Very itchy mare, ideas?

[WinchesterGirl30]

She has had it right down to the skin, and it's been done 4 times over the 6 weeks now. That picture was taken this morning, last night it was just a small bald patch beside her ear...so that's from one night.

So all that said my dad asked if horses can get mange because that's what it looks like...called my uncle who's a large animal vet out west and he said it sounds like that's exactly what she has, talked to my local vet and she agreed with him it's mange. Apparently not common in horses but can be contagious so she's in quarantine and my two mares and foals are going to have to be watched closely till we are done treatment.

Thanks though everyone!

 

[paintponylvr]

What are you treating the mange with? Will they do a skin scraping as well, to verify?

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Normally I think yes it would be verified with a skin scraping...but most people would have caught it earlier, but since I JUST finished with the lice I assumed it was the lice again. However we are actually thinking it's two separate things and lucky her just got both because the leg patches did start to heal right away and this isn't even after two applications of lice powder. So because of how advanced it is both my uncle and my other vet (also my ex boss lol) were very confident that it was mange so we didn't bother with the skin scraping because it has to be such a deep scrape and she's already got open sores so we don't want to make it worse.

As for treating it, she's in quarantine from all horses, goats and dogs till this is over. We have to scrub her really well all over daily with an anti bacterial wash called germstat. And for treating the mites themselves she has eqvalan which contains invermectin.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Frankly, I think you should ask for a skin biopsy. I respectfully doubt your horse has mange. Many horse folk have horses with this problem and they try everything they can think of to relieve their equines. I had a skin biopsy done on one of my horses with a terrible itch. There were no insects, it was bacterial. Went through the antibiotic regimen, the Powerpak parasite thing, the special shampoo thing. The steroid shots thing.

Here is an article about it: www.cassphoto.com/skinarticle.pdf

I no longer have my itchy horse, so have not personally tried the product.

It is a very frustrating problem! You will find MANY topics on itchy horses if you search the forum.

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Well you are more then welcome to your opinion. But one of the main reasons that we believe it is mange is her skin, it is very specific in that it creates very think and scally like skin. It also is worse at night and tends to make the animals scratch at night MUCH more then they would during the day. And it also can create huge bald patches very quickly. I described what her behaviour has been and what she looks like and both agreed that's what it is. Both also told me if that's what it was in the next day or two I'd notice her scratching less as the bugs die very quickly after the eqvalan is given...this morning her bald patches have not spread much at all and she's scratching WAY less then she was this time yesterday morning. So respectfully I think that's exactly what it is. If in a few days she was still scratching like mad and the patches were spreading like that have the whole week before this then I'd do a scrape and see...but as of this morning she's way less scratchy and just wants to be with the others. Mange is a very common problem here so while it isn't common in horses she would have no issue coming in contact with it and picking it up sadly.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Well you are more then welcome to your opinion. But one of the main reasons that we believe it is mange is her skin, it is very specific in that it creates very think and scally like skin. It also is worse at night and tends to make the animals scratch at night MUCH more then they would during the day. And it also can create huge bald patches very quickly. I described what her behaviour has been and what she looks like and both agreed that's what it is. Both also told me if that's what it was in the next day or two I'd notice her scratching less as the bugs die very quickly after the eqvalan is given...this morning her bald patches have not spread much at all and she's scratching WAY less then she was this time yesterday morning. So respectfully I think that's exactly what it is. If in a few days she was still scratching like mad and the patches were spreading like that have the whole week before this then I'd do a scrape and see...but as of this morning she's way less scratchy and just wants to be with the others. Mange is a very common problem here so while it isn't common in horses she would have no issue coming in contact with it and picking it up sadly.

Whew! I'm glad your horse has something you can successfully deal with! Hurrah! So many times it is a heartbreaking situation. She is a lucky girl that you are on top of it.

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

It's looking like it anyway, though now I wish I had bathed her more as a foal...she HATES the daily baths. Just got back in from her wash for today and she seems to be doing good, mad at being separated from the others but otherwise doing good so hopefully that continues to improve over the next few days.

 

[chandab]

If you aren't already, warm water helps with their acceptance of bathing. [Or 90+ degrees out, then they don't mind cold hose water.]

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Yes I have been, warm water in a bucket with a sponge is how I do it. She just doesn't like being alone and doesn't like getting wet lol. My poor girl, she's never tried to bite me since she was born and tried at least 6 times today, pawing the ground etc she was mad lol. We went for a walk after and she was all cuddly again so I think I'm forgiven lol

 

[Margo_C-T]

You might want to research neck threadworms, and pinworms,too....If I remember correctly, both can cause itchiness, and both occur in horses.

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Thanks for the suggestions! However this is actually working it seems! The patches have not spread not since Monday, her itching has improved (however now the flies are at her poor girl) and the huge scabs she had are now healing and flaking off slowly. I had to reapply the invermectin yesterday as the mites have a 4 day incubation. She gets more again in two weeks and hopefully that should do it! Two more days of baths and hopefully she can go back to the heard! Thanks again though! Alwaysvhelos in case someone else ever reads this lol