Feather mites and how to treat them

Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins

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Oct 10, 2004
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Amongst all the other things wrong at the moment, Ben has come down with a bad base of feather mites. My vet gave him an injection and he has to have another in 2 weeks time. My vet listed lots of options to deal with them from cutting off the feathers, to using frontline and washing down with some kind of cow wormer!

Have your horses ever had feather mites and how did you treat them?
 
Tried the injections, they didn't work for Gracie with feather and at the time I didn't want to clip them off... But the vet did warn me that the injections aren't as successful on feathered legs. I've tried Dermoline Insecticidal shampoo, Selsun and Limeplus. On previous cobs I've used Frontline spray, Frontline pippettes and Ivermectin cow wormer applied topically.

I'm currently growing G's feather back (MF was more expensive than mite treatments!!!) and applying a weekly pig oil and sulphur application.... and I haven't seen any rubbing or stamping yet, so fingers crossed.

Has Ben been tested for Cushings?
 
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Pig oil and sulphur. Have also used normectin cow wormer applied direct. Also ivermection horse wormer couple of weeks apart.
As I understand it once a horse has them they are difficult to get rid of. They live under the skin and if conditions are right they break out.
Some people have done the injections and cleared up. Others repeat annually. I think it just depends on the horse.
 
domane said:
Tried the injections, they didn't work for Gracie with feather and at the time I didn't want to clip them off... But the vet did warn me that the injections aren't as successful on feathered legs. I've tried Dermoline Insecticidal shampoo, Selsun and Limeplus. On previous cobs I've used Frontline spray, Frontline pippettes and Ivermectin cow wormer applied topically.

I'm currently growing G's feather back (MF was more expensive than mite treatments!!!) and applying a weekly pig oil and sulphur application.... and I haven't seen any rubbing or stamping yet, so fingers crossed.

Has Ben been tested for Cushings?
Click to expand...
Is cushings linked to feather mites?
 
chunky monkey said:
Pig oil and sulphur. Have also used normectin cow wormer applied direct. Also ivermection horse wormer couple of weeks apart.
As I understand it once a horse has them they are difficult to get rid of. They live under the skin and if conditions are right they break out.
Some people have done the injections and cleared up. Others repeat annually. I think it just depends on the horse.
Click to expand...
My vet said that it is really important to change the bedding and wash down the stable as this is how they get reinfected.

He said clipping the feathers won’t encourage mud fever. He is patchy with the vets clipped parts for his injections so I may go and just clip them off.
 
Mary Poppins said:
Is cushings linked to feather mites?
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Not as far as I know! :p

However, Cushings horses often have compromised immune systems which can make them get one thing after another....plus they are prone to skin conditions....so I'm always on alert...sorry :oops:
 
domane said:
Not as far as I know! :p

However, Cushings horses often have compromised immune systems which can make them get one thing after another....plus they are prone to skin conditions....so I'm always on alert...sorry :oops:
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I don’t think his lameness is down to cushings and I think the feather mites are just because he is a shire horse with lots of feathers. He shows no symptoms of cushings and I really don’t think that is an issue with him right now. I do think his feathers might have to be clipped off though!
 
Cobs and shires, feathered breeds are more prone to mites. Whilst I agree with you about washing the stable etc. I have two feathered cobs neither of which are stabled. Damp humid conditions can cause it to break out more. Neither of mine have had mud fever. They get them mainly behind the knees. It could be that the change in circumstances like stabling more has just caused the bodies responses to kick in. In this case showing up mites.
 
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Feather mites are chorioptic mange mite, they don't burrow, they live on the surface in the hair (why hairy legged horses are more often effected) and they feed on the skin (why injections or wormers can kill them but aren't 100% effective as they aren't blood suckers). They can live off an animal for weeks and can spread between species.
 
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domane said:
Not as far as I know! :p

However, Cushings horses often have compromised immune systems which can make them get one thing after another....plus they are prone to skin conditions....so I'm always on alert...sorry :oops:
Click to expand...
Hi domane
Iv got this problem
With my 27 year old mare my mare is retired now as she has got Cusion dessert and has got c p o d which my girl is on meds for from my vet. And resantley my girl has been had mud fever which is now better but my girl has resantly has been stamping her back leg though it was still mud fever but the vet has said it not mud fever it is feather mites my vet clipped all 4 legs gave my girl an injection and I’m no using some special shampoo from vets,
Vet out again tomorrow
I’m very new to feather mites and to top it all off my girl has now got pin worm again which is bring treated with now. Any advice would begrest
 
Our Chloe has Cushings and we find that the Multi Mite powder really helps with the stamping. She seems to be doing it a lot lot less now and doesn't gnaw at her legs either. This is an old thread btw :D
 
Gosh, this is an old thread of mine. Ben had jabs for his feather mites but they still come up again occasionally. And it is interesting to read the discussion about cushings because he is being tested for this in the next week or so. Maybe he would have tested positive 3 years ago, who knows?
 
Mary Poppins said:
Gosh, this is an old thread of mine. Ben had jabs for his feather mites but they still come up again occasionally. And it is interesting to read the discussion about cushings because he is being tested for this in the next week or so. Maybe he would have tested positive 3 years ago, who knows?
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Chloe used to have the Dectomax jab for the mites but it stops working after a while. Well, that's what I found. The mite powder is our best way forward atm. It's an on going battle. I forgot - how old is Ben? Yes who knows, he might have tested positive then but you just don't know. They don't all get Cushings. Storm has been tested a lot and hasn't got it yet and she's 24 now.
 
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