What Are the Treatments for Horse Mange?
Chorioptic mange in your horse can be a very troublesome and ugly infestation. Your horse could develop hair loss and infected skin. Not to mention the severe itching associated with mange mites. There are some good treatments available to kill the mites and treat the skin. It takes any where from one week to a month to treat mange mites depending on the severity of the infection.
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Identification
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Chorioptic mange is the term used when tiny mites infest the skin of mammals. In horses it is the larger draft breeds that are most affected although it can infest any horse or pony. The legs and around the mane are the most common areas of infection. Precise identification can only be made under a microscope. Your Veterinarian will take a skin scraping to test. You can suspect mange if your horse has patches of unexplained hair loss.
Symptoms
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Horses with mange will kick stomp and bite at the infected areas. In mild cases there will be patchy hair loss. In more severe cases the hair loss will cover a large portion of the body. The skin underneath will become thick and scaly. The irritation to the horse worsens at night. If left untreated mange can lead to near total hair loss and severe bleeding of the skin.
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Significance
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Mange mites are designed to burrow into the skin. This alone causes severe discomfort to your horse. The mites leave open wounds where bacteria can enter the skin leading to secondary infections. In many cases the secondary bacterial infections are far worse than the mange itself. mange is highly contagious so infected animals should be isolated until the mange is completely eradicated.
Topical Treatments
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There are several topical treatments available to treat mange. These come in the form of shampoos and body scrubs. The common ingredient in most of these treatments is iodine. Iodine not only kills the mites but helps treat any bacterial infections as well. A home remedy consists of mixing 2 ounces 7% iodine with one bottle of baby shampoo. Thoroughly scrub the horse down with this solution and leave it on the skin for 20 minutes before rinsing. Continue this treatment daily for a minimum of one week and a maximum of four weeks. The entire body needs to be treated as well as any tack used on the horse during the infection. Fipronil is another external parasite treatment available in a spray that has been shown to kill mange mites. Follow the manufactures instructions for frequency of use.
Internal Treatments
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There are a few drugs on the market that kill mange mites and can be administered orally or injected.
Ivomectrin and Doramectin are the brand names for a group of drugs that is given orally or by injection. These drugs are stored in the animals body fat and released over time. There is a wide variety of generic drugs in this group. Their names will all end with mectrin. One dose of this treatment is usually all that is necessary but always consult your Veterinarian. They target both internal and external parasites. If bacterial infection is also present an antibiotic is necessary as well.
Prevention/Solution
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Once you realize your animal has mange it needs to be isolated from all other animals until treatment if finished. To help prevent re-infestation disinfect your stable or barn area with an iodine solution. Avoid contact with other animals not living on your property as much as possible. Follow a regular parasite control regimen. Many oral worm treatments contain a form of Ivomectrin and will help prevent mange infestation as well.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Elizabeth Zimmerman
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Comments
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My best solution for main detangling is very simple. It works best if the temp is above 60 deg. F -- but also if colder just put it in the sun first. Use pure mink oil (MO) --the kind that comes in a jar for waterproofing boots. Use a mane comb and dip it directly into the "oil" (at low temps it is really 'grease'). Coat the comb with the MO and swab it on the mane up near the neck. Once you have the whole upper part of the main swabbed, start combing through the part of the mane which is not tangled. Once you have these parts all combed and silky, start with the tangled parts. Swab the knot again if necessary. The longer you let them 'soak' the easier. Comb these knots from bottom in little strokes down and work your way up. Patiently, make longer careful gentle strokes. If necessary, swab on more MO with your comb. Use your fingers to rub the MO in and loosen the knots--then comb little strokes at the bottom and work your way up. You will be amazed how quickly this works, once the MO has been allowed to penetrate. The final result is a horse with the softest, supplest mane and tail you have EVER seen. Vois Lais!
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Ok that wwas helpful but what is the best solution to comb the tangled mane out?
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tp1tp1
Aug 25, 2010
This helped me take care of my best friend and noble horse, Clay. From one horse lover to another, thank you.
