mites !!! need advice

[debs_07]

hi peeps !! im not sure if my mare has mites .. but think its a possibility ... ive had her 4 weeks .. she was on shavings at her old home and come to me and put on straw . shes been biting her back legs and have found dandruffy scaley white bits in her coat ... i thought maybe she was just itchy ( like they do ) but ive started scratching ... so i rung the vets and they told me to give her a COMPLETE clip ... and spray her alover with frontline ... theres no way i can clip her ..... ive asked a few people on the yard and they said louse powder allover her and change bedding to shavings ...and wash all rugs .. which seems like a far better idea ... anymore ideas please ... i dont want the pesky little things to be aggitating her any longer

so i want to know how to diagnose .. how to get rid and how to prevent ... please .

thanks

 

[vicster]

Well Oliver had it my old cob and the vet came out and gave him an injection remember i told you the other day - he said it cost about £10 plus the callout obviously did you not mention this to the vets? x

 

[debs_07]

yes i mentioned it to him .. he said that the injection is only a preventative ....so seeing as shes has already got them he said i have to clip her alover .and spray her with the frontline .. which wouldnt go down well at all .. and she has such a beautiful shiny coat ( liver chestnut ).... dont know wat to do

 

[debs_07]

more advice needed please .. not a great responce going on here

 

[ThomasTank]

Oh dear I think it is not a preventative coz my horse had them well and truly and it killed them. It is not strictly for horses but has been licenced for cattle. i had to sigh a bit of paper taking responsibility.

 

[taceann]

The injection is dectomax.

You can also sometimes use Aludex liquid diluted in water for mites though Frontline sprayed in will do same. Best on not very hairy legs though.

I do remember from somewhere that once they have gone, a good preventative is to rub in flowers of sulphur powder into the hair on the lower legs ???

Hope that helps.

 

[Kelly1982]

My horse had them and he was already on shavings so i dont think bedding really makes a difference to be honest.

The vet gave me some hibi scrub which i diluted and then scrubbed his legs with it. I then sprayed them all with front line. I did this about every 3 days and they went.

If your horse has feathers though i would of thought it would of been easier to treat with them chopped off to be honest.

 

[parsley]

Dectomax will kill them but you have to give a follow up injection 3 weeks later to kill off the next wave that will have hatched.

 

[shadowboy]

Something that works quite well on insect burdens on horses is Deosect. Its highly dangerous in the wrong hands though. This stuff burns through plastic when its concentrated, so you need to be careful that you dilute it enough. However, it kills most stuff and last 14 days. you will need to reapply every 14 days 3 times. Its about £55 a bottle! It needs to be purchased from the vets. My friend has used it before, and it worked but wear gloves using it and dont inhale, also it can leave the coat a little "unshiny" for want of a better word. But mites live in bedding too- this horse was living out so it was a lot easier to treat. Not sure how to treat the bedding.

 

[Theresa_F]

See my long post on P&S and frontline in the other mites post.

Straw can hold them, I prefer shavings or chopped treated straw - Dixons for my boys for that reason.

I have never clipped out legs - my vet said unless they have big scabs and cuts there is no need to provided you use plenty of frontline and then good old fasioned pig oil and sulphur.

 

[Nuttymanxmare]

My mare is exactly the same shes constantly scratching and has a flaky coat.

The vet was out today and whilst she was checking her heart rate she saw the little buggers..

Its really hard to notice them but once you spot one you spot them all over..

Shes suggested a louse/mite wash (made by Coopers) and to wash all the rugs, grooming kit ect as well as her.

Shes reluctant to give me anything else such as cream and injections as her immune system is low.

You can also use Frontline but this is not licenced for horses although it works the same way.