Horse mites-Human scabies

[Angelz]

Ive got scabies

My boy started with mites a couple of weeks ago, he had spot on-didnt work, deosect-didny work, all that time I was there itching his legs, rubbing mite powder in etc etc never would I have thought it would transfer to humans!!!

Anyway, after alot of Google advice I got the vet to give him the detromax injection on Monday, he appears to have stopped itching

I however started with intense itching and a rash a few days ago, have been to the Drs today and have been given treatment for scabies

Anyway:

Question 1) Anyone else caught scabies from their horse
2) Conflicting advice on google as to whether Detromax has to be repeated in 8 weeks time?
3) Can my dogs now catch it from me?

Anyone whos been in the same position offer any advice at all?

 

[Tronk]

One of my boys got mites last autumn - which we treated successfully with veg oil, sulphur and louse powder. I did all his treatments and clipped his feathers and had no problems. However his sharer who just picked out his feet and groomed him as normal came out in a weird all over body rash about a week after we first discovered the mites. She went to the doc and he said probably just a virus as no other symptoms. It cleared up within a few days. May have been completely unrelated but seems a weird coincidence!

Re the Dectomax - I'd ask your vet. I discussed it with mine as a fall back if the oil and sulphur was unsucessful - and I vaguely remember a 4 week interval but could be wrong!

Don't know about your dogs as don't have dogs - but our cats were fine (although they have regular Frontline treatments anyway).

 

[Horseymumma]

You can't catch scabies from your horse as mites are quite species specific, although it could cause temporary symptoms in you such as a rash and itching until the mites die.

Same would go for your dogs, they should be ok but it's worth treating them with a spot on which targets mites as well as fleas just to be on the safe side.

I would speak to your vet about when and if to repeat the injection. It may depend on whether your horse still has symptoms.

 

[Ali2]

Horse mites and human scabies mites are two entirely different mites. If you have got scabies you've not caught it from your horse. Scabies take 4-6 weeks to become symptomatic.

I believe it can transfer between dogs and humans.

 

[SNORKEY]

oh god im treating my boy for mites at the mo! i dont want scabies :\
im going to try blending wormer with aquas cream and applying it to his legs, failing that then im going to buy Equimins lice and mite lotion, apparently it really works and was designed for vets to use.
Id save yourself a vet bill and try some other things first.

 

[noodle_]

my horse had mites but im ok (now itching thinking about it though)!!)!

i didnt know it was transferable!?

 

[tankgirl1]

Horse mites and human scabies mites are two entirely different mites. If you have got scabies you've not caught it from your horse. Scabies take 4-6 weeks to become symptomatic.

I believe it can transfer between dogs and humans.

This ^^^

True scabies can transfer between dogs and humans -- oooh lovely itchy burrowing mites I've been lucky in my career - I've never caught scabies... I've had a bout or two of ringworm though

 

[piebaldsparkle]

i didnt know it was transferable!?

It's not

 

[tankgirl1]

This ^^^

True scabies can transfer between dogs and humans -- oooh lovely itchy burrowing mites I've been lucky in my career - I've never caught scabies... I've had a bout or two of ringworm though

Actually I'm doubting myself now - need to research

 

[competitiondiva]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoptes_scabiei
Although I have known it to transfer from a domestic rat to human, but never from horse???

 

[competitiondiva]

http://www.animalhealth.bayer.com/3382.0.html

 

[Horseymumma]

Human and dog mites are still different mites, a dog with sarcoptic mange can pass mites to humans with direct contact but the mites cannot reproduce on humans and therefore will die out, symptoms are temporary and do not need treatment. Think of it like fleas, dog/cat fleas can bite a human and cause symptoms but they cannot live on us (thank god!)

If you have been diagnosed with scabies, then it's from another person not any animal.

This post is making me itch now

 

[Dipsy83]

Shouldn't of read this before bed, as now feeling all itchy and getting funny looks off OH for scratching..

But good to know as few horses up the yard have had mites and this was discussed, I can know confirm we're safe

 

[MochaDun]

Didn't huntsmen used to get scabies/mange from handling mangy foxes?

As others have said I don't think equine mites can spread to humans - I asked my vet recently about sheep mites effecting my horse and she said mites are species specific - whether that be sheep, cattle, horse.

I've been reading about horse mites as mine just been treated for them and according to Horace Hayes (Vet Notes for horse owners) there are 4 types of mites that effect horses:

sarcoptes scabiei (sarcoptic mange, scabies)
chorioptes equi (leg mange)
psoroptes equi (psoroptic mange, ear mites)
demodex equi (demodectic mange, nodular mange)

 

[jojo5]

When my boy was in horsepital for an op, they decided to treat his small patches of mites too. Almost immediately one of the vet nurses had a rash on her arms, which my vet said had happened before, and was something he used as an indicator to tell that it was mites, as it always happened to her!!
He only has small patches of mites on his feet, which are generally treated with Dectomax and/or lime wash.

 

[Foxhunter49]

I was diagnosed with scabies a few years ago - started with a rash on my arm which rapidly spread to most of my body.
Back and forth to the doctor, treatment never worked. I had doubts it was scabies and said so!
The skin on my hands and feet went like rawhide leather, it was thick, cracked and bleeding from where the thick skin was cutting the new skin underneath. Very painful and depressing.
It was not scabies at all but Lichen Planus a totally different thing.

As for mites on anything the best thing to clear them is Neem oil.

 

[Noodlebug]

My horse had mites last summer and after a long time of different diagnosis from canker to overreach eventually had a dectomax injection and cleared up. He had two 10 days apart. He also had no feathers so vet were slighty baffled and it did look like canker as he was eating his own foot! They also thought it was fox mites and they were burrowing in the skin. Frontline didn't work either.

 

[SuseP]

Sarcoptes scabiei is zoonotic. I'm not sure how likely it is that's the mite your horse has but you certainly can get it from other animals. Benzyl benzoate is usually given, which is why its so good for sweet itch - its a very effective insecticide.

 

[Angelz]

The mites he had have affected all four legs, up to the 'arm pits' he's bitten patches of skin off all four, his body is completely fine as is his mane and tail. I am intensely itchy, especially at night any have multiple large hives which develop into bruising on the top outside of both thighs and a small rash on both wrists, the Dr had to email a specialist for advice as had no idea what to treat me for, but the cream I have is fit scabies