what is chewing at my guys face

[ibquackers20]

Hi , been a while since I have posted , I have 4 minis and 3 are fine but my smallest one has something chewing or biting his face plus on the sides of his front legs. I have been plastering his face with Swat cream for 3 days now and it stays the same. Is there really something I should be doing / other then cream or is it vet visit time ??? getting concerned / must say none of my horses have been no place but home and no other horses have been around.Feed is the same ANY feed back would be great ,thank you

Photos I hope

 

[cretahillsgal]

Some of my horses have started to look similar to this. On their faces and chests. Not for sure what it is, but I also suspect flies. They have gotten worse of the last few weeks.

 

[ibquackers20]

Flies?

I have noticed that flies are pretty bad but why only one of my horses is like this and the others are ok

 

[ibquackers20]

Some of my horses have started to look similar to this. On their faces and chests. Not for sure what it is, but I also suspect flies. They have gotten worse of the last few weeks.

I also noticed he sweats more then other horses , hope that has nothing to do with bites / or what ever it is -- or maybe that is why he has it ?

 

[Marty]

Is it wet up there? Looks like a case of rain rot to me. Even if you haven't had tons of rain up there, even a little moisture and humidity will do it to some horses that are more septible to skin problems. Try to bath the areas in something like iodine or betadine shampoo and you can get fungasol from jeffers equine but the key is to keep the horse cool, completely dry, and under a fan. Flies will definately add to the problem.

 

[ibquackers20]

Is it wet up there? Looks like a case of rain rot to me. Even if you haven't had tons of rain up there, even a little moisture and humidity will do it to some horses that are more septible to skin problems. Try to bath the areas in something like iodine or betadine shampoo and you can get fungasol from jeffers equine but the key is to keep the horse cool, completely dry, and under a fan. Flies will definately add to the problem.

thanks I have just sent the photos to my vet - through email so now I will wait to see what he has to say as well , as for a lot of rain well not here it has been nice for 2 weeks now.But the flies are bad and I noticed under his forelock where the bugs can not get through to there is nothing there - looks normal/just on his face where bugs can get at

 

[Texasspook]

thanks I have just sent the photos to my vet - through email so now I will wait to see what he has to say as well , as for a lot of rain well not here it has been nice for 2 weeks now.But the flies are bad and I noticed under his forelock where the bugs can not get through to there is nothing there - looks normal/just on his face where bugs can get at

 

[Texasspook]

I have seen something similar on our horses in Texas but it is chiggers. DOn't know if you have them up there but they are little bugs in the grass so my horses pick them up when grazing.

 

[ibquackers20]

I have seen something similar on our horses in Texas but it is chiggers. DOn't know if you have them up there but they are little bugs in the grass so my horses pick them up when grazing.

I live in canada,manitoba and I think we are lucky to not have chiggers here - never heard of them or even had any here.

 

[billiethekid40]

One of my guys is allergic to some kinds of biting flys, and he gets marks that look a lot like those ones in the summer. I have always had good luck dabbing them with mild betadine, his even get weepy with yellow fluid but if I get the betadine on them asap (I do a daily check, and dab any new spots) they don't get any worse. Usually one application per bite is enough for my guy if I get them done daily. Unfortunatley nothing I've found keeps the hair from falling out of the areas affected, but with betadine treatment I've always seen regrowth start within 2-3 days and never had any scarring or white hairs.

 

[disneyhorse]

It looks like an allergic reaction to flies or other sort of bug. Some horses are very, very sensitive to bugs and get these allergic dermatitis.

Andrea

 

[ssshowhorses]

I had a mare that got the same looking marks on her head about a month and a half ago. I scrubbed it with a antibacterial scrub and put some furazone(or similar cream) on it and it cleared up in no time and hasn't come back. I think it was some sort of dermatitis/rash. None of my other horses got it though.

 

[Wild Women Ranch]

I have a grey stud that gets this. We live in Arkansas, around rice fields, and the mosquitos are horrible! They appear to be the same type marks that your horses are getting. We started buying a mosquitos/fly pellet from SmartPak. We start feeding this in the early spring and keep feeding it into the late fall. So far this year...knock on wood...he has been clear of these itchy marks!!

 

[Miniv]

My opinion is that it's a reaction to insect bites. I didn't see any flies buzzing in your photos, so I question that it's as simple as that.

There are sprays to apply (be careful spraying around the eyes), plus rubbing his face with Bounce Dryer Sheets helps on a daily basis.

For allergic reactions, grinding up a straight Benedryl antihistamine tablet and shooting it into his mouth with water in a syringe may help too. You will have to do it every day as well.....But if it helps, do it!

The Spray and Bounce Sheets will only help keep bugs off your little guy. The antihistamine will help with the reaction.

Good Luck!

 

[ibquackers20]

My opinion is that it's a reaction to insect bites. I didn't see any flies buzzing in your photos, so I question that it's as simple as that.

There are sprays to apply (be careful spraying around the eyes), plus rubbing his face with Bounce Dryer Sheets helps on a daily basis.

For allergic reactions, grinding up a straight Benedryl antihistamine tablet and shooting it into his mouth with water in a syringe may help too. You will have to do it every day as well.....But if it helps, do it!

The Spray and Bounce Sheets will only help keep bugs off your little guy. The antihistamine will help with the reaction.

Good Luck!

I have liquid kids Benedryl will that help , my vet has not gotten back to me and if he does not by days end tomorrow then I guess it will be a vet visit on Wednesday - I have been using swat and it has a bug repellent and ointment in it but does not seem to get any better or worse / going to was it tomorrow then apply more swat to clean area - that is once I buy more I used what I had all up

 

[Miniv]

I have liquid kids Benedryl will that help , my vet has not gotten back to me and if he does not by days end tomorrow then I guess it will be a vet visit on Wednesday - I have been using swat and it has a bug repellent and ointment in it but does not seem to get any better or worse / going to was it tomorrow then apply more swat to clean area - that is once I buy more I used what I had all up

As long as the liquid kids Benedryl has only the antihistamine in it, that should be fine. You don't want the version that has the cold medicine mixed in.

 

[muffntuf]

I have one mare like this this year too. It starts with no seeums and knats biting, when they get to blood the face flies, horse flies and deer flies nag on the open sores. Making her face and legs, shoulders, etc. full of bites. I pull her in during a part of the day and at night.

I hadn't thought about using a anti-bacterial soap. I use a triple anti-biotic cream with citronella in it. But she doesn't like that all the time. Have to be persistent with her.

Will try that next. But insect bites is what it is - so wet this year, too many bugs!

 

[ibquackers20]

I have one mare like this this year too. It starts with no seeums and knats biting, when they get to blood the face flies, horse flies and deer flies nag on the open sores. Making her face and legs, shoulders, etc. full of bites. I pull her in during a part of the day and at night.

I hadn't thought about using a anti-bacterial soap. I use a triple anti-biotic cream with citronella in it. But she doesn't like that all the time. Have to be persistent with her.

Will try that next. But insect bites is what it is - so wet this year, too many bugs!

my vet figures the same but put him on injections of procillian 8cc once a day and also a wash with stanhexadine diluted just to be sure to cover all basis then plaster swat on the face for the sores and to keep bugs away.I hope this helps him , he was so so for the needle but not sure how he will be for the wash on his face.

 

[kaykay]

Could be caused by lice.

Kay

 

[Skylight_minis]

My mare is allergic to Knats and she gets that on her face and neck. I treat it with MTG which is more or less mineral oil and sulfur clears it right up. Other wise she'd rub her hide right off scratching it on her neck. She's the only horses of mine that gets that as well. When the Knats leave problem is gone.