Treatments And Care For Mange In Horses
Scabies is an infectious disease that affects many mammals, including humans, although we are not its preferred hosts. This pathology can become a problem in farm animals, such as horses, since it is contagious and ‘jumps’ from one animal to another easily. So it’s very likely to spread through the stable if we don’t isolate and treat the sick properly. Here, we’ll show you how to identify mange in horses and treatments to eliminate it.
What is scabies?
Scabies is a skin disease caused by mites. There are several species and genera of these inconvenient invertebrates that cause scabies, but one of them is very common in stables. It is the genus Sarcoptes, which generates a lot of itchiness in the animal.
Mites are usually found on animals with long, abundant fur. For this reason, scabies is very common in draft horses, especially in the region of the males, dense tufts of hair located in the lower region of the legs, close to the hoof.
There are different types of mange on horses, caused by different species of mites:
- Sarcoptic mange. The most serious. This type of mite prefers areas with fine hairs (head, neck and shoulders), where females dig tunnels to lay their eggs, causing the horse intense itching.
- Psoroptic mange. It affects the parts of the body covered by long hair, such as the topknot, mane and base of the tail. The scabs are moist and the mites stay on the surface of the skin. This scabies is more contagious than sarcoptic but less harmful.
- Chorioptic mange. These mites prefer the region of the horse’s thighs, especially those with many hairs in the shin and fetlock region. The production of ‘fat’ is common as a characteristic symptom.
- Demodectic mange. It is not a common type of mange on horses. The skin peels off, but in this case there is no itching.
Symptoms of mange in horses
Mange in horses can occur all over the body or be restricted to a few specific areas, depending on the type of mite that has infected the animal. The symptoms with which we can identify scabies are:
- Hitting the hooves continuously.
- Rub the hind legs.
- Scabs and papules on the head and ears. In the neck region, folds are formed that, in more severe cases, can spread throughout the entire body.
- Crusts on hind legs, mane and base of tail.
The veterinarian will assess the symptoms and perform a dermatological examination for the causative parasite. For this, it is necessary to carry out a series of tests, such as scraping or testing the duct tape on the horse’s skin, and then look at the sample under a microscope and confirm whether there are mites.
Can scabies be prevented?
In a cold, damp environment, mites survive for long periods away from their host. They can be transmitted by fomites, that is, any object that comes in contact with the living being can potentially become contaminated with the pathogen.
In this case, it can be the horse’s bridle, blankets, saddles or any other object, such as a brush, although the most common form of infection is through an infected animal. To prevent mange in horses, the best thing to do is to maintain good grooming and hygiene for the animal.
How to treat scabies?
In the face of scabies symptoms, you should contact a veterinarian to receive the correct treatment. It is necessary to treat all animals that live together to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of contagion.
Lindane baths are very effective for treating mange in horses and should be done carefully. After 10 or 14 days, they should be repeated to kill any parasites that have survived the first application. Oral treatments with ivermectin, an antiparasitic used also in other animal species, is also a good solution.
