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Post by casper on Jan 11, 2010 22:01:00 GMT
When I bought C 2 years ago his previous owner told me he had mallanders which is described as "a dry, scabby or scurfy eruption or scratch behind the knee in a horse's foreleg". They used a solution provided by the vet that was a mixture of pig oil and something else that they weren't aware of (vet's secret mixture)
The vet who did the vetting reported it as chorioptic mange - he said that there was little I could do - previous owners had tried dectomax injections which did not work so I should just continue with the pig oil.
I've been treating his legs with a mixture of pig oil and sulphur for 2 years - initially I would just layer it on every couple of weeks withough cleaning the legs which was based on advice from other owners who said that cleanign it could make it worse and strip away the barrier that the pig oil would build up and cause more irritation.
The scabs are pretty bad just now - last week I cleaned them with hibiscrub and then applied PO&S and it did get a bit better.
Another common suggestion was the Frontline spray for cats and dogs which I managed to get sent from France without prescription.
I applied it yesterday (smells like cat pee) spraying a generous amount on the legs and rubbing in thoroughly. If anything his legs seem worse today but that could just be the scabs breaking away as there is no reddness or swelling- he's also very unhappy when I try to apply it which isn't like him so I think it's stinging.
I'm not a bit lost as to how to treat this issue correctly.
Can anyone please suggest a solution as to how I can treat this and ideally get rid of it? How long should I continue with the frontline before i write that off?
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Post by crazyhorsess on Jan 11, 2010 22:33:48 GMT
Found this on line, hope it helps
Chorioptic mange treatment. Chorioptic mange is a common skin problem in horses. It is more often seen in draft breeds, especially those with hairy legs (“feather”). The lower legs are the most common sites of infestation, but the base of the tail and body can also be affected.
The chorioptic mites live on the skin surface. Their mouthparts are adapted for chewing and they feed on skin debris. Although they do not burrow into the skin, they can cause considerable irritation.
Affected horses rub, stamp, and bite their legs and kick, especially at night. Mild cases may show patchy hair loss and the skin may become thickened and scaly. In severe cases the skin may become raw, with secondary bacterial infection. The disease tends to be seen more commonly in the winter - possibly as a result of animals being housed close to each other.
Interestingly, some horses can be infected without showing signs, and they may act as a source of re-infestation for treated animals. The mites are also able to survive in the environment, probably for several weeks. So, as well as treating affected animals, it is important to replace the bedding and treat in-contact horses to get the problem under control.
In many countries, including the UK, no products are licensed to treat the condition. Several drugs have been used “off-label” to treat affected animals including fipronil and doramectin.
Fipronil is widely used to treat fleas and lice in small animals. It accumulates in the sebaceous glands of the hair follicles from where it is released over a several weeks. It is marketed, for small animal use, both as a spray and as a topical (“spot-on”) preparation. Doramectin is used against internal and external parasites in cattle and sheep. It is stored in body fat and released slowly to give prolonged activity. A recent study considered the use of these two drugs for treating chorioptic mange in horses.
Mr David Rendle and colleagues at the Glasgow vet school assessed the response to treatment of seventeen cases of chorioptic mange in horses. They treated eight cases with doramectin (0.3 mg/kg, two doses by subcutaneous injection 14 days apart) and nine others with fipronil (0.25%, sprayed onto the lower legs.)
After two weeks, four of the doramectin-treated horses and eight of those treated with fipronil had improved. By four weeks none of the horses showed any behavioural signs of skin irritation. "I am unconvinced that one treatment is better than the other" Mr Rendle adds. "I find both equally effective."
No adverse reactions were noted in any animals. Some of the horses with heavily feathered legs were treated without being clipped. Despite that the treatments appeared to be effective. However, because of the small number if horses involved, that does not prove that clipping is unnecessary.
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Post by louweezy on Jan 12, 2010 8:03:54 GMT
Our coloured cob has mallanders behind his knees he's had it for the 5 years he's been with us. Initially he had mites and would throw himself down to bite his feathers and we were given Flypor by the vet it works a treat!! We put 10mls down each leg an rubbed it in I'm sure you only have to do it twice a year. He also had what's called greasy heel it's like the horsey equivalent of trench foot we treated that with hibiscrub and some cream that has silver in it- they use it on burns patients it's name escapes me just now. Give the flypor a whirl and fingers crossed it's works for him esp if you want to keep him hairy! It's quite expensive to buy from the vet as it's not licensed for horses or it wasn't at the time we needed it, the times after that we ordered the same stuff online Modified to say that we put sudocrem or tesco nappy cream on most days to soften the scabs seems to keep the itch down too.
