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  Discussion on Tick preventives
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Member:
nightwin

Posted on Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 3:35 pm:

Some of our horses are having a real problem with tick bites this Spring (SE Va.) Our experienced vet said he didn't know why it works, but has been told that keeping a "yellow" salt block out in the pasture works. We are assuming yellow means sulfur, but I have never heard or seen info on yellow salt blocks; just red and white. Also, does anyone believe that horses with white socks are more prone to tick bites? I know they are prone to scratches, so why not ticks, I guess. Any other sure-fire tick preventive tricks out there? All our horses live on pasture. Thanks!
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Thursday, May 14, 2009 - 5:57 pm:

Wendy,

When the ticks are bad I try to keep some tick killing fly spray on them and apply it most heavily to the fetlocks and pasterns -- also legs, tail, face and neck with a mit, applying it as a wipe.

I cannot answer about white socks and ticks but
I suspect that the white socks just make the ticks more visible.

Keep the pasture grass cut as standing in taller grass causes more tick bites.
Member:
paul303

Posted on Friday, May 15, 2009 - 12:10 am:

Vicki is right. Frequent pasture mowing helps by knocking the little buggers around and eliminating the long grasses. I've been putting Ortho Max down around the outside perimeters of all my paddocks, barn, and pastures ( bifenthrin ). It shouldn't go down on any grazing areas unless you can close them off for at least 30 days. One year I had to close off the pasture and treat it, the ticks were so numerous, that I couldn't walk through it or cut it without getting covered with ticks and chiggers.

I have pretty good luck with Flysect 7 ( the one that lists "ticks and chiggers" on the label ). It won't last all day, so if your horse will be exposed for a long time, re-spray him.

In closing........DEET, DEET, DEET, DEET, DEET, DEET - anyhow, anyway, anyshape, anyform.
Member:
mitch316

Posted on Friday, May 15, 2009 - 12:30 am:

Wendy, anther good option is the Ovitrol Spray. It is in a pump bottle and can last up to a month, depending on whether they are out in the rain or are bathed often. It does seem ticks are really bad everywhere this year for some reason or the other.
Member:
erika

Posted on Friday, May 15, 2009 - 9:10 am:

Ugh! I hate those critters! Many of you know our family's experiences with Lyme's disease (husband's two-year saga; Sugar, my mare, our old dog, Rosie).

The latest is our one year old pup Simon, who tested positive at his last check up. This despite vaccination and monthly use of Advantix. I still pull ticks off of both dogs here and there, especially toward the end of the month.

On a dog web site I belong to, they recommend flea collars for the last two weeks as the Advantix wears off. I am wondering if five flea collars (one for each pastern, one braided into the forelock) would keep them off the horses? Any thoughts?

This really is a national health crisis. I am really surprised that it doesn't get the attention that the swine flu got, since there are so many devastating cases of it, and people do die from it.
Member:
jjrichar

Posted on Friday, May 15, 2009 - 9:33 am:

We know a lady that has partial paralysis from a tick bite right now. They are just awful and a little while back I posted asking thoughts and ideas about keeping them off my horses too. Here are a few things that I have found that help (not 100% though):

I have been using Frontline Spray. I found a review from a customer on State Line Tack.com that uses it on her horses even though its not labeled for equine use. It does work, but I am still trying to find the right amount of spray to use though as I am very cautious with putting too much on them. So far I have been using one spray on each ankle, a spray at the girth area on each side and a spray on the underside flank area of the back legs. In other words, the places I normally find ticks. It works for about 2 weeks from what I can tell. It might be longer if my horses weren't bathed after I ride them.

I have had some success with Deet (deep woods off) too, but it doesn't last very long and has to be reapplied every day.

The sulfur block (the yellow one) does help some if you can actually get your horses to eat it. Mine wouldn't touch it. Ticks don't like sulfur and I'm assuming when a horse eats it, it emits through their pours, repelling the ticks.

Shapley's MTG works too because its loaded with sulfur and seems to deter the ticks. It works especially well in manes and tails.

Good luck. Please let us know if you find anything else that works.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 10:01 am:

Wendy we cover dealing with ticks at Diseases of Horses » Skin Diseases, Wounds, and Swellings » Hair and Coat Problems / Itching / Irritated Skin » Ticks and Tick-borne Disease and deal with most of the topics above and more.

I am not aware of white legged horses being more attractive to ticks but it would be much easier to see them on these horses. Neither have I heard of high sulfur diets repelling them.
DrO
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