Scabies In Horses: How To Recognize And Cure It
Scabies is an infectious disease that affects horses, but is also common in other mammals including humans, although luckily we are not their favorite hosts. This disease can become a problem in farm animals such as horses, because it is very contagious and easily “passes” from one animal to another.
Therefore, if we fail to isolate it in time, it is very likely that it will spread throughout the barn. In this article we will tell you how to cure scabies in horses.
What is scabies?
Scabies is a skin disease caused by mites. There are several species and genera of these invertebrates, but probably the most common in the stables is the genus Sarcoptes, which causes an annoying itch in the animal.
Mites are usually found in animals with long, thick hair. For this reason, scabies is very common in draft horses, especially in the area of the mane, or on the tufts of hair that they have on the lower area of the legs, near the hoof.
There are several types of scabies in horses, caused by different species of mites:
- Sarcoptic mange. The most serious. This type of mite prefers areas with thin hair such as the head, neck and shoulders, where females dig tunnels to lay eggs, causing intense itching in the horse.
- Psorotic scabies. It affects parts of the body covered with long hair, such as the mane and base of the tail. The scabs are moist and the mites remain on the surface of the skin. This scabies is more contagious than sarcoptic scabies, but less harmful.
- Chorioptic scabies. These mites prefer the thigh area of horses, especially those that have a lot of hair. The characteristic symptom is the production of a kind of “fat”.
- Demodectic mange. It is not a very common type of scabies in horses. The skin flakes off, but in this case there is no itching.
Symptoms of scabies in horses
Scabies in horses can occur throughout the body or localized in some specific areas, depending on the type of mite that has infected the animal. The symptoms with which we can identify scabies are:
- Strange noises from the horse.
- Rubbing of the hind legs.
- Crusts and papules on the head and ears. Creases form in the neck area which, in severe cases, can spread throughout the body.
- Crusts on the hind legs, on the mane and at the base of the tail.
The vet will evaluate the symptoms and perform a dermatological exam looking for the responsible parasite. To do this, he will do a series of tests such as scraping or testing the horse’s skin, then looking at the specimen under a microscope and confirming that it is a mite.
Can scabies be prevented?
When the environment is cold and wet, the mites survive for long periods of time away from their host. They can be transmitted by fomites, i.e. any object that comes into contact with a living being can potentially contain the pathogen.
In this case it could be the bridle, blanket, saddle or any other object that comes into contact with the horse, such as the brush. However, the most common form of infection occurs through an infected animal. To prevent scabies in horses, it is best to do good grooming and maintain proper animal hygiene.
How to cure scabies in horses?
As soon as you recognize the symptoms of scabies, you should contact a veterinarian to make a diagnosis. In addition, all animals that have come into contact with the animal will need to be treated to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of infection.
Lindane baths have been shown to be very effective in treating scabies in horses and should be done carefully. They must be repeated after 10 or 14 days to kill the parasites that survived the first application. Oral treatments with ivermectin, a pesticide also used in other animal species, are also a viable solution.
