FLEAS
- Thread starter klydesmom
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Becky
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Are you sure they're fleas? Like Marty said, fleas don't normally stay on a horse. Lice would be a much better guess. Any of the commercial horse products would work. Something with permethrins or pyrethrins should do the job.
Fleas are not very common in horses - are you sure that your horse doesn't have lice. Fleas do not stay on dogs and cats either. Fleas jump on to their host to feed but live in the bedding and surrounding areas. That is why fleas are harder to get rid of than lice (lice stay on their host). If your horse really does have fleas - you will need to treat the bedding and surrounding areas as well.
disneyhorse
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They are probably lice. Fleas cannot thrive on horses because a horse's skin is too thick for them to bite through, so they will stick to thinner skinned dogs and cats and YOU.
You can get lice treatments at your local feed store. Follow the directions on it.
Andrea
You can get lice treatments at your local feed store. Follow the directions on it.
Andrea
I am afraid that they are fleas.They have them on there noses ears and legs, I am glad to know that they do not live on the horses, but now I am afraid that they are going to be spread all over the place. What a Mess!
rabbitsfizz
Well-Known Member
Fleas are species specific and there are no "horse fleas"
Dog or Cat fleas might try to live on a horse for a little while but the most likely candidate is a dead animal they have found in the grass- a rabbit or even a raccoon.
The fleas on the dead animal are HUNGRY and willing to have a go at any animal with body heat- hence them staying on the ears and nose- the animal they lived on will have had a lower heat than a horse and the nose and ears of a horse have lower temperatures than the rest of the animal.
They may well jump off- but only when they are dead or find another host of the correct species- so they are really nothing to worry about.
As everyone else has said, horses do not get fleas!!
The fleas will not be able to live on your cat or dog- unless they are cat or dog fleas they cannot do this.
Dog or Cat fleas might try to live on a horse for a little while but the most likely candidate is a dead animal they have found in the grass- a rabbit or even a raccoon.
The fleas on the dead animal are HUNGRY and willing to have a go at any animal with body heat- hence them staying on the ears and nose- the animal they lived on will have had a lower heat than a horse and the nose and ears of a horse have lower temperatures than the rest of the animal.
They may well jump off- but only when they are dead or find another host of the correct species- so they are really nothing to worry about.
As everyone else has said, horses do not get fleas!!
The fleas will not be able to live on your cat or dog- unless they are cat or dog fleas they cannot do this.
Southern_Heart
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Sounds like you might have a really bad flea infestation if they are on your horses, as fleas are not attracted to horses. Do you have dogs or cats that have them bad? Are the fleas getting on you also?
You might want to spray your yard and area to resolve the problem but make sure its a product that is non toxic to horses.
Sounds like bath time for everyone!!
Might want to call the vet and see what he/she says about it.
My skin crawls just thinking of fleas.
: Wishing you luck with your problem.
Joyce
You might want to spray your yard and area to resolve the problem but make sure its a product that is non toxic to horses.
Sounds like bath time for everyone!!
Might want to call the vet and see what he/she says about it.My skin crawls just thinking of fleas.
Joyce
Dontworrybeappy
Well-Known Member
they might be "sticktights" - a kind of flea that loves chickens, too - worm your horses with an ivermectin product, that should kill anything eating their blood - and spread "SWAT" ointment all over the fleas - it'll kill and suffocate them and you can wipe them off in a few hours.
I would look into spraying the area they're in - and check your dogs/cats/birds as well - powder the birds and treat the dogs/cats.
Do it all over again in 3 weeks so you can break the life cycle - treat, ivermectin, spray....
I would look into spraying the area they're in - and check your dogs/cats/birds as well - powder the birds and treat the dogs/cats.
Do it all over again in 3 weeks so you can break the life cycle - treat, ivermectin, spray....
We've been crawling with fleas here - but they aren't bothering my horses, as others have said they are species specific. I have bathed cats and dogs, used Frontline, sprayed the premises over and over....and still we have fleas, most persistent I've ever seen. Things are slowly improving but I think it's going to take quite awhile to get rid of most of them. Frontline spray has helped the most.
Interesting thought about ivermectin, makes sense to me.
Jan
Interesting thought about ivermectin, makes sense to me.
Jan
rabbitsfizz
Well-Known Member
Ivermectin POUR ON kills fleas and lice and nasties on the skin, BUT it also burns as it is developed for cattle.
The "burning" is mostly insignificant and in most cases heals up without any more than a little temporary hair loss.
The Ivermectin internal paste does little or nothing to help lice on horses- it works on dogs because they have a much thinner skin.
The "burning" is mostly insignificant and in most cases heals up without any more than a little temporary hair loss.
The Ivermectin internal paste does little or nothing to help lice on horses- it works on dogs because they have a much thinner skin.
Cathy_H
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- --- Hmmmmmm- I've heard a lot of vets say that oral ivermectin does kill lice that is feeding on horses.............. I've been told that cedar shavings helps deter fleas & bugs.............. Lee just cleaned out our dogs area & put down a big bag of cedar. Smells so good. Can you find a sawmill that has some cedar shavings or buy a few bags & make a thin layer.
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L
Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis
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Actually this is not true giving Ivemectrin does kill blood sucking lice there is more then one type of lice that lives on horses- I treat topically and then give Ivemectrin and then does with Ivemectrin 10-14 days later to take care of any eggs that might have since hatched- this is advice given to me by several vets and it worked well.
rabbitsfizz
Well-Known Member
When this first came up sometime ago I did a thorough Google on this subject.
Although I could find corroborative evidence pertaining to Dogs, with the paste, and Cats, and for a good result form the cattle pour on with horses- but warnings about burn, I could find NO evidence that Ivermectin Paste kills anything but worms.
I too had been told this by my Vet- I do not think they were saying it for the fun of it but I do think they are in error.
I am happy to be proven incorrect if someone has evidence to the contrary, but my Vet telling me is not, I am afraid, evidence as far as I am concerned.
It certainly ought to be true, and I have heard it form a number of different people, but I do think it is a fallacy.
Although I could find corroborative evidence pertaining to Dogs, with the paste, and Cats, and for a good result form the cattle pour on with horses- but warnings about burn, I could find NO evidence that Ivermectin Paste kills anything but worms.
I too had been told this by my Vet- I do not think they were saying it for the fun of it but I do think they are in error.
I am happy to be proven incorrect if someone has evidence to the contrary, but my Vet telling me is not, I am afraid, evidence as far as I am concerned.
It certainly ought to be true, and I have heard it form a number of different people, but I do think it is a fallacy.
We are using Frontline spay on the dogs and You have to be very careful of ivermectin with dogs in the herding family.We had a little bit of rain last week after a long dry spell so I guess we had a hatch. So I am spraying like crazy.I am glad to hear that I am not the only one with a flea problem I have never seen anything like this.
