leg mites AGAIN

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parsley

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I think our very hairly legged pony has leg mites again - he has been treated twice over the last few months with dectomax but they are back again. Suggestions from people so far are footstamp from global herbs or topical ivermectin - has anyone used these or have any other suggestions? I have tried frontline but at £50 a shot and most of it getting used in one application it gets too expensive. Has anyone tried the frontline drops you put on cats?
 
I have the same problems- had Dectomax twice (both with success) and clip his legs every two weeks. I use benzonal benzoate, have tried frontline but my horse hates it-he will kick out and get upset so that isn't an option for me!
Keeping the hair short is the only thing that makes my horse more comfortable so that the skin is not so warm and soft-sorry havnt been more help!
 
the vets quite keen to have his feathers clipped off but I really want this to be the last resort - we have spend all winter growing them and don't want a hairy cob minus his feathers! Does the benzole benzoate actually kill them?
 
Hmm see what you mean-I dont mind clipping my hairy cobs feather off as he used to show and so had them off and so if it makes him more comfortable im not bothered.
This is how hairy his legs can get if i let them grow so i really didnt have a choice!
Barneylegs.jpg


I believe Benzyl Benzoate does kill mites-
"As an antiparasitic insecticide that kills lice and the mites responsible for the skin condition scabies" (from the dictionary)

It definately helps with his itch though and is only cheap and available through the chemist!
 
They are lovely hairy legs! I have a cob that is trimmed but this is the children's pony and they want him to be hairy. I have got some benzole benzoate so I can try it thank you
smile.gif
 
my sisters got a section d mare and ishes had her 11 years, she has had mites for years and years and years and shes tryed everything but this year was so bad that she had blood running down the back legs so she decided to clip her legs off and try the frontline spray ( you can only get from vet ), she even had to use it on open cut which is really a no no but by the time the next spray was to be done ( 10 days later ) she was like a different horse, all gone and pain free. WELL WORTH THE £30.
 
I got Barricade from the vets and it worked really well. It was £8 for a small bottle but you use it diluted so it goes far.
 
my last pony suffered from mits for years before i had her, she used to band her legs in the field! Pooor thing - I kept her legs clipped and she never was on straw - when she went into semi retirement last year the lady who had her wanted to grow her feathers - her vet gave pony a one off ingection which isnt yet licenced for horses but is for cattle - anyway vets have been using it on horses for long time and 100% results only 1 injection for life - pony has never had them back and has her very hairy feathers back!!!
 
Don''t bed on straw and apply pig oil and sulphur during the winter every other week and in the summer wet the legs and rub in a couple of handfuls of sulphur every couple of weeks.

Initial application of frontline x 2 or 3 every 10 days to start if legs really bad, then oil and sulphur as a preventative - worked on all 3 of mine and others I have passed this advice on to. I was told this by the old boys with heavy horses who have years of experience in keeping feather in good condition.
 
I've got two "hairies" (WHAT was I thinking of...... !!) and both have feather mites.

Am trying out a product called "Mitey Feathers" at the moment, early days - will see how that goes. Easy to apply, I empty it into a plastic tub and slap it on with a paintbrush. Only just started using it, will report back.

Vets advice was to orally administer a wormer containing Ivermectin: three doses, one given every fortnight. At the moment, Youngster isn't exactly a co-operative client when administering wormers - bleddi thing seems to have psychic knowledge of when I've come home with the stuff and go in the yard with it - she'll high-tail off to the furtherest corner of the field and stand down there with a face like a slapped arse! So a topical application is far preferable right now.

Just a warning word: please note am not criticising anyone's advice here, but do be careful indeed with pig oil & sulphur, it can be very caustic and can cause some very nasty reactions especially if you've got one of these pink-skinned and white-haired beasties (like mine). Patch-test for 24 hrs first with any new product is always advisable.
 
Ask your vet for ivermectin solution that you sponge on and leave on. I got given some by my vets for Militaire who was taking his legs to pieces and it has been brilliant. No longer chewing on his legs, the cuts are healing up and that's after 3 years of dectomax, deosect, pig oil etc etc etc
 
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