Itchy pony - pic of area

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LOZHUG

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I rehomed 3 Shetlands about 5 months ago. I have recently moved them to a friends filed which has had sheep on it. Only one of them has started rubbing and has rubbed her coat that it looks clipped and in two patches is almost bald. I didn't know if this was connected to being moved as she didn't have it at my fields and the other two don't have it.
I can't see any live but she is dark coloured. What wold be best to do? Wash the area with hibiscrub or antibacterial shampoo, apply a cream to soothe the area or lice treatment or just get the vet?

Here is the best picture I could get as its the nervous one typical!! Sorry if it's massive don't seem to be able to change on photobucket app
8f37fac6adcfdeadfa5b98727e8c6083.jpg

This is on her neck only at the top and not the side her mane lies on. Any ideas? Oh and there are a few little scabby areas where she has rubbed.

Thanks in advance
 
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Possibly lice, horse had a couple of similar patches couldn't find any critters but managed to find some eggs, treated it with deosect and he's stopped rubbing.
 
Ok brill well not brill but an idea of what it might be is brill. Thanks for your replies.
I have had a look but couldn't find anything but mind you she isn't very keen on handling so it is a struggle as we are still getting to know one another. Would it be a coincidence that there were sheep on the area a few days before and they are now in the field next to my ponies? Just wonder as they were on my fields for 4 months and nothing.

Sorry have never come across lice before.

Also I have deosect as I use it in summer for flies but would it be suitable to put on if the skin is showing baldy patches and scabs? Will it sting or hurt her?
Also should I treat the other two as they aren't rubbing?

Thanks
 
Not sure about the sheep! Dealt with lice many times, they seem to like youngsters and we have lots of them. I'm sure there are other treatments but we always use a louse powder, I find this easy to put on a wary one as you can give pretend to be scratching them whilst having the power on your hands, this needs applying every 10 days as the eggs hatch every 10 days, wouldn't hurt to do your others as lice do jump!
 
My little Welshie had something that looked similar last year, on his bum, around his tail and down his neck. We couldn't see anything but treated him for lice, mites and then as spring came, fly bites as everyone seemed to have a different theory. Nothing seemed to help and it was equally bad under his l/w t/o rug and in the unrugged places (had thought it might be an allegy or exposure to an irritant).
Mentioned to the vet that he still has it but worse this year (she'd thought sweet itch last year but it was better in summer so shes now discounted that) and she thinks it is a reaction to the strange weather- freezing cold, then much warmer, then wet. When we had torrential rain every day I was putting him in a light weight turnout rug during the day and stabling him without it at night. This was about 6 weeks ago and he has been unrugged ever since. She thinks he got too hot and it's caused his hair to drop out in patches (especially on his neck, oddly, as that was never covered) and made it so itchy he's rubbed it raw. I'm treating it with hibiscrub and sudocreme and, when I can (he hates it) stop-itch. I'd love to give him a really soothing bath but it's so cold I can't. He has much thicker winter hair than my other ponies- almost wool like close to the skin- she's sure it will be fine once he's lost it.
Vets advice is to wait for his new coat to come through and take skin samples if it continues.

After all that- edited to add that hubby's just noticed small bits of skin attached to the shed hair in your picture- we didn't have that ours was rubbed off.
 
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Do a patch test to see if any nasty reaction to louse treatment.
If no reaction with the skin, then I'd treat for lice - all 3 of them - and do a repeat treatment around 10 days later.
Lice are very common on the young & old at present (time of year for them).

Good luck :)
 
Thanks everyone for your help and advice :)

I have googled and found out that lice a host specific so probably very unlikely anything to do with the sheep. Just rather odd it's come up all of a sudden since moving fields.

Thanks again :)
 
I would shampoo all over with Deosect Shampoo, then again ten days later. Wash/disinfect all tack and rugs, and do have a chat with you vet if you are still worried. Lice powder is good after the shampoo, but needs repeating. Check other horses too - Shy got lice from another pony.

I would also spot-apply tea tree oil to the bare patches (anti bacterial and anti fungal).

I think diet may also be a key to this. Shy's skin and hooves have improved dramatically since he's been on a balancer, with linseed added. He's now on Topspec Lite (£25), bag lasts for ages, and he looks amazing.

I hope that helps :)
 
Could be mites, get vets to check and they will recommend dectomax injection, if not then you should worm with an ivermectin wormer, and wash are infact legs aswell and top of tail with an insecticidal wash, even deosect and do that twice a week for 2 weeks, remember whatever it is you may kill the live ones but the egrgs left behind still need to hatch so,kill the live then carry on for 2 weeks to kills the hatching eggs.
 
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