Mites

[Billabongchick]

Am looking for some advice on these as a friend of mine has been having trouble with her gypsy cob. I haven't seen it myself as she is at a different yard but apparently she has had vet out so assume the vet has diagnosed properly. Vet gave 2 x injections which supposedly would get rid of them 'forever'?! Friend said she thought it sounded like a load of bull at the time and I can't understand how this could work myself?!

She has tried Pig Oil and Sulphur and Frontline and has also clipped out the legs to try and aid treatment but still can't get rid of them and I seem to remember she tried Hibiscrubbing too. It has had them for months now; has anyone got any ideas on better treatments? Thanks in advance.

 

[RutlandH2O]

This year the mite problem has been monumental. It's because the summer never really dried out and then autumn and winter have been really wet. The mites also love cold weather. For the first time ever I had to have one of my Shire mares 4 legs clipped to the skin, and the hind legs clipped on my other mare. My vet said they are seeing a huge increase in mite problems.

The injection the vet administered was most probably Dectomax. Some vets give 3 shots, ten days apart. Others give it twice, 14 days apart. The active ingredient is ivermectin, so the animal is wormed at the same time.

Regarding Hibiscrub...my mares find it very irritating to their skin. This is NOT mud fever, so don't remove the scabs. One way to stop the itch cycle is to have the horse injected with a small amount of steroid. I'm trying desperately not to go that route because of the fear of laminitis, but my vet assures me it can be very effective. Did your friend use Frontline on clipped legs? That could be a lot more effective than trying to spray heavily feathered legs. However, I wouldn't advise spraying Frontline on legs with open, weepy sores.

I've been using a cream which has both an antibiotic and a low dose steroid. It is used for mud fever, but is slowly clearing up the mares' broken skin.

 

[1stclassalan]

Oh this brings back some memories!!! My mare had bouts of - "cracked heels" - "mud fever" - and several unknown conditions that would be miraculously cured if I clipped out her legs and slapped on some green, purple, yellow jollop - stood on my head ( preferably naked ) on the 11th of each month with an "r" in it!!!

You may detect a certain amount of cynicism in that lot. However, the poor girl was being driven out of her mind by thickening of the heel skin and hair coming out in lumps, especially after she'd pawed her own feet to relieve the irritation - as you can see above - there wasn't much help at hand until I heard the magic words "I could have that analysed for you." This by the way, was actually from a vet from a different practice talking to another livery on a quite different subject but I butted in and asked him to see me later if he would. Thus I embarked on a wonderful journey through the dark world of horse bugs. Skin, hair and bits of detrius were duly sent to Newmarket ( impressed - I hope you are! ) In the meantime, this new vet ( boy did I get some strife from the old one who was boyhood friends with my Y.O.!) said to clip out, wash each foot in warm water with BHC Lindane ( probably restricted or withdrawn now), this was great fun - having her stand in a large bucket one at a time - and flipping hilarious for my daughter's eventer who had to be done aswell but was rather more highly strung!

The results came back as scroptic mange ( mites ) with a nasty fungus and Streptococcus in variety - so full house no wonder the poor mare was upperty. The mites were dead by that time and I sterilised our boxes, the fungus succombed to Hibitane but the Strep needed mouse serum specially made at Newmarket again - I kept this in fridge at home next to the yoghurt! Vet did the first injection, then we carried on once a day for a week then every week until we'd used it all. Poor mare had such a reaction to the first couple of jabs it look as though she needed a bra, then it all calmed down and she never had any foot problems again.

It cost a small fortune but made her seemingly immune to all future troubles ( except E. Flu that finally did for her ) even when every horse on the yard caught ringworm - she didn't.

So I think this shows the benefit of good vetinerary advice.

 

[hayinamanger]

Dectamax (doramectin) injections used to be a foolproof way of dealing with chorioptic mange mites. I used it on a few horses who were chronic sufferers, the mites disappeared after one injection, never to return. Sadly there is now resistance to this drug, and, although it may help in the short term (I give 3 inj 10 days apart) it can no longer be used to eradicate these mites.

 

[Billabongchick]

Thanks everyone for the informative replies. I will print it out and pass on to her so she can hopefully get it sorted out! This weather has caused havoc this year with bugs and nasties, a lot going around with mud fever too...