Mare is 265 days along and starting to itch herself crazy. I’ve owned her since 2013 but last summer was her first year to get the itchies. Her tail is just now starting to come back. This spring I’ve noticed several marble sized bumps around withers so I’m wondering if her problems are due to neck threadworms. She’s super itchy on her tail, mane and face. Also has sores on her midline. I’ve been treating with topicals but she is not getting much relief. Is it safe to do the DD dewormer protocol for NTW for a mare in her 3rd trimester? How long would I need to continue dosing her? I’m thinking through the summer so need to make sure that’s ok for her and future nursing foal. I also read about doing dog frontline on the mane and tail areas every 2 weeks for sweet itch. Hate to pump my pregnant girl full of chemicals but I want her to feel better.
I do not have a great answer about treating the NTW - might be a question best posed to your vet. But I do have a mare with very sensitive skin who had a tough time with the flies during her pregnancy.
I know others will vehemently disagree with this, but I did blanket her using a Boett. The bumps and bites with subsequent scratching was heart breaking and she was miserable, yet I wanted to avoid chemicals that could be harmful. The Boett worked wonders and we still use it today. You can speak to the rep about sizing - never had a problem fitting the belly and you could always use extenders if needed.
Good luck to you, I feel for you and especially for your girl.
http://www.boettusa.com/
Use baby oil around the worst areas (sponge it on) and mix it with water and spray it on the rest of her. She will be oily and dirty but the oil plugs the gnats breathing holes so they don’t stay on them.
Sweet Itch recipe:
(amounts do not have to be exact, just close)
1 qt. baby oil (any brand)
1 qt. pine sol (original)
1 qt. listerine (original)
1 qt. creme rinse (mane and tail, tame, sauve) avoid scented
Do not substitute for pine sol or listerine. Invest in several spray bottles as the oil will dissolve the plastic spray stuff (like dissolves like). Apply daily but lightly at first to be sure it won’t burn the skin of super sensitive horses. Or test on one area first.
I have been spraying Skin So Soft on my horse with Sweet Itch. HATE the smell, so I will try this recipe.
There is also a product called Muck Itch, and another one called Releve (I think that is the correct spelling). I believe you can find both on Amazon.
For neck thread worms (I have no idea if my horse has them; what I thought was a NTW was actually a Sarcoid just starting out) I did a double dose of Equimax 2 weeks apart. Equimax is hard to find. I had to get it through the Internet. But a double dose of Ivermectin two weeks apart is almost as good.
The only real ‘solution’ is to keep her away from the Culicoids. My guy has a head to toe Rambo fly sheet, with a full belly guard, which is impregnated with fly repellent. He also stays inside at dawn and dusk. And he gets regular baths with Pyrhana (sp?) shampoo.
If you can, move her to an area that is more than 100 yards away from any standing water (ponds, etc). That is where they breed, and they can only fly 100 yards, so you limit the chance of reinfection.
I AM going to outsmart those dam no-see-ums!
Yes the gnats breed in wet soil so try to keep your pasture areas well drained and rotate horses out of mucky areas when possible.
