I think it also tends to occur in some paddocks?? and not others??? well thats what I was told! I think that is right as one field he would get them and another field not!
 
horserider said:
It can do.

Caused a reaction on my gelding, burnt his feathers off a few years back. The only time in his life he's reacted to anything.

I use pig oil without sulphur or ASSS and he's fine. Subsequently heard of others having problems with it too. Like any product, skin test first, some horses are fine, others not.
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Ditto this. I used Pig Oil WITH sulphur and my poor lad came up all pink and hot, then I patch-tested it mixing it with equal proportions of Neem Oil and Tea Tree oil, and we were fine!
 
Sulphur can cause quite a reaction on the legs, pig oil on its own is much milder and use the frontline on clipped legs as above.
 
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