Is this Mites?

[Ed Thayer]

I need help figuring out if Oz has mites or just abbrasions.

I have attached some pictures to help identify what his issue is.

The area just above the pastern and at the top of his hoof is very dry and flakey. The raw areas showed up the other day and I wonder if it is from rubbing.

There is no hair loss anywhere on his upper legs or body.

If it is mites, what is the solution? Non of the other horses has this issue.

Thanks,

Ed

[CharlyBonifaz]

without knowing exactly what it is:
I’d wash it with Dawn/Ivory….. until the flakes come off, then dry it with a towel; finally put baby oil on it (it’s a very fine oil which is absorbed easily and nothing will stick to it as is the case with vaseline/ointment/unguent etc.)
once a day
after a week you should be back to normal skin…….

[jen judkins]

Looks like ‘scratches’ but the location is alittle off. Is there any crud behind the fetlock?

[Gabe Ayers]

There is an anti fungal product called MicroTec that is the best one shot stuff we have used for scratches or rain rot. We have also used a tincture made from comfrey and rubbing alcohol, but that will sting if it is raw. The MicroTec
stuff comes in a black spray bottle and is not cheap…keep it from freezing and use it sparingly.

[Ed Thayer]

Thank you for the replies.

Jen might be stopping by on Sat.

I think I will have her take a look at him and see what she thinks too.

[Ed Thayer]

Update on Oz.

I had to call the vet to come look at our Haflinger Franz on Friday. He had what we thought was an abcess on his tooth on the upper jaw.

Turned out it was a puncture wound.

While the vet was at the barn I had her look at Ozzie and see what she thought was wrong with his lower legs. Turns out she wasn’t sure either and took a sample back to the lab.

She called on Sat and said he has mites…… so we picked up some spray from the vet and I spent an hour yesterdat clipping his lower legs to remove the hair so I could apply the spray directly to the skin.

Hopefully it will clear up soon.

Ed

[near horse]

Highway –

My Belgian had what we thought was a tooth abcess on an upper molar – showed as a plum-size swelling on face below his eye. We couldn’t locate anything inside or out but the abcess ruptured and drained for a few days – all better. Not sure what it was that caused it.

Regarding mites, you can check pretty easily if you can get use of a microscope (local HS might let you use one for a few minutes). Scrape rough area w/ sharp blade (knife or scalpel) to get some skin/debris – make sure to get some fresh skin – put the scrapings in a drop of mineral oil on a microscope slide and look for mites (pretty big w/ 8 legs). I know you had the vet already coming out but next time in case you don’t want to pay for a farm call to diagnose mites ……

[Ed Thayer]

Geoff,

How do you treat your horses for mites?

The vet also called it leg mange? From what I can understand, they are chorioptic mites. A little creature that feeds on the skin. I guess they are somewhat common in heavy draft breeds.

I am sure Oz had them when we got him in February. He may never had got rid of them?

Ed

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