My annual mite help plea

[poiuytrewq]

I use high dose piriton which does stop him chewing himself. Vet was on the fence about steroids because of his type

Never thought about neem oil. I've used stinky stuff before and got it all over me before work - I think that had neem. Smell takes a while to go ?

Stinky stuff is vile! Once it’s on you it really lingers ?
yes I did actually give the pony 10 antihistimines as well the past few days so that may have helped also.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I suspect daughters little dog is also suffering. I’d always thought it weird the dogs didn’t get bothered when all the UK online info on harvest mites is directed at dog owners rather than horses.
Hopefully it’ll be easier to deal with in him though as he can avoid the fields, unlike the horses.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Poor little soul looks horrific today. I’m going to have to keep him in for a bit.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Many years ago when I was a vet nurse, we used to get dogs returning from holiday in the country carrying ticks. We used to soak a pad of cotton wool in meths or acetone and cover the tick, which would retract it's mouth parts and could be removed without leaving bits attached. Just wondering whether this would work for harvest mites, as they have similar mouth parts. Otherwise, would soaking the mites in vegetable oil have a suffocating effect, as it would for lice?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Oil helps I imagine that’s why. I just worry a bit about covering pink faces in oil ?‍
From what I read harvest mites don’t live on the host, although they definitely stay on them for a time. Horrible things.
That’s a great tick tip though.

 

[Gloi]

Oil helps I imagine that’s why. I just worry a bit about covering pink faces in oil ?‍
From what I read harvest mites don’t live on the host, although they definitely stay on them for a time. Horrible things.
That’s a great tick tip though.

I bet a good coat of filtabac is oily enough to keep both sun and mites off faces.

Strong salt solution gets ticks off too

 

[Fellewell]

Could there be two things going on here, mites and photosensitivity, pink skin? I think you're right that some stabling will be your best option. Have you tried Benzyl Benzoate as in Killitch? I think I'm right in saying that Spot on (sheep/cattle), Switch and Deosect are all variations of Deltamethrin and can produce reactions in some horses. I've found pig oil and sulphur to work but you need a syringe to get into the nooks and crannies. You've given Ivermectin. I've got away with using Barrier Livestock powder this year so far and I always feed linseed and use Protection plus for the face bites/repellent. Trouble is once the skin is compromised the flies get in and make it worse. The insects are mutants this year! And there's always the worry of navicular bone stress from all the stamping. Mine have access to a field shelter with a solid floor and I think this helps a great deal too. Poor lad, it's so miserable for them.

 

[Highmileagecob]

According to Dr Google, non of the insecticides appear to work for harvest mites. Very much trial and error to remove them, and being close to eyes is particularly difficult.

 

[Equi]

Are you certain its mites?

I would try a very high UV fly rug, it could be photosensitivity.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Are you certain its mites?

I would try a very high UV fly rug, it could be photosensitivity.

Absolutely 100% certain. Not saying he may not have a bit of something else going on but he’s generally fine in bright sun or anything, it’s literally almost the same date each year it starts and will end the same also.
You can see the mites as tiny orange clusters, a bit like pollen.
For this particular pony his reaction is worsening every summer sadly.
So far the others are not too bad **touch wood.

 

[poiuytrewq]

According to Dr Google, non of the insecticides appear to work for harvest mites. Very much trial and error to remove them, and being close to eyes is particularly difficult.

When my TB is at home you can actually see them gather in the eyelids and corners, so close I can’t even scratch them off forget about put anything on them. ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Could there be two things going on here, mites and photosensitivity, pink skin? I think you're right that some stabling will be your best option. Have you tried Benzyl Benzoate as in Killitch? I think I'm right in saying that Spot on (sheep/cattle), Switch and Deosect are all variations of Deltamethrin and can produce reactions in some horses. I've found pig oil and sulphur to work but you need a syringe to get into the nooks and crannies. You've given Ivermectin. I've got away with using Barrier Livestock powder this year so far and I always feed linseed and use Protection plus for the face bites/repellent. Trouble is once the skin is compromised the flies get in and make it worse. The insects are mutants this year! And there's always the worry of navicular bone stress from all the stamping. Mine have access to a field shelter with a solid floor and I think this helps a great deal too. Poor lad, it's so miserable for them.

I have yes, tried to keep him in tonight, they are in anyway during the day but they have just lost the plot for the past 3.5 hours so I’ve turned back out.