A bath, shave, and LICE!!!!

[MajorClementine]

Yup, I bathed my 2 minis for the first time this spring in prep for their spring shave down and I found lice. I've seen a lot of dogs with lice this spring (I'm a groomer) but I was still surprised to find them on my horse. The only up side to lice is that they don't transfer from species to species so my dogs and chickens don't have them.

The vet gave me a topical called "Buzz Off". You distribute 8-16mL along the spine and down the face. I did 8mL since I'm using it on minis. It says to do it again in 2 weeks since it won't kill eggs. It also says it repels mosquitoes, ticks, and a whole bunch of different flies. If it really does work well on the minis (kills lice AND repels pests) I might use it on my big horses for fly control this year.

Other than the lice Major and Clementine look like real horses again. I even braided Major's super rockstar forlock and can actually see his face. It's kind of weird to look out and see is face rather than all that hair. So glad to have our first bath and shave out of the way and the lice problem under control.

Oh has anyone on here used the "Buzz Off" product?

 

[Genie]

I haven't, but we have had some lice problems this year. Not sure if we have the product here on Canada, but thanks for the info. we'll check it out.

 

[HGFarm]

The only time I have had lice issues was the 'free lice' that came with a mare I purchased. After clipping her, I gave her a bath with dog flea & tick shampoo, and wormed her with ivermectin. When she was dry, I lightly powdered her with Seven dust. That poor mare was so bad she had sores from scratching and could not stand still even long enough to eat. I swear she smiled all the way through her meal that night!!

 

[susanne]

While most lice are species-specific, horses can get lice from chickens if kept together.

Here's one government statement:

Lice are normally species-specific. However, the chewing lice of poultry can also affect horses when housed together. The horses should be removed from the building. If the poultry is removed, the lice will continue to harass the horses unless a good cleanup and premise insecticide treatment is used.

I don't believe it works the other way, so if your horses got their lice from other equines, I don't think your chickens are at risk. You and your dogs, of course, are not susceptible.

 

[Miniv]

Is the "Buzz Off" available only through a vet or over the counter at a ranch supply store?

 

[MajorClementine]

I'm pretty sure you can get it over the counter. The trick is finding a place that carries it. I know you can get it on line from several horse supply stores. I got mine from the vet at only $5 mark up! I love my country vet.

Thanks for the hint on chicken lice moving to horses. I did check my chickens and they are clear, thank goodness.

Major has sores along his mane where he had rubbed. They are both itching a little tonight but the vet said 24 hours to kill everyone since it's a treatment that has to absorb into the skin. Repeat in 2 weeks because it won't kill eggs. Hope it works. Fingers crossed!

 

[bevann]

My Minis have had LICE several times for the barn birds.I have also seen them crawling on me.Did I mention I HATE BIRDS on my farm?Nests under the hoods of almost everything with a motor even eggs in them if I don't check often enough.For the lice I have had great success with the stuff you pu9t on dogs for flea control.Just make sure the ingredient is Premethin(sp?) I get the size for large dogs and use 1 tube starting at the poll and down the neck to the end of the mane and another down the back ending at the base of at the tail One treatment usually works and you can use it even when the horses are hairy and dirty in the winter.It is available at many pet shops and tractor stores and maybe WalMart9haven't checked there.Good luck- lice are creepy

 

[Performancemini]

Ewwww! We were just at a local open show Sunday. An acquintence came over with their yearling mini and stood talking with the colt about 3-4 feet from our horse for around 15 minutes. He casually mentioned they had just treated their minis for lice about 3 weeks ago. The colt was clipped, clean and I didn't notice any bare patches anywhere (or on any of their others we peeked at later). Could our horse have picked up any lice during that time? I am hoping they had completed the treatment and were "lice-free". But it makes me pretty nervous-we have shows coming up and I had just sent in entries ($$$) for a BIG show!

 

[Norah]

I got a mare in December that also came with loads of lice ...free of charge : ( I clipped her , bathed her and treated with a lavender spray made for this. It worked . The discoloration from the bites lasted a long time thoough .. 2 months later and she is just now darkening up to her normal color , and she is so much happier ... loves her rubs now .

 

[Minimor]

Ewwww! We were just at a local open show Sunday. An acquintence came over with their yearling mini and stood talking with the colt about 3-4 feet from our horse for around 15 minutes. He casually mentioned they had just treated their minis for lice about 3 weeks ago. The colt was clipped, clean and I didn't notice any bare patches anywhere (or on any of their others we peeked at later). Could our horse have picked up any lice during that time? I am hoping they had completed the treatment and were "lice-free". But it makes me pretty nervous-we have shows coming up and I had just sent in entries ($$$) for a BIG show!

I don't think you need to worry about your horse catching lice from this. Even if their yearling colt had lice on him at the time--they wouldn't be jumping across to your horse. Had you used their brushes or took a blanket that had been on their horse and put it on yours then you coud transfer lice or eggs, but just standing in close proximity is no problem.

 

[MajorClementine]

Sure enough after 24 hours all itching has stopped. They were rubbing on everything this spring but I thought it was just because of dirt and dry itchy skin. I found out otherwise. I'm so used to hearing them rub on the panels it's kind of strange not to hear it during the day. The seem a lot more content now. I'll treat again in 2 weeks just to be sure and I've got Ivermectin on the way to worm them.

I didn't know you could use the stuff for dogs. Horses and dogs have a very different PH so I don't like to cross use products for either. But good to know you can with the lice stuff in case we get it again in a bind and can't find horse stuff.