Injections for mites, dectomax?

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Thistle

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Wally the yearling had a bit of mud fever that wouldn't clear up. That is now on the mend but it now looks as though he has mites, he has scabs and bald rubs on all 4 fetlocks (mostly done last night in his stable) and also on his nose.

Vet coming tomorrow morning to inject him.

Has anyone else had this? Side effects?

Should I get his very hairy legged cob friend injected too (Wally in TBx and not too hairy)

We have 2 free range ancient guinea fowl who came with the house. They roost in the beams above Wally and Wotsit's boxes. I suspect they have mites but are impossible to catch and treat. They are totally wild. They only way to catch them would be with a shotgun!
 
Yes I've used Dectomax before for mites, you need to give two injections, two weeks apart, if your happy to inject then your vet might leave you the second dose to administer.

We didn't see any side effects.
 
Actually, it's 3 shots of Dectomax, 10 days apart. What bedding are you using? If straw, it could be mites from the bedding and not the birds. There is also the possibility that the mites are coming from your hay. It's a never-ending problem with hairy-legged horses.
 
Cluny said:
Yes I've used Dectomax before for mites, you need to give two injections, two weeks apart, if your happy to inject then your vet might leave you the second dose to administer.

We didn't see any side effects.
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I recently had some ponies staying with me whose owner wanted them Dectomaxed for mites. The first injection was done. The vet arrived for something else and I asked for a second injection. This was 13 days after the first. The vet was not happy and said a month was more normal. After a lot of discussion concerning the safety of doing 2 injections so close together the vet rang the manufacturer. They were unable to reassure the vet and we decided it was too risky. The vet would have given the second injection if I had really insisted but I decided not to as the vet was quite unhappy about it.

It will be interesting if any vets reply to this thread to see if they feel it is safe to give a second injection after 2 weeks.
 
Our vets won't give Dectomax at all to horses. It is not licensed for use on horses.
Our farrier told me he know of a horse who had died following a reaction to the Dectomax injection. Having heard that I can understand our vets' stance on it!
 
RutlandH2O said:
Actually, it's 3 shots of Dectomax, 10 days apart. What bedding are you using? If straw, it could be mites from the bedding and not the birds. There is also the possibility that the mites are coming from your hay. It's a never-ending problem with hairy-legged horses.
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The bedding is woodpellets on rubber mats, have 5 horses on same hay and others are ok. Horse that is affected is clean legged his neighbour and field companion is a gypsy cob who doesn't seem to be affected.
Both the yearling and the two year old get a regular pig oil and sulphur hair do, this is supposed to help with the hairies as well.

Guess it's like mites and dogs, I have 3 dogs, all share beds. 1 gets demodex mites and has to be treated for them regularly (dog do not have contact with the horses) the other 2 are unaffected.
 
suestowford said:
Our vets won't give Dectomax at all to horses. It is not licensed for use on horses.
Our farrier told me he know of a horse who had died following a reaction to the Dectomax injection. Having heard that I can understand our vets' stance on it!
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I'll keep fingers crossed. Unfortunately life has side effects, it's a question of weighing up the risks.
 
OP - out of interest.
my 4 year old has had scabby/weepy heals on and off for a while. i have been keeping on top of it with conotrane cream but have now broken my arm so can't put on , so went for week without some until i could help a friend do the cream
unfortunately he's never been brill about back feet - ok, but not brill, and 'mud fever' type problems came immediately on top of nasty abcess so he needs care and patience and someone who can bend over and move quickly (which i can't due to arm).

Anyhow...i noticed over the last week he has been trying to chew one heal and shaking /stamping foot a lot and did wonder to friend if might be creepy crawlies ..
I can't look closely i am afraid..how did you know it was mites? is it obvious? has he got then elsewhere? any thoughts?
he is not a hairy boy but has lots of pink skin and white legs. my old nare also had a bit on her one white foot, but as i said, until this last week had no problem keeping on top of it.
 
RutlandH2O said:
Actually, it's 3 shots of Dectomax, 10 days apart. What bedding are you using? If straw, it could be mites from the bedding and not the birds. There is also the possibility that the mites are coming from your hay. It's a never-ending problem with hairy-legged horses.
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Mine had 2 shots 2 weeks apart from the vet - and is done every year, sometimes twice. He has lots of feather no problems or side effects
 
Both my welshies have had dectomax injections a few weeks apart, no reactions. One vet suggested Frontline as well as the injection. The last time I noticed one of them chewing his legs, I used pig oil and sulphur and he stopped chewing within a few days. I did put some aromaheel on the scabs before applying the pig oil.
 
I did try the dectomax injections for my coloured cob who had terrible mites problems in his feather. I cant say it really helped him so I continued with the Frontline Spray which worked wonders as long as I kept on top of it! Didnt have any side effects from the injection though.
 
My cob has Dectomax twice a year, 2 jabs at a time, normally one month apart. The vets always caution that it's not licensed for horses but they're clearly not worried about it. I find it clears them brilliantly and with no side-effects. I gave up trying anything topical because of her über-feathers. Even the Leahurst crew abandoned the Frontline idea on her.

Symptoms-wise, first of all she crosses her legs to scratch them, then stamps and if I leave it too long, bites them. As I understand it you can't actually see the mites as they live under the skin.
 
My little cob had quite bad heel mites when I bought her in feb. Tried quite a few different things then went for the injections in april time. She needed 3, 3 weeks apart I think. Clear them up really well and haven't had an issue since.
 
I've used dectomax on several occasions with my mare when we had problems with mites and had no side effects other than she stopped itching within a day or two. I have always had to sign a waver saying I understand that it's not licensed in horses etc etc.
 
I use Dectomax too. Three jabs, two weeks apart. Not noticed any side effects. Also use pig oil & sulphur. Tried Frontline but it didn't seem to work.
 
I only ever had one injection which cured the itchiness.

Be warned, you git be excluded in your insurance for chorioptes (mange and all external parasites) as I now am for my boy, despite no evidence of mange/parasites being found. Had a bit of a row with my vet for writing it on the report he sent to the insurance company.
 
cinnamontoast said:
I only ever had one injection which cured the itchiness.

Be warned, you git be excluded in your insurance for chorioptes (mange and all external parasites) as I now am for my boy, despite no evidence of mange/parasites being found. Had a bit of a row with my vet for writing it on the report he sent to the insurance company.
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Not a problem. With 5 horses I don't insure. Just pay the bills as they come.
 
our horse vet wouldnt even give my horse Dectomax - the farm vets did, but have to say it did nothing to cure my horses mites. They arent so bad as long as I m putting something on , but soon he scratching, stomping etc . At the mo he s living out , with full feather. When on straw he s worse.
Have tried - Frontline, Spot on,Dectomax,purple spray, diatemaeious powder,neme oil, zinc and castor oil cream, clipping out ,leaving feathers on ,dermalogical shampoos,louse powder. Anyone else have an idea I could try?
 
Damn, just phoned vets for visit time to find that the vet who saw him last week is sick today and can't come. Other vets fully booked up and I can't travel/load him on my own to get to the practice (yearling has only travelled a few times and I have dodgy back and can't do ramp on my own atm).

They can get another vet out to me later but it's not one we usually deal with, guess I'll just have to go with the replacement as poor pony had rubbed himself raw last night. Latest place is the top and sides of his tail, skin on buttocks is now raw. Poor little thing.

His hairy legged friend still seems ok but I'll ask to get him done too.
 
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