Need help (never a truer word spoken in jest lol)

[daisysp8]

Dec 19, 2009 22:34:18 GMT 1 @ashleigh said:

Nor did you at any point state that washing and stable facilities were out of the question, or that the vet had suggested clipping. .

Dec 19, 2009 18:32:14 GMT 1 daisysp8 said:

Dec 19, 2009 18:19:40 GMT 1 varkie said:

Clipping a 7 month foal?!?! That lives out?!?!
.

She has a very heavy infestation of Lice ..... We`re struggling to get it under control even after using Switch, Lice powder i can`t bath her as i don`t have the facilities for warm water, shelter of getting her dry.

Dec 19, 2009 21:45:51 GMT 1 daisysp8 said:

Dec 19, 2009 21:28:26 GMT 1 @ashleigh said:

I'm surprised your vet has not suggested something other than clipping, particularly given the forecast.

They have ....... they suggested washing her in a dermoline shampoo .... which i explained i don`t have water/drying/stable facilities.

They suggested using the "Switch" spot on for horses which is prescription only, which i have been using .... Its not working, they suggested Louse power as well ... which i`m using, its not working.

Clipping her out is a last resort, but surely a clipped out, dry, well rugged, well fed, lice free foal, is going to be better than a lice ridden, itchy, wet, cold foal ? ?

Yes i had ....... If you`d read my posts you would have seen, what facilities i have ... and what the vet had suggested ... and what i`d done so far !!!!

[ashleigh]

Daisysp8, have re-read your posts, and yes, I apologise, you mention at least twice that you do not have washing/drying facilities. You did not however, mention that your vet had recommended clipping.

I am quite happy to admit when I have made a mistake, again I send my best wishes to your poor youngster.

[mandal]

I've no idea about suitable rugs I'm afraid Daisy. Sorry if you feel 'got at' I just worry as you do for the youngster as once his coat is off that's it and as you have no shelter I'd be a bit worried about if he didn't cope with the cold atm that's all.

[naria]

Daisysp8 apart from the Deosect I really don't see what else you can try. It's a bitch though.

The only thing I had thought of is doing the first clip with coarse blades that will leave more coat on. Maybe this would be enough for you to get the treatments through but still leave her with a little hair, more like a fine summer coat than a proper clip. Just a thought. It sounds horrid, & would probably look worse, but I'd be seriously thinking of hogging & shaving the top of her tail too as these areas are very popular with lice

Rugs wise I think I'd want at least a MW full neck & probably a HW too. I'd be looking at spraying the inside of them with lice treatment on a very regular basis to try & make sure they weren't a breeding grouund for the little beggers.

I really hope you manage to get on top of this before all your others are infected too. Poor you (((hugs))).

[ashleigh]

Right, tin hat firmly on, as clearly whatever I say is wrong, but......

Regardless of whether or not you clip, it would probably be worthwhile rugging anyway as young'un will be in a weakened state anyway what with worms, anaemia etc.

You may also find that as her general health improves the beasties will be easier to tackle.

*Scuttles under rock*

[daisysp8]

You don`t neeed a tin hat on lol !!

She is already rugged she has a stable rug on with a Lightweight waterproof (with neck) over the top. Her condition has greatly improved since being wormed, and as said in my post on page one she isn`t ribby anymore and has put on a lot of condition, she is certainly feeling a lot better in herself, she is cheeky and inquisitive now, whereas a few weeks ago, she was dull and would just stand about ..... Just need to get shut of these blasted lice and i`ll have time to spend "playing" with her rather than it all being about grooming/sorting/treatments.

Thanks Naria ... It pains me but yes i`ve thought of going the whole hog (no pun intended) and taking the whole lot off, sadly the more i`m hearing it seems lice are a swine to get rid of. Rugwise I think i shall invest in a heavy weight as well, in the next couple of weeks, that way i`ll have 3 rugs to be able to swap between and treat against the lice in the rugs too

[potto]

LOL... Ashleigh.... have visions of you as a 'cartoon creature comfort beetle now' LOL'... actually that sounds like quite a good idea if daisy not already doing it although... just a quick thought... Is this little pone used to having a rug on? How used to being handled is she/he.... as it may not be as easy as wacking on a heavy weight... don't know the situation but if she hasn't had a rug on before it would be worth starting the rugging prior to a clip with a lightweight in preparation... before getting fully naked as it were.... Also like the idea of maybe clipping the crisis areas.... but then i into trendy hairstyles LOL!!!! ;D

Megans sounds like a good idea tooo...

xxxxx Boy things get complex on here... bet you wish you never asked daisy... If its any consolation my daughter had headlice recently and i nearly shaved her hair off because i couldn't get rid of them...... as every time i sent her back to school she came back with them again!!!!!

sorry crossed posts...above...x

[ashleigh]

Just looking at my horse herbal book:

For lice- aniseed oil externally, wormwood (also good for worms)

For immune system, echinacea, rosehip, nettle and kelp.

I'm not a herbalust though, these just came out ifs book. If it were me, I would definately get to work on boosting her immune sytem though.

[ashleigh]

Ooooops, meant to say herbalist. A herba-lust is something quite different I'm sure!

[potto]

Thats enough!!!!.... people think i have been drinking.... you are making me lurfffffff!!!! Although... I quite fancy finding out more about that herba lust... LOL

[Kandis_Mum]

I will second the deosect, I found it to be brilliant, we had similar problem of pony arriving with them and passing them to rest, one treatment sorted them out totally. We used a bucket and small sponge to apply it and rubbed it in well but then make sure rugs and brushes are washed

[ashleigh]

Potto, behave!

Out of the book again - for anaemia ; comfrey, kelp, parsley, nettle and rosehips.

Right, I absolutely have to go to bed now.

[Dragonmaster]

Just to throw another idea into the mix - tea tree oil is very good for getting rid of head lice in children.
With children with a really bad infestation you mix 5 drops of tea tree into 10 mls grapeseed oil and comb it through, leave it for an hour or so then apply shampoo before adding water to wash it out.
Now as that method can't be used in this case I'm trying to think of another suitable carrier for the tea tree oil. I think if you could get some sort of aqueous gel to mix tea tree into and apply to the coat, the gel would eventually disperse and the tea tree would do its job.

Now as you have a product in deosect - which I know nothing about - then I would keep the Tea Tree idea in reserve in case the Deosect doesn't work.
good luck.

[ashleigh]

Could you mix tea tree oil with aloe vera gel, or even something like witch hazel gel?

[ashleigh]

Or even *whispers* KY jelly? That is aqueous I believe, (not that I know about these things!)

Right, I'm off before I get into any more trouble!

Oooooooh Matron!