Lice

S

smac

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 January 2010
Messages
614
Visit site
We had a 2yr old arrive for 6mnths grazing about 2weeks ago. Today we discovered she has lice. She is out with 3 others, 1 of which comes into the main stable block at night. Handled by different people, bars to next door horses etc.

Basically contamination could have spread across the yard very easily. We have never had a problem with lice. We have checked all other horses. Of the stabled 80% are fully clipped or full summer coat and we cant see any.

We are talking 20+horses, rugs stables, fencing. Someone said to disinfect everything but that will cost a fortune to replace all bedding/ washing all rugs, and as for the fence posts...???!!!

What is the best way to treat her? she was covered in Barrier Louse Powder today. Is it worth clipping her? She has long mane and owner would never allow her to be hogged. Wormers? Vet injections?

What about the three 2yr olds out with her? bath them? suggestions welcome!!

Any help/previous experiences!

Thanks
 
De-louse the ones she is out with, and don't forget to repeat in ten days. You may want something better than the barrier one. My equine vet recommends the Lincoln one 'not for use on horses'!! If this fails, try spraying with deosect.
As for the rest, just wait and pray I guess.
 
Yuk.
Old pony had them this winter. We coated him in coopers fly repellent (which killed them all stone dead) and repeated a fortnight later to kill off anything else that had hatched.
As DM has said, treat everyone that is out together.
Remember you must change the rugs everytime you treat or you risk re-infecting.
 
Agree with Donkey Mad about the Barrier stuff, complete waste of money - I'm pretty angry that I wasted time and money using that stuff! I have just coated my girls with Coopers and will repeat in 2 weeks. Hopefully that will sort the problem.
 
My younster had lice last winter and got them again this winter, don't know where from and none of the others caught them either time.
I get rid of them by clipping him (he is a traditional cob so it is easier to see them without all the thick hair) louse powdering him, inside of rugs and stable, washing brushes etc and bathing him in insecticidal (sp) shampoo every 10-14days i think it is, gives instructions on the bottle. It has worked both times.
Rugs are washed when they are no longer needed and stables cleared and disinfected once they are out 24/7.
 
I'll second that- louse powder only seems to work if you force feed it to each individual louse! I use a dog flea shampoo (one with Pyrantal- not a herbal one) once a week for 3 weeks or frontline spray for dogs. Lice are funny though, I have seen a field of 3 horses with only one horse affected, they lived together for over a year. The other thing is, if you use frontline spray you only need to do it once and you usually just need to do mane and tail.
 
Thanks all, vet is sending us bottles of deosect (I think its called) to shampoo every horse on yard and in fields- yearlings and two olds are going to get a shock this week as most never worn a headcoller!

All horses that wear rugs will have clean everything, washing machine is on overdrive! and headcollers/saddle squares are all being washed so clean to go back on clean horses.

I mentioned clipping to the owner but she refused argh! I hate liveries!! This is proving expensive as well! Do we have to wash everything again in 2weeks?

fingers crossed nice weather holds. Thankfully end of winter so most of the winter rugs have been washed and stored now.
 
i used deosect made up in a plant spray bottle.(it must be diluted as it is v strong)

use rubber gloves and spray along the top line (incl forlock) and rub in as you go.

the next day you see the dead lice.

repeat one week later.

i dont know where the lice come from,one day mine were fine the next day they were itching on the gate.
deosect is expensive but one little can will last for ages.i also use it on my SI mare once a week to help her when her SI rug is off for riding.
 
I did all the ponies at work with deosan deosect last week. I used a washing bowl and a sponge instead of a spray bottle and I doubt they would have allowed it so close to their heads, little monsters! Haven't seen them itching since so presuming it worked.
 
joeanne said:
Yuk.
Old pony had them this winter. We coated him in coopers fly repellent (which killed them all stone dead) and repeated a fortnight later to kill off anything else that had hatched.
As DM has said, treat everyone that is out together.
Remember you must change the rugs everytime you treat or you risk re-infecting.
Click to expand...

Ditto, Coopers is brilliant stuff.

Loose powder is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
 
The louse powder is totally useless, the deosect is great - have had to use it a few times and it works, although wear heaps of protective gear. It's nasty stuff and is absorbed through the skin, it's carcinogenic too - it contains the stuff they banned in sheep dips for causing sterility and cancers in farmers - funnily enough they don't mention that on the tin!!! I use the frontline spray if needed now!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top