Using Frontline Spray for mites

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Welshboy

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My gypsy cob is a regular sulfferer of mites. Largely kept under control by clipping, washing with Selsun, using neem oil and the odd Dectomax injection. Anyhow, he has a bit if a flare us (some scabs and crusty, flakes on back of his legs). No major itching or stamping as yet!

I've decided to ask vet for Frontline Spray this time, as it'll be easy for me to apply and it seems generally does the job (& requires no call out ;).

As this stuff is expensive, I'd like to use it as effectively as possible. I'm thinking it would be a good idea to wash and clip a day to two before application. Spray until wet, but how much of 500ml bottle ? Maybe, rub in with rubber gloves on ? Then, I'm thinking leave for a week or so before washing and re apply around 10-14 days?

Am I on thr right track? Could do with knowing quantities etc please. And, of course any other hints and tips ;)
 
A friend of mine her horse has this problem, and from what I see she seems to be doing what you have said. The mare's legs are clipped on a regular basis, and she will wash the legs and apply a cream not the oil that you mentioned. Every so often she will spray the legs with the frontline, but sorry to say I do not know the amount she uses or how often she does it, but it seems to me that you are on the right track and hopefully someone else on here will be able to help you more than I can, as its not my horse I have just seen her do this. Good luck with it .
 
I've just tried Frontline on my boy.

Basically (sorry!) its not very scientific what I've done: he's had a "squirt" (one) on his poll, another on his withers, another on the top of his tail, and another spritz on the inside of the fetlock of each foot. We'll just have to see how that goes.

Will probably get shot down in flames on here now!!!
 
I use Frontline, as advised by my vet. Mainly on the feathers of the two cobs, just a quick spray inside the fetlock. Had to use it on one of the ponies and she hated the spray so I put some on a small swab of cotton wool and dabbed it on. Certainly stopped the stamping last year (think it was harvest mite).
 
I thought you had to spray whole leg knees to hoofs all around, is it really just down the back of legs? As just brought bottle for my coblets & was going to spray tomorrow.
 
Welshboy said:
I've decided to ask vet for Frontline Spray. As this stuff is expensive, I'd like to use it as effectively as possible. I'm thinking it would be a good idea to wash and clip a day to two before application. Spray until wet, but how much of 500ml bottle ? Maybe, rub in with rubber gloves on ? Then, I'm thinking leave for a week or so before washing and re apply around 10-14 days?

Am I on thr right track? Could do with knowing quantities etc please. And, of course any other hints and tips ;)
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I do this with my HW maxicob. I clip all his feathers off up to knee and hock, then wash vigorously (with dermoline shampoo) to get the legs grease free. Next day, I apply the frontline, giving about 6 to 8 squirts to each leg, and then rubbing well in whilst wearing rubber gloves.
 
I've used diatomaceous earth as well as......... also use it on the chickens to keep red mite away!!!, plus the dogs for flea management - basically its a completely natural product, like a kind of sharp sand basically, and works by piercing the parasite's hard shell and thus killing it. No chemicals.

Feed in "diatomaceous earth" onto Google and you'll get a whole lot of info that will explain it far better than I just have!!!

Its good stuff, cheap and cheerful. But be aware that the packaging can and does affect the price. You can get it in bigger quantities labelled in various incarnations such as "kennel powder", "red mite powder", "feather mite powder" (expensive!!), etc etc!!! - but basically the product is the same - diatomaceous earth. Just be aware of the label on the carton (and the price) and take a look at what's actually inside. Obviously it works out cheaper to buy a larger quantity and of course we all know that anything labelled as "equine" is gonna have a correspondingly higher price tag!!!

One of the agricultural outlets is a good place to look IME.

Hope this helps. Its good stuff, it DOES work.
 