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Post by joannewalsh on Jan 12, 2010 8:15:40 GMT
i am sure this is what my sisters jen horse suffers from, i am sure she said that baby oil applied works wonders
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Post by JenCraig on Jan 12, 2010 8:41:06 GMT
Yeah Bill has had this for years too, i got a mange shampoo from the vet which works well but to be honest i find the best way to treat it is to apply baby oil on a regular basis everytime i groom i rub baby oil into it and break away any loose scabs. If i continue to do this it doesnt bother him. Its more just a case of keeping on top of it
but then! Bill also has his feather clipped off so obv it is a lot easier for me, even when he has full feather (like at the moment) i chop the hair at the back of his knee with scissors so that i can get access.
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Post by valaraki on Jan 12, 2010 12:34:31 GMT
Our coloured cob has mallanders behind his knees he's had it for the 5 years he's been with us. Initially he had mites and would throw himself down to bite his feathers and we were given Flypor by the vet it works a treat!! We put 10mls down each leg an rubbed it in I'm sure you only have to do it twice a year. He also had what's called greasy heel it's like the horsey equivalent of trench foot we treated that with hibiscrub and some cream that has silver in it- they use it on burns patients it's name escapes me just now. Give the flypor a whirl and fingers crossed it's works for him esp if you want to keep him hairy! It's quite expensive to buy from the vet as it's not licensed for horses or it wasn't at the time we needed it, the times after that we ordered the same stuff online My mum used to have a cob who suffered also from this. The only thing that worked for him was Flypor. We applied it initially every couple of weeks and then we only needed to do it twice a year.
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Post by mhya07 on Jan 12, 2010 13:58:33 GMT
Casper,you can get in injection for the mites,it allso takes the itching away,i used to get it for my mare i tryed everthing going but in the end for her it is better she keeps he feather off,you could all ways ask your vet about the injection worth a try,
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Post by JenCraig on Jan 12, 2010 15:21:10 GMT
Malaseb! thats the name of the mainge shampoo the vet gave me for bills legs, its actually for cats and dogs but it did make a dfifference to his legs
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Post by tamstouch on Jan 12, 2010 18:51:54 GMT
This is a very helpfull thread as Levi my coloured ive noticed him biting his heels and behind his knees this winter
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Post by penllys on Jan 13, 2010 21:27:16 GMT
Well Casper I have tried all of these¬ Nothing seems to work. Think the problem is more that they get itchy when the scabs are there so I rubs lots of coconut oil onto Kenco's legs wrap with cling film and bandage. Do this for a few days till the scabs are soft enough to slide off the hair. touch wood he seems to be ok just now. My heart goes out to you as it is damn frustrating - Kenco used to drop a bit of weight too. Probably more a case of managing than curing it
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Post by casper on Jan 13, 2010 21:37:22 GMT
I'm beining to think you're right J - I don't think I'll ever get rid. It woudl clear up and I'd think I'd cracked it and then despite applying PO&S it would flare up again! I'll keep trying! Might try the clingfilm idea if C will let me.
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Post by penllys on Jan 13, 2010 21:48:53 GMT
I'm beining to think you're right J - I don't think I'll ever get rid. It woudl clear up and I'd think I'd cracked it and then despite applying PO&S it would flare up again! I'll keep trying! Might try the clingfilm idea if C will let me. Kenco not too good with PO & S Got a vets bill and swollen sheath for my troubles there!!
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tobsnkez
Full Member
equine reiki
Posts: 148
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Post by tobsnkez on Jan 15, 2010 18:27:11 GMT
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Post by Juls on Jan 15, 2010 19:21:38 GMT
I am also having real problems with mites or chorioptic mange on Annie since the snow arrived, the vet originally diagnosed it as mudfever but its def mites! Poor thing, I don't know what to try for the best her one leg with her white sock is the worse and she has lost alot of hair leaving lots of bald patches and sores. She has been on 2 courses of antibiotics and loads of pain relief too. I have now been given some Aculex solution that I put on her once a week, meant for mange in dogs but still haven't seen much of a difference in that. Bought the other day that Equimins lotion and noticing a difference just in a couple of days, so fingers crossed. Its just so hard to know what to try as you want quick results to stop the suffering. As I only had her a year this is the first time I've dealt with it so hopefully if I can get on top of it I can prevent it getting as bad as now!
Someone did suggest Pour On, you can only get from the vet I think and she swears by it, its for cattle.
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