Questions about Lice - Zeb has them again :o(

[Catg]

I'm so fed up! Today he has cut his chest and back legs by trying to scratch himself on the barbed wire fencing

I don't understand where he gets them from? Why is it just him? None of the other horses are itchy. So some questions for you all, any info or experiences you can give me would be much appreciated, I hate seeing him so uncomfortable.

1) Where exactly do lice come from? I know they seem to be a winter problem but what happens to them in the summer? Where do they come back from?

2) How are they transferred? I know they transfer by direct contact between the horses, sharing of brushes and saddle cloths. Is there any other way that they can transfer that I'm missing?

3) What can I do to get rid of them? Last winter Zeb had them, I used gold label lice powder every ten days for what seemed like months! It did nothing to get rid of them, I only got rid of them once it was warm enough for him to have lost most of his winter coat and I could bath him in insecticide shampoo.
I could do a full clip but he doesn't have the right rugs to get him through the winter and I doubt his owner would want to fork out for them. Any other ideas?

4) Once the horse has been successfully treated what should you do to ensure the lice don't return? Zeb had them badly last winter, once they were gone all of his rugs were professionally cleaned, his saddle cloths were washed, his grooming kit was bleached several times but I didn't clear his stable and disinfect it - should I have done that?

Help!

[CityLights]

onyl ever seen lice in younger horses and no idea where it comes from as they all grew up together in the same area that hadnt been used by other horses or anything but it just seems to appear we got some powder from the vets and it got rid of them,

I would imagine they can also be spread by bedding and such so would clear out his stable if you can

[Catg]

Originally Posted by Smile and Wave

onyl ever seen lice in younger horses and no idea where it comes from as they all grew up together in the same area that hadnt been used by other horses or anything but it just seems to appear we got some powder from the vets and it got rid of them,

I would imagine they can also be spread by bedding and such so would clear out his stable if you can

So does that mean some horses can be suseptable to them?

[black crow]

First off, louse powder is useless, it very rarely works. So dont waste your money on it!
Proper insecticidal shampoos will work far far better in getting rid of them, but arent the best.

If he has it bad, the best thing you can do is to clip him. They are a nuisance, and will keep coming back [they can hide in the mane and anywhere else thats hard to get] I know you dont want to, but the best way to rid of them is clipping and then a thorough bath



There are many different types of lice and mite. If you can get hold of one, try to have a close look and see what it is [ i.e some suck the blood and others just feed from the dead skin cells. Have a look online for pictures to compare them to]

Some can come from straw, there is a type of louse that comes from poultry that can effect horses, others can be passed on from sheep, and others can be passed on by other horses who have been infested.

They can be transferred by almost anything. Infected tools, rugs, horses, people, etc

If it is the type to drink the horses blood, there is an injection that can help get rid of them - speak to your vet about this, it is very effective.

Once you have got the horse clear of them, keep his gear strictly to himself, make sure no one shares or puts their rugs ontop of his. Get anyone who owns a horse he comes into contact with to check their own horses.
I would clear out and disinfect his stable thoroughly, and once he is clear of them, clean the stable out again [otherwise they will end up back in the stable]

Try and find treatments that are targeted for the eggs - if the eggs are killed, they wont spread. Sadly most shampoos arent always strong enough, so you may need to use something like a lice/mite killer designed for cattle that is put along the spine. Usually wait about 2 weeks before reapplying/rewashing as it gives it time to work. Be careful of things that arent designed for horses. If the lice/mite infestation is bad, the skin could be already upset - strange products not intended for horse skin can make the problem worse.

[Catg]

Thanks so much BC. x

[Anni~Bell]

When he last had them did you completly wash and disinfect everything he wore, i.e brushes, rugs, saddleclothes etc??
Just because if the eggs aren't killed then they will hatch and live on the rugs and then be transferred back too him.

Can't agree enough with BC advice

[bimba]

When TJ had lice I used an insecticidal shampoo which worked really well. My vet also recommended frontline spray (the dog and cat stuff) for the roots of his mane and tail as it can be difficult to scrub the shampoo deep enough into those areas but they tend to be where a lot of the lice are, it was a bit of a pain to get in into the roots but once it was there it really helped clear them up. I also washed Mac in the shampoo a couple of times in case he'd picked any up, there were no visible signs on him so it was more just a precaution but there's no point treating one and not the other. Also make sure you wash everything (I washed it all in the same shampoo I was using on him) as you can transfer eggs and lice from equipment back to the horse.

[amandaxx1]

My friends pony had these and tried allsorts until she eventually had the vet out and told her to get frontline!!!!!