Last year my vet advised to spray all 4 legs from the body to the hooves, despite only back legs being affected. I think I might have used a rubber glove or sponge to spread it and rub the hair so that the spray contacted the skin. If he has scabs though you may need to spray and run, as my vet suggested :p
 
Tiddlypom said:
I do this with my HW maxicob. I clip all his feathers off up to knee and hock, then wash vigorously (with dermoline shampoo) to get the legs grease free. Next day, I apply the frontline, giving about 6 to 8 squirts to each leg, and then rubbing well in whilst wearing rubber gloves.
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Thanks all. I think I will do as recommended by Tiddlypom. Good clip, good wash and 6-8 squirts on each leg, rubbed in with gloves. Then, I'll repeat the wash and spray 10-14 days later. Hey, Tiddlypom, how many uses does a 500ml last - it's so expensive!
Oh, I have used the DE before too, but more as a maintenance once we were on top of the mite last year. I washed with Selsun every fortnight and sprinkled with DE inbetween. I think I've just not been so vigilant over the winter months :(
 
I wouldnt saturate frontline is also a wormer so could over dose, i would clip, not wash, spray whilst using a comb to come through the hair, then leave. Wash after 7 days with selsun mixed with iodine in rinse water, it doesnt sting and will heal any sores caused and stop itching.
 
Welshboy said:
Thanks all. I think I will do as recommended by Tiddlypom. Good clip, good wash and 6-8 squirts on each leg, rubbed in with gloves. Then, I'll repeat the wash and spray 10-14 days later. Hey, Tiddlypom, how many uses does a 500ml last - it's so expensive!
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I have had to get my calculator out to answer this :D!

My frontline came in a 500 ml bottle, licensed for use in dogs and cats but widely prescribed by vets for the treatment of equine feather mites. The spray delivers 1.5ml per squirt, and the recommended dose for a dog is 3 to 6 ml per kg.

I have settled on 8 sprays per leg, which uses 8 x 1.5 x 4 ml = 48ml, so roughly 10 treatments per 500 ml bottle.

I think that Frontline works best to keep on top of mites, and may not be the most effective at dealing with a major infestation. My cob (15.3hh. 10.5" of bone and weigh bridged at 630 kg) stamps a little when I apply it, but I avoid using it if he has open sores. I would probably get the Dectomax injection done initially for a bad infestation, and then Frontline after that. That's purely my take on it, though.

I had hoped to keep him as a traditional, but have had to give in and clip his feathers off once a month all year round, to keep him comfortable.
 
I use frontline on full feathers. I get someone to help me lift her leg and part the hair, 4 sprays per leg and repeat 10 days later. It works well and the 500ml bottle goes out of date before I've used it all.
 
katherine1975 said:
I use frontline on full feathers. I get someone to help me lift her leg and part the hair, 4 sprays per leg and repeat 10 days later. It works well and the 500ml bottle goes out of date before I've used it all.
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this /\ /\ followed weekly pigoil+sulphur .sometimes the skin is hardened due to the burrowing and this helps
 
Believe me, I tried very hard to keep him comfortable with full feather (not least because it knackers my back giving him his monthly clip!) but I am now resigned to a featherless maxicob.

He must have previously suffered from an untreated mite infestation, as his skin is thickened and hardened around his pasterns. He came over from Ireland as a 5yo traditional, and is now 7 yo. Luckily, he is an angel to trim.

ETA Feeding him micronised linseed helped his skin and coat, but sent him loopy (it's not supposed to do that!).
 
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Thanks loads, miJods, I think this is the one thing I have not yet tried! Will spend a happy hour on the interweb researching..............
 
STRIKER said:
I wouldnt saturate frontline is also a wormer so could over dose, i would clip, not wash, spray whilst using a comb to come through the hair, then leave. Wash after 7 days with selsun mixed with iodine in rinse water, it doesnt sting and will heal any sores caused and stop itching.
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Frontline isn't a wormer :)
 
Thanks all for sharing info. My cob has obviously suffered badly in his youth, as he also has hard, wrinkly skin on fetlocks (he's 12 now). He's been kept clipped now for a number of years (by me and prev owner). Like Tiddlypom I have to clip his legs once every 4-5 weeks and he's not always good about it (sometimes have to twitch and just do the job quickly).

Thanks for info on how long it lasts, I now feel less ripped off ;) He certainly doesn't have a heavy infestation as isn't stamping or biting. Just noticed a couple of scurfy/scabby bits developing, so want to nip it in the bud. It'll prob take me a few to do the clipping / bathing and two applications, but I will start a new thread to report how it goes. Thanks again
 
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