Horse Lice

Anyone have any information to share?

I read that its pretty uncommon but can happen. Anyone ever deal with it before and have an recommendations re: treatment?

I've been arround horses for 15 years and saw them for my first time yesterday on a friends horse. She bought delousing powder and did every horse at the barn (although none were visably found on the other horses) she'll repeat this in 14 days. Wasn't sure if they were the ones who survive off blood, or the ones who survive off dander so she dewormed the mare as well (aparantly her vet has recommended this when the horse had lice 2 years ago - again, none of the other horses got it) vet also mentioned some horses are prone to it?

Thanks.

Many years ago we had a pony that got lice from the chickens. Not sure if this is the same type; but, the powder did the trick no problem. The vet told me that horses getting lice from chickens was very common. So, we got rid of the chickens!

Hmmm.. there are chickens at this facility in a separate barn but the horse who has the lice is not in contact with them or the manure piles which are about 100 feet away.. I realize it could spread but you'd think that the horse pastured closer to the manure pile would be subject to them first? Or are there other factors ie: immune system / overall health?

I would de lice the chickens too, you use the same stuff so it's not a big deal. And if you treat one you have to treat them all to get a good result without relapse. If they share rolling spots ect... it spreads fairly easily. Not hard to get rid of though if you treat all the brushes blankets pads ect....

None of the horses have been ridden in the past several weeks so their tack should be fine. The vet told my friend that without the horse as a host they die off within 48 hours so he told her she didn't have to be concerned about her brushes - cleaning them wouldn't hurt though.

We'll get the chickens done. They creep me out because they arent very tame.. but I'm sure we can wrangle them up. Ick...

I'm pretty sure Willow is indestructible.. lol when everyone else deals with the little things like mud fever, rain rot, lice, ect she's 100 percect fine. (knock on wood) she was treated with the lice powder though.

We caught it quick because the horse that has it doesn't have a crazy infestation. Her owner cried because she felt that people would think she didn't take care of her horse (you hear of a lot of neglect cases with lice / mites / skin problems) I tried to reassure her that having a few bugs is wayyy easier to take care of that a broken bone!


Thanks for the help guys!

the way I treated brushes was just brushing the powder into the skin with their brushes and when I was done I would dust the brushes again. I bought the big box of powder a couple years ago when we had an outbreak (bought hay from a chicken guy never again >:/) it was cheaper around $35 and it treated all the horses (back then there was 13 I think) and goats in barn.

Her vet is absolutely correct on all accounts - I've had to deal with this lovely critter before too and one of my horses (light coloured but I suspect that isn't relevant) never got them while the bays all did. Worming with Ivermectin will generally kill the live lice, repeating the powdering will take care of the babies that will hatch in a few weeks. I hated the wee buggers so much, I repeated the dusting of the horses a 3rd time just to be safe!

While it has been years (also knocking on wood), I am pretty sure we just added the powder to the chickens' sand where they did their sand baths... don't remember having to catch any of them... but then again, I most likely made the ex catch them!

I no longer keep chickens on the property - though I loved my barred rock banties, they really didn't help squash the mosquito population enough! LOL

We bought 2 large cans. 1 can did 9 horses with a little to spare and we were quite generous with how much we were rubbing in. (we used gloves and masks.. quite potent stuff! we did the horse with COPD outdoors, down wind hoping that it wouldn't bugger him up)

The other can we will use again in 14 days as directed on the can. I'll get the birds done tomorrow.. are llamas and goats and donkeys succeptable? Maybe they should be done too.

YES!! the goats at our barn got them too! One was an agora goat and it was brutal to get to her treated in the middle of winter with all her hair!

I personally would do everything in the barn, just to nip it in the bud!

OMG I forgot there are 3 sheep too... their coat would house a gazillion. I don't often even notice the little critters because they are not anywhere near my horse.

I think the Mini Donks are halter trained but I know for a fact the lama isn't.. I may be able to get the sheep to stand (or at least one of them) but I don't know that I'll be able to get anywhere NEAR the goats they are very timid and not handled - none of the little dudes are. The 2 goats, 1 llama, 3 sheep, 2 donks have access to the barn the chickens are in. Maybe if I take yummy feed for them they will let me.

doesn't the lama get sheared? I had to shear the angora goat every spring the enormous coat she grew was unbeleivable! I would defiantely treat them all no matter what it took!

Nothing was sheared last year..

The llama is under a year old, his mother died a few months ago.. he has never been handled other than being pet.

My best friend is a vet (well technically will be soon) he's specializing in horses (passion for surgery) anywho he is sleeping over tomorrow night so maybe he will help me wrangle. I can shut the barn doors.. but their barn is gutted and HUGE. I'm hoping if one of us hold a bucket with feed the other will be able to sprinkle and massage the powder in.

Wish me luck guys! I'm going to need it

Yup it's not easy to get into the thick hair like a lama hopefully you can do it!

Don't get too carried away LOL!

Lice are VERY species specific. People lice are only on people. Horse lice on horses. Goat lice on goats. BUT there is ONE kind that infects both poultry AND horses.


Dusting horses is very successful. Chickens too. Do the chicken house as well

The goats and horses got infected at the barn I am at a few years ago......the lice came back then we figured out why... the angora goat was infested....so I believe they can be spread from horses to goats. Just my experience but I doubt it would hurt to dust them it is a cheap fix :)

We used Abby's horse stall to house chickens for the summer... duh, who knew??? ... Abby got lice, Worthy in the stall right next to her, did not. I think overall health and immunity system strength has a lot to do with which horse will pick them up ... couple doses of delousing powder and disinfecting the stall took care of it. Good luck!!

Went to take a peek at the chickens and... there are no chickens! whoops. Looks like he hasn't had any in months. Whoooops!

No idea how the little critters came about. Haven't seen any signs of bugs since the initial powder application. Will repeat next week.


Thanks guys

When cowboy and his brother were brought home from PEI they both had it. Our vet gave us powder but told us to only treat it for 4 days not two weeks? We did ebeyone in the barn and it did the trick. Hasn't had another thing like it since thankfully!

Okay guys it didn't seem to work.

the weather was over 20 yesterday so we bathed the mares mane in antibacterial/antifungal shampoo. Found both adult, and a gazillion eggs

The owner is sooo upset that she is contemplating roaching the mares mane (its long, thick, and beautiful and I know she doesn't want to!)

What more can we do? She's going to repeat the powder.. Can says up to every 2 days. So she did it again yesterday after the bath and will cover the mare - head to toe on Thursday.

No signs on the other horses.

Vitamin A...

if she is powdering properly it should work.....I wouldn't roach the mane because of it. You really need to rub the powder down into the skin,not always easy with thick winter woolies, and all her grooming gear needs to be treated too.

sadly i have wayyy too much experience with lice... what i have found works best for us is a thorough powdering - and i mean thorough, under and in mane and forelock, under jaws, entire bottom side of horse, between legs, whole barrel, entire topline, and lots of powder on dock. repeat in ten days. and then again if necessary.

my vet told me that the powder loses it's effectiveness once you open it - so we always open a new can for the second round - even if there is plenty left over.

powder all your equipment, halters, bridles, saddles, pads, girths, blankets. wash and powder grooming tools and their containers.

we have never powdered the stalls or run ins - but i bet it would not hurt.

worm with ivermectin product.

we have never had to roach or clip anyone, aggressive powdering seems to work.

good luck!