Lice and mites are the thing of all horse owners nightmares. Mites especially are incredibly difficult to get rid of, and often come back year after year. This article will explain the best methods of ridding your horse of these pests.
Lice & Mites are parasites that can live on your horse without you knowing until your horse starts to display unwanted behaviour. Rubbing, biting, and itching are all signs that your horse is uncomfortable. Lice can be seen with the human eye but mites are invisible to us and will need to be confirmed by your horse veterinarian.
There are many treatments available to horse owners to rid our horses of these irritating creatures. Some are chemical treatments, and others are natural remedies. Keep reading to find the best treatment for your horse.
What Are The Signs Of Mites?
Mites are especially common in heavily feathered horse breeds such as cobs. They live next to skin and feed off the dead skin cells, commonly on the legs. Heavy feather allows them the perfect environment to thrive, protected by the feather from changes in weather, and having a plentiful food source.
You may be wondering how to check for mites on your horse. Whilst you can’t see these miniature creatures, you will notice your horse becoming uncomfortable, and possibly:
- Biting – if your horse starts to bite itself, especially at its legs and feather, it is possibly a sign that mites have taken up residence.
- Scratching – Every horse gets an itch and needs to scratch now and again, but having mites means that this rubbing and scratching is more continuous and forceful. You may notice broken posts or damage to stabling if your horse has an infestation of mites.
- Flaking – Should you notice that your horse has flaking skin, then mites could be one reason.
- Loss of hair – Especially on the legs, your horse may lose hair owing to the continued rubbing.
- Stomping – In an effort to get rid of mites, your horse may start stomping the ground, almost like they’re trying to shake off the mites.
If your horse starts displaying any of these symptoms it will be worthwhile consulting with your vet and having a skin scrape taken to confirm the diagnosis. The sooner you are aware of the problem, the sooner and more effectively you can treat your horse.
Although most mites tend to remain on the lower limbs, mites can and will be found over the whole body. So, if you’re asking do horses get ear mites, then the answer is yes. You may see head-shaking and rubbing when a horse is infected. This can often be successfully treated with ivermectin.
If your horse simply has dry and flaky skin it may not be lice or mites at all but Mallanders. Read Mallanders & Sallanders and it’s treatment – 2fatponiesUK for more information.
Lice In Horse Symptoms
Lice in horses is a common problem which can become more apparent in winter. The symptoms are similar to horses that have feather mites;
- Stomping
- Rubbing
- Biting
- Itching
However, lice can also cause great damage to the horse’s skin if left untreated as they bite into the skin. These bites can then become infected and cause hair loos. In extreme cases, horses can experience weight loss and listlessness.
There are 3 main types of equine lice, 2 that bite, and 1 that actually sucks the blood of your horse. Apart from being decidedly uncomfortable this can cause serious problems if left untreated.
Unlike mites, lice and their eggs can be seen be the naked eye, and therefore does not need confirmation from your veterinarian. However, if the infestation seems bad, it may be worth asking them for advice and guidance.
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How To Prevent Mites
If you are wondering where do horse mites come from, then unfortunately, there is no one single cause.
Mites can be transferred to your horse in several ways:
- Contact – If your horse is in close contact with a horse that already has mites, then they are more likely to be infected too. This is why you should treat all herd members if one is diagnosed with mites.
- Straw – Using straw bedding can harbour mites that can be transferred to your horse.
- Paddocks – Some mites can happily live in your grass paddock, which makes them very difficult to get rid of. Chorioptic mange are able to survive off the host for up to 70 days which means that a prolonged treatment time is necessary to fully eradicate the mites long term.
- Humans – Using the same brushes on multiple horses is an easy way to transfer mites between horses. Always use a separate grooming kit for each horse, and clean brushes on a regular basis. If you suspect your horse has mites, change your gloves before touching another horse as mites can be moved across easily
- Rugs – Do not share rugs, especially in winter. Mites can happily live protected from the elements on a rugged horse.
There are feed products on the market that claim to prevent mites from seeing your horse as a tasty treat by altering the way the blood tastes. They may have anecdotal evidence to support these claims, but are unlikely to work for all horses.
Changing from straw bedding to shavings, or another wood-based bedding product should eliminate the possibility of mites being brought into your property via your straw delivery.
As mites eat dead skin cells, using an antibacterial/antifungal shampoo to keep your horses leg skin healthy could help to reduce the possibility of mites in the first place.
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How Do Horses Get Lice
Lice in horse coats are easily spread. The main ways of lice spreading are as follows:
- Close Quarters – Horses that live very close together can easily transmit lice to each other.
- Rugs/Blankets – Each horse should ideally have their own rugs. If you swap rugs between horses any lice can be transferred within seconds.
- Poor Condition – Although not a cause of getting lice, horses that are in poor condition are more susceptible to infestation and further loss of condition.
- Grooming tools – Each horse should have their own set of grooming tools that are used solely on that horse. This can help to keep lice and other skin complaints from being taken from one horse and infesting another.
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How Can I Get Rid Of My Horse’s Lice
Eradicating lice in horses; treatment can be needed on multiple occasions to ensure that the problem has been completely solved.
The best lice treatment for horses depends upon who you ask. Horse lice treatment products most commonly used include:
- Shampoo – Horse lice shampoo is to be used as you would a normal shampoo, as frequently as the directions suggest. Normally once a week/10 days.
- Dust – Potentially easier to apply, although you should work well into the coat so that it goes right down to the skin. Wear gloves and a face mask if using a powder to reduce breathing it in or getting it on your skin. Some powders are toxic to other animals so read the label carefully if your horse is likely to come into contact with cats or dogs etc.
- Spray – If it’s too cold to bath, then using a spray on treatment could be the answer.
- Wipes – If your horse isn’t a fan of spray bottles or baths, then impregnated wipes can be bought. Just make sure that you get the treatment into every nook and cranny of your horse.
The main working ingredient in lice treatments is permethrin or pyrethrin. Although oral ivermectin or moxidectin will work, but only on the biting variety of lice.
Although lice only live a few days once off their host, it is a good idea to thoroughly clean all items that come into contact with your horse, rugs, tack, grooming kit etc. in addition to cleaning out their stable. This will make any treatment you choose more effective in the long run.
Any treatments are likely to be needed more than once as the treatment will most likely kill the adult and juvenile lice but not the eggs.
What Kills Mites On Horses
Horse mite treatment can be prolonged and is not always successful.
Mites can live off host for up to 70 days and are easily transferred by horses, humans, brushes, and yard tools.
The most common feather mite treatment for horses is similar to that for lice:
- Frontline – either the spray or the pipettes are often used. So if you are looking for leg mites in horses treatment, then this has huge anecdotal evidence to back up its use.
- Injections – The mite injection for horses called Dectomax injections are regularly used to control mites, although they are primarily meant for use on sheep and cattle. Many vets are now stopping its use on horses.
- Shampoos – Shampoos that contain selenium sulphide are widely used and can be effective when used regularly.
Although these may be effective, the majority of well-known ‘cures’ are not licensed for equine use and should be used carefully, bearing this in mind.
Most treatments will need to be repeated on multiple occasions to ensure that they work as required.
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Conclusion
At some point in your horse-owning life you are likely to come across a horse that has an infestation of either lice or mites. Rigorous hygiene and topical applications of approved medicated shampoos, injections, or powder can be used to rid your horse of these parasites, but it will likely take several applications to take effect.
