Very itchy mare, ideas?

[WinchesterGirl30]

One of my mares has been none stop scratching, she now has hairless matches on both back legs and her neck etc. Anyone have any ideas? I thought maybe worms but this seems even a bit extreme for that. Dry skin maybe too but what do you do for that? Any advice appreciated!

Here's her legs!

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

She might have biting lice. They won't transfer to you. There's several ways to get rid of them. Other people will probably be able to tell you. I know they can't survive in warmer weather, so clipping your horse kills most of them off. Then you only have to treat the mane and tailhead.

 

[amysue]

That looks like lice to me. Yes, lice Re solve in warmer weather, but your horse is will be miserable in the meantime. I recommend dusting her with lice powder and deworming with ivermectin. Repeat the dusting treatment in two weeks. You can put dressing such as neosporin on her raw spots to keep infection at bay.

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Yeah I can already tell she's not happy! The spots aren't raw just bald. But in keeping an eye on them. I'll try too find the powder, I just did a quick search and only found a liquid version which doesn't help in cold weather like we are still having lol thanks guys!!

 

[lkblazin]

If you pull the hair back you may be able to see some lice.

 

[chandab]

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/prozap-insectrin-dairy-swine-dust-2-lbs

This is what I use when I have an issue with Lice. Have also used it on a couple barn cats that got something, and it worked, so must have been the right choice.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

She may just be hot and uncomfortable in the winter hair. Do not know where you live. Something that works for mine when they are itchy is vacuuming or using the air compressor. I've spoken to big horse people who find this helpful also. Whatever is causing the irritation--dirt, insects, allergens--removing it seems to help. That same spot on my horses, and also the shoulders is another itchy spot. The vacuum is noisy, so it takes getting used to, but they actually seem to enjoy it once they are comfortable with the noise. I think the air compressor works a little better are getting down to the skin, especially in the mane area.

You can buy a dog shedding comb any place that carries pet supplies and work to loosen the hair, which might help. I like the one with long teeth.

Itching is so frustrating! Good luck.

 

[7fluffyfriends]

I have one mini that looks just like that when the lice start digging in. The product I find helpful because it is a powder and readily available is Farnam Horse Lice Duster. It has been effective and is affordable.

Marsha's post on vacuuming seems like a grand idea and one I haven't seen used other than during show season - very sensible! Ditto for the air compressor - always something new to learn!

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Thank you everyone!! I'm having a hard time finding the powder, I found a liquid treatment but I'm going too keep looking. Thank you all so much!

 

[Margo_C-T]

You might check to see if her udder is 'dirty'. Some mares will get a build-up of black, smelly,usually crusty, 'gunk' between the teats, similar in some ways to the 'gunk' that can form inside the sheaths of some geldings and stallions. Since it is next to impossible for the horse to scratch there, they will sometimes try to scratch themselves in a 'nearby' spot. As someone else said, you should be able to see lice, by carefully parting the hair, looking very closely while being patient. I personally would want to be sure my horse HAS lice before treating for them. Another thought...I am a strong proponent of adding stabilized ground flax as a feed supplement. It is high in antioxidant-rich omega-3 fatty acids,which are health-beneficial in several ways, and can really improve the quality of hair coat, skin, hooves.

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Thank for the ideas but I have done some research and while it doesn't sound like lice is an over common issue in my area I pretty well positive that's what it is. She also has patches on her neck and sides that she has been scratching. It seems too be pretty well all over that's she's itchy so I don't think it's build up of gunk. I finally think I found the powder so all three are going too get treated this weekend when I get home. Thanks!!

 

[Erickson Miniature Horses]

I use a mixture of cornstarch and sulphur powder. Rub it into their coat daily for up to a week and that should take care of the lice.

 

[Debby - LB]

exactly what I was going to say Margo! every mare I've ever had do this needed the fold between the udders cleaned . My girls will roll their eyes back in bliss while I'm cleaning away at that smegma.

 

[lkblazin]

Lol I thought I was the only one that cleaned there.I told a friend she needed to check her mares bag, turned out she needed some udder balm cause it was dry. And yes Debby there eyes do role back lol, one girl actually trembles sometimes.

 

[amysue]

Too funny, my mares straddle the bushes in the pasture to itch their bellies and in between the teats. They straddle the poor goat too, apparently he makes a great scratching post. Dont know how he feels about it, but he is a good sport. We had a horrible winter with lice. No new horses in, and we muck stalls 2x daily. Treated them with dust 2 weeks apart and lice came back. I scraped the skin and confirmed biting lice, which in my opinion, are difficult to get rid of because ivermectin wont work, topical treatment is needed. Well one day the chickens were all upset because a possum was trying to steal eggs. I caught the possum and to my surprise he was bald! After killing him (sorry but we have ZERO tolerance for vermin) I found him crawling with lice! In the wood burner he went. So now everyone is recovering from the lice. I agree that dirty teats make mares VERY itchy, but if she b is itching and rubbing her neck, it probably is lice causing her discomfort.

 

[Country Hills Miniatures]

Ok so my mare has the exact same problem. What did you find to put on yours? And mine Is due to foal soon. Is it safe for her?

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

I used the powder on my girl that was bad and she's way better now! ,not scratching nearly as bad. I also have one in foal (she's taking her sweet time about it 340 days) and one who just had one and all were fine. Hope it helps your mare!

 

[WinchesterGirl30]

Ok so after posting before I finally managed find some powder to treat her. The patches on her legs are now starting to get hair again...but her beck has goten REALLY bad the last few days. I have treated it twice specifically and it's not getting better just worse. Both sides of her neck and face are now nearly all bald and scabbed....is this the same thing or should I be calling a vet? She doesn't seem in pain but she's scratching constantly...

 

[amysue]

Treat her with ivermectin too, in case she has sucking lice and not biting lice. She will probably benefit from a bath, and it'll feel good too. Try anti fungal shampoo, as the skin is more susceptible to secondary infections from rubbing and scratching. It is crucial when treating lice to get the powder down to the skin and all over the horse, not just the raw spots as the lice will just move. You also have to re treat 10 days to two weeks later to ensure full eradication of the lice. Usually they clear up once the weather gets warmer but if they do not go away soon, have the vet take a skin scraping to rule out something more serious.

 

[chandab]

Are your temperatures getting quite warm, now? It's possible you've cleared up any bugs, and now she's mostly itchy from winter hair still hanging on. If you have clippers, consider clipping at least her head and neck where she seems to be most itchy. Mine will sometimes rub themselves practically raw this time of year while they are shedding and the temps are rising, but they still have quite a bit of coat.