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Post by KimT on Dec 18, 2012 11:12:17 GMT 1
It would seem that both of my girls have leg mites!! Both have itchy legs. Lady keeps nibbling her feathers and Ellie is always scratching her legs on things. My main question is how do I get rid of them? If I have to get the vet out then fair enough but I am already waiting for a bill to arrive and don't really want another one this time of year!! I think I heard something about Frontline spray?
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Post by mjcssjw2 on Dec 18, 2012 12:50:49 GMT 1
yes think you can use frontline, but its not cheap as you are supposed to use quite a bit, I used dectomax, but prescribed by vet as it can cause a reaction in horses, a lot of people report there horse is fine, but it can be a problem. However you can buy dectomax from the agricultural supplier for use in sheep! some people think pig oild helps, but I am not sure. Sure others will have more ideas.
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Post by cheekychops on Dec 18, 2012 12:59:52 GMT 1
My favourite topic! How is the skin under their feathers? any sores? Have you ruled out mud fever and/or mallenders/sallenders?
If it is mites, once you've got them, it's a matter of getting ridding of them and then managing them. To keep their feathers, a hit of Dectomax from the vet should knock them on the head as it's systemic - really hard to apply topical treatments to feathres (depending on how thick etc).
My hairy lad has a dectomax injection twice a year and we are on top of the mites with feathers attached - hurray!
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Post by KimT on Dec 18, 2012 13:23:44 GMT 1
The skin under the feathers is really good. Ellie has one tiny scab which i did think could be mud fever but i dont think it is now because it hasnt spread.
I had thought decomax. Ellies feathers arent too thick but ladys are.
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Post by KimT on Dec 18, 2012 13:33:58 GMT 1
Sorry. last message was typed a bit quickly. I dont really want to clip legs because the feathers seem to be doing a fab job of stopping mud fever. Ellie seems to have scar lines on the backs of her pasterns. I originally thought it could have been mud fever scars but could they be from mites?
This also makes me wonder about the source. Did Ellie come with them and pass them on? She only really started itching her legs a few weeks ago and Lady has started now too. Lady hasnt itched like this since ive had her (over a year now). There is a cob in the stable next to Ellie that itches like mad. I mean legs, ears etc. Could the mites have come from him? I only wonder because if they did get them from him then if he isnt treated then they are just going tk get them again.
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Post by donnalex on Dec 18, 2012 15:46:14 GMT 1
I got slated on here for suggesting this but Im going to put it on anyway. Wash the legs in warm water and Jeyes Fluid. About one quater Jeyes and three quarters warm water. Leave it on for ten minutes then rinse thoroughly off. I have used this on a couple in the past and it works and does not make them sore. It is used routinely on sheep to get rid of blow fly strike the larvae coming diving out in minutes and the sheep dont seem to mind it being put on sore skin.
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lroy
Advanced Poster
Posts: 435
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Post by lroy on Dec 18, 2012 16:09:39 GMT 1
Megan had them last summer and I was told to use Flowes of Sulphur- it worked really well
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Post by mjcssjw2 on Dec 18, 2012 17:27:10 GMT 1
lroy think thats why people use the pig oil and sulphur, a vet did suggest something else, but can't for the life of me remember what it was, but its a much less toxic substance that dectomax or fipronil (frontline).
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Post by cheekychops on Dec 18, 2012 17:59:20 GMT 1
Rugrat - are they stamping hind feet? That's a classic sign.
Again, trying to apply anything over the top of heavy feathers is really tricky, as the mites are in the skin - hence the common advice of clipping first then treating. Not an option for me as my boy will NOT have his legs clipped!
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Post by KimT on Dec 18, 2012 18:05:18 GMT 1
I havent noticed them stamping hind legs. It's mostly chewing/itching on anything (including wheelbarrows ) I think Lady would let me clip her legs but Ellie wouldn't. I am also not keen to clip because then I would have to treat for mud fever, etc.
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Post by cheekychops on Dec 18, 2012 19:35:28 GMT 1
Yep - I'm a big believer in feathers on! This is classic time of year for mites - they seem to flare up in the spring and autumn. Cheeko's got quite bad through November and he had his dectomax injection 3 weeks ago and all cleared up now. I don't touch his feathers through winter, then he'll have another injection in spring, probably end of April. I think they are passed through the grazing rather than direct contact from horse to horse...I'm not quite sure but I do remember reading it somewhere!
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Post by jen1 on Dec 19, 2012 11:26:41 GMT 1
best thing ive found is to wash in as hot a water as you can, use dermoline get right into the skin, the warm water encourages the mites to the surface as many kinds burrow when its cold, dry off and use spot on get right on the skin, treat each leg, and i use it in arm pits where they cannot chew, and last but not least is to use thick udder cream with flour of sulphur and plaster it on, again get it right into the hair, make sure you don't put it right where they rub ,eyes on knees, i just apply it everyday,some mites/lice are effectively mange/scabies/ that lay dormant and get itchy when the burrow ,hence why they cant often be seen, ivermecetin can be given at the same time as treating, treat in at least 7 to 10 day cycles, Hence why i like to use a 3 or 4 pronged methodical approach
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Post by happyhacker on Dec 21, 2012 2:04:11 GMT 1
My horse stamps her feet during the summer months & I have thought it was leg mites but she never seems to have a problem over the winter. Begining to wonder if it was something else. Do they disappear in the colder weather. I noticed she stamps more if she in bedded on hay too. I did have chickens in the yard & sometimes they would get red mites. Would they get on horses legs do you think?
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Post by iceberg on Dec 21, 2012 10:04:51 GMT 1
I used dectomax on Toby, he rubbed his feather off overnight until he was bald and bleeding - in just one night! Horrible to see him like this, so vet gave an injection of dectomax, and prescribed a wash called deosect. This got rid of the them practically over night and we never had any bother with them again. Archie got them once, I am sure it was from straw in his stable - and again used the deosect and dectomax which cleared them up straight away - this was after trying the pig oil and sulphur which was useless imo. I removed the straw and touch wood 4 years on he has not had them again. If the mites are burrowing under the skin then they need to be treated from the inside and out. Oh and i didnt clip feather off in either case.xx
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Post by jen1 on Dec 21, 2012 13:15:49 GMT 1
My horse stamps her feet during the summer months & I have thought it was leg mites but she never seems to have a problem over the winter. Begining to wonder if it was something else. Do they disappear in the colder weather. I noticed she stamps more if she in bedded on hay too. I did have chickens in the yard & sometimes they would get red mites. Would they get on horses legs do you think? ive never researched this fully, but it could be biting lice in spring and early summer, most lice have a 10 day breeding cycle to 5 treatments over 50 days should zap them, ive found lice where most vets have failed, you have to get your eye in,
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