Questions about Lice

[wildhorses]

I'm not sure if I have lice or just rubbers and chewers...but 3 or my mares are now missing chunks of their mane...about 2 inches worth about 6 inches up the neck from the base of the mane. A coupe of the same mares also have hair rubbed away along the neck at the edge of the mane. It seems to only be 3 mares in the one pan. I don't see anything in their coats or manes, but have never seen lice before...not sure if I'm dealing with that or if they are just rubbing or if maybe I have a chewer in the bunch.

Also notice one yearling in the neighboring pen has a fair amount of hair rubbed off her rear end and head of the tail. Been wormed recently with Ivemectrin.

Just curious what people think may be the problem...Thanks!

 

[Trinity Farms]

It sounds like you have some mane chewers. We had a broodmare that chewed one of the other mare's manes and then the mare rubbed even more out of her mane

How big are the chunks?

 

[Joanne]

The winter is a common time for lice, and the wetter the year the more common it would seem.

With their thick coats it can be a challenge to know for sure, but it does sound like your horses may have them. You can clip a small portion of hair under their mane and see if you see the lice on the skin.

If so, there are dusts and baths (if you are warm enough) you can use to get rid of them.

This was discussed recently in another thread.

 

[bevann]

One of my horses got lice from the barn swallows nesting in his run in shed.I bought the stuff to treat dogs the largest size I could get 55 lbs and up.The ingredient is pyrethin(sp?) I cut the end off the tube and put 1 tube at the base of the tail and the other tube at the last hair of the mane down next to the skin.It solved the problem.Not sure if it is safe for pregnant mares.This can also be used in very cold weather when you can't bathe them.I got the idea from a previous thread on here which named the ingredient needed for kill.I just checked at my local farm supply store and there it was.Not all doggy flea products have the right ingredient.good luck.If it is not lice it won't hurt them anyway.