Browsing tag: Mites

I heard on the news recently that last year was one of the wettest on record. I don’t know if it’s true – but it certainly feels about right! The big danger to our horses from this, of course, is Rain Scald and Mud Fever.

Most people have probably come across Rain Scald on occasions – the scabs hidden away in the coat feel like mud, until you pull them up and see the characteristic “paint brush” appearance as the hair stays stuck in the scab. Rain Scald is caused by a bacterium called Dermatophilus congolensis. This usually lives (fairly) harmlessly on the skin, but if the skin gets and stays wet, the bacteria can invade and set up an infection.

Most cases are mild, with just a few scabs here and there, but (especially in older horses and those with Cushing’s disease) it can be more general and leave large raw patches. Even a mild case can put a horse “off games” if the scabs or raw patches are under the saddle.

Most cases resolve on their own with simple care – gently brush out the scabs, and most importantly keep the area dry to allow it to heal. That said, older horses and those with other diseases may need a helping hand, in which case a short course of antibiotics from your vet will usually clear it up. HOWEVER… Unless the underlying problem is sorted, it will rapidly return! Prevention is far more important, and that means keeping the skin as dry as possible. Remember, if your horse gets wet, that’s fine as long as he can then dry out thoroughly. It’s if the skin stays constantly wet that problems ensue – and watch out for rugs, especially in early autumn! When it’s wet, but not that cold, horses can easily sweat up under their rugs, and sweat seems to be even worse than rain for causing Rain Scald.

The other thing to watch out for, of course, is Mud Fever. This is an infection of the skin behind the heels (its sometimes called Greasy Heels), and is most common in horses with long feathers. It’s a far more complicated disease than rain scald, and has a large number of contributary causes. The most important is wet weather, of course – as the skin gets wet, bacteria can invade, as in rain scald – long feathers keep the water trapped in the area, slowing down the drying, so cobs and heavy horses are more prone. However, mites are also a known cause (the first signs are usually stamping of the hind legs), and its not just bacteria, because some cases include yeasts and other fungi as well. Sometimes, really aggressive bacteria like Pseudomonas can establish themselves, and they can be really difficult to manage.

The symptoms vary, but generally it first presents as scabs in the angle of the heels behind the pastern. If untreated, or as the infection gets worse, cracks in the skin can open up and start oozing fluid and pus, and the legs thicken. Eventually, lymphangitis can occur and ultimately, the skin can slough or even become gangrenous.

Initial treatment is very simple: wash the affected area with a skin disinfectant (like Hibiscrub or similar), and once the scabs are softened, gently wash them off. This may take several days of work! If the infection progresses, or doesn’t improve, you will need veterinary attention.

Most cases respond well to a course of first-line antibiotics (e.g. Penicillin/Streptomycin or Timethoprim Sulpha); however, if it doesn’t respond in a week or so, I would always take a swab for bacterial culture and sensitivity testing. This give you a much better idea what bacteria you’re dealing with, and how best to kill them – I had a case once which turned out to be a multi-resistant Pseudomonas infection, that needed some really powerful off-license antibiotics to resolve it. Sometimes you can use topical antibiotics (creams, ointments etc), and in severe cases, I have occasionally used a “bespoke” ointment that I made up from several different antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. If there are mites involved, most vets will use an injectable anti-mite drug; however, this isn’t licensed for use in horses so has to be put up by your vet.

As usual, prevention is much better (and cheaper!) than treatment, though, so keeping the heels dry is vital. Sometimes using an aqueous cream like zinc and castor oil, or Vaseline, can be useful in encouraging the water to run off – but if you do use them, make sure you wash it off and dry it thoroughly once or twice a week before reapplying, so it doesn’t get too thick.

Of course, in an ideal world, keep the horses out of muddy fields and trackways… But given the recent weather, I fear we’re all going to have to be a lot more careful to keep our horses and ponies warm and dry this autumn.

If you are worried about any symptoms your Horse or pony may be displaying please talk to your vet or try our Interactive Equine Symptom Guide to help decide what to do next.

I love Guinea Pigs, I think they are fabulous little creatures, friendly, full of character and very easy to keep.  I recently did some work for a vets based at the back of a large pet store and one of the highlights of my day was walking past the Guinea Pigs and watching them all running about!

Guinea Pigs make great pets but are particularly good for children. They are easy to handle and calm when held, in contrast to rabbits, who although very cute to look at, can cause nasty scratches if they wriggle in your arms.  They are easy to tame and rarely bite, unlike hamsters, who can nip if they are disturbed and are not used to being handled.  Guinea Pigs are also great pets to do things for; make them a little house from an up-turned shoebox and they will be straight in there; pop in a couple of toilet rolls and they will get to work shredding them immediately, another reason why I think they are so good for children, who will be delighted their efforts are well received.

Guinea Pigs are very sociable creatures and will soon learn to ‘talk’ to you when you appear with their dinner!  They should be kept with at least one other of their own kind and watching them play is a great distraction.  However, although Guinea Pigs and Rabbits are often kept together, it is not an ideal pairing.  Not only are their dietary requirements different but rabbits can often bully the Pigs and sometimes cause nasty bites.  Also, rabbits can carry a bacteria which doesn’t affect them but can cause flu like symptoms in guinea pigs.

Guinea Pigs are easy, and cheap, to keep and, as long as they are looked after well, tend to be relatively healthy.  They should be fed a diet consisting of a majority of good quality hay, a small amount of pelleted Guinea Pig food and a daily amount of fresh vegetables.  These, and the Guinea Pig food, are particularly important as, like humans, they cannot make Vitamin C in their bodies.  They cope equally well outdoors or indoors but they should always have enough room to have a good run about and be provided with different toys to keep their interest.  They should be handled and played with everyday as they thrive on human contact and interaction.

I don’t see many Pigs in my consultations (much to my disappointment!), particularly not for the number of them there are out there.  The biggest issues they have are fur mites, which can make them very itchy, or dental problems.  It is difficult to prevent the mites and some pigs are very sensitive to them (it is quite common to see two together where one is badly affected and the other is fine).  However, they are easily treated with medications and anti-mite spot-ons (just like the kind used for cats and dogs) from your vet and these spot-on products can be used to ward off infestations, which can be a good idea for those Pigs who are vulnerable.  The majority of dental problems are caused by over-grown teeth; Guinea Pig’s teeth grow continually and can develop nasty spikes if they are not fed correctly.  A Pigs diet should consist of at least 80% hay, the tough woody stems help to keep the teeth ground down and the correct shape.

So, if you are looking for a new pet who will be a great companion without being too much trouble, who will be less wriggly than a Rabbit, more handle-able than a Hamster and less giddy than a Gerbil, why not try a Guinea pig?!

Cat is the resident vet at Pet Street