Can Feather mites spread to the body?

[alfiesmum]

I have had my new Gypsy Cob for a few months now, and found him foot stamping so after hours and hours of clipping his front legs found that he has lots of ridges and old healed lumps on his back legs and two open wounds on the back of each front knee. Got Ivermectin Wash from the vets to use with Seleen and that worked, since then I have been using Pig Oil and Flowers of Sulphur on the remaining feather and nicely healing up (though not sure the right combination of Pig Oil and Sulphur so would appreciate any info on that please?)

Anyway now he is losing all his very long winter hair and itching like crazy and one of the people at the yard said it must have spread to his body although there is nothing at all to see in his hair (he was in rather poor condition when I purchased him so hair very thick) so could the Feather Mite spread to his body and if so HELP!!! What is best to do, apart from calling the vet, as he is in an american barn and all the horses seem itchy either side:timebomb:

I just honestly thought he was itchy as hair looks clean with no sores, but please do enlighten me to the added joys of having my first Gypsy Cob?

 

[Louby*eko]

Technically I suppose they could but I haven't known it. Prob just itchy from loosing winter coat, although it is likely to be lice so I would check for that too(don't know why but horses I have had prone to mites often have suffered with lice too especially at this time of year)
Re the pig oil I use a handful of powder to about a litre, not a very exact science, just enough to make it yellow!

 

[tazzy-anne]

I've wondered the same the last few days as he's recently started stamping & scratching at his legs so I did the whole washing, pig oil & sulphurs thing etc (FYI I was advised to make a 'custard - like' mixture. When I got it already mixed in id say it was thinner than that though). I think for treatment to make it quite thick but for maintenance make it thinner maybe?
Anyway the last few days he's really been itching himself so wondered about mites in his body, but read up a lot & seems they can infest the belly (not read anything about the main body though), and that's only in very severe cases, so I think it's unlikely to be mites after all. I also realised that although I thought he'd finished malting ages ago, there's yet loads more coming out!!! So I actually really think (in both our cases), that it's just the loose, itchy hair

 

[newforest]

My cob started to itch and i treated both of us with lice powder. It went everywhere but we didn't leave a hair not covered.
Are you stabled? You do get harvest mites, these live in straw, chaff and hay. Now cob is out for about 9 hours and winter coat gone so has need to itch.
I removed hair with dog loose hair shredder as smaller and easier to get underneath.

I thought mud fever can spread to body, not heard of mites doing it.

 

[alfiesmum]

Mites?

Thanks for the replies - I really am hoping that it is just shedding the thick hairs, I am using a rubber curry comb, one of the round hair brushes and a shedding thingy, and even then there is a huge pile of horse on the floor, so I am praying it is just the hairs coming out him (and all the others!) His haynet was covered in white hair this morning and it looked as if it had all gone mouldy!!

Thanks re the Pig Oil and sulphur mix, and I will look very carefully at his hair again tomorrow to see if it might be lice?! What did you treat lice with? I can remember a friends horse used to get it - the only one in a big herd - and she used some horrible stuff, Switch??? I know you had to put it on and run out the space to get some air!!

 

[newforest]

I used barrier powder, she smelt lovely after. Wasn't sure if had lice but did as a just in case.
She went bald but that was just due to hours we are still having to stable.

 

[Trewsers]

Our Chloe stamps when her mud fever scabs are on the mend. We thought she had feather mites and vet gave her a jab accordingly, but it was mud fever. She is still bothered by it a bit, but (touch wood) it has not spread up the leg much. I don't know if mites can spread but I am guessing they probably could? Hope your cob is better soon! Its horrid when they spend hours stamping and itching.

 

[Louby*eko]

I use deosect a few times a year as a fly repellant anyway(if i am going away in summer its good as it lasts a few weeks so who ever is looking after them doesnt have to put spray on avery day) which kills lice. Pretty potant stuff but does the trick!
Used powder a few times in the past, messy but works

 

[Lemme]

I would be looking at Lice - did find this though if it helps

Five different species of mites cause mange in horses. These include the sarcoptic mange mite, affecting the horse's head and neck; the psoroptic mange mite, affecting the withers, mane and shoulders; the chorioptic mange mite, affecting the lower legs; the demodectic mange mite, affecting the neck and shoulders; and the straw itch mite, affecting almost any area of the horse's body. Most mites bury underneath the horse's skin and begin laying eggs, though the chorioptic mange mites live and feed on the surface of the skin.

We had a pony with Choriptic mange mites (feather mites) years ago, he had an allergic reaction to the injection treatment and had a heart attack, only 5 and he was very light feathered.

 

[fairlady]

My 3 had lice recently...............YEUK Poor Heathcliffe actually rubbed a couple of bald patches they were driving him NUTS.....

I did them all with Coopers Fly Repellent, you weigh tape them then apply the recommended amount. I could see the little blighters dying as I applied it.......you then do them 2 weeks later to catch any eggs that may have hatched. Look under the mane and around the top of the tail, thats where I actually saw them so yes they do live on the body.

WONDERFUL STUFF :wink: It was recommended to me on here in fact, Coopers or Deosect..........

The Vet told me he was having endless calls about Lice this year and on our local Horsey website there are loads of threads about
Horses having lice, apparently can be picked up from the hay and wooden fencing, stables and even trees ???? etc., so remember to treat your stable/bedding with appropriate treatment as well and boil all your grooming kit.

 

[alfiesmum]

itching

Thank you for all your advice, I will keep an eye on the boy and then use deosect as I understand that works on the feather mites too. At the moment I can't find anything in his coat, but will keep looking, with microscope!!