Conference noted::equitation

    Linda,
    
    	I also have a horrible tick problem.  So far, the Absorbine II
    seems to be repelling them - the dog hasn't been so lucky.  I bought
    an insecticide powder to be used on the ground around the barn and
    kennel.  After it is watered and dried it is safe for pets.  I got
    it at the grain store 'Sevin' garden insecticide also kills ticks.
    The solution, I was told, is to remove any rotting wood products 
    from the area (ie: manure pile too close to barn) which a bulldozer
    took care of yesterday.  I've been checking my horse carefully - 
    hopefully I haven't missed any - where do they tend to congregate -
    near the tip of the tail?  Under it?  As for the dog, the flea and
    tick collar has been working wonders.  After 1 day with it on, the 
    only tick I found on her was a dead one (my favorite kind).
    
    	Good luck!  

For what it's worth, just read an _Equus_ advertisement that says that 
Permethrin II is an insecticide for ticks (including deer ticks. I know 
of two horses that have contracted Lyme disease, one while on Nantucket 
and the other while in Madison WI, so deer ticks are probably worth 
worrying about). 

Note that `insecticide' is not (unfortunately) synonymous with `repellant'.

    Ticks go for the head or tail area, mainly because that's
    what they can climb up on.  The head is down in the grass
    to graze, and the tail drags low through the grass....
    Keep the tail and muzzle area well coated with a repellent 
    and/or insecticide.  I use Repel-X brand and braid the horse's
    tail, then spray the tail well.  I wipe it on the face area,
    and also use roll on insecticide for around the eyes and ears,
    to keep the black gnats & flies away from the horses.
    
    I agree, ticks really gross me out...they are disgusting!
    
    L-

    I have never found any ticks in my mares tail but I do find them 
    burrowed into her leg hairs.  They are all white and I clip them
    close for showing.  
    
    Ticks gross me out too!

    
    	I swear by Absorbine Ultrashield, the one in the black 
    	bottle. I picked about 20 ticks off his face monday, wiped
    	it down with ultrashield, and NO ticks the next day! 
    
    	Sherry
    

	Re: .2

	What is the difference between an insecticide and a repellant? Also, what
	symptoms did the horses wth the Lyme disease have and how did the vets
	diagnose it? What's the treatment? I've heard of dogs and people getting
	it, but I didn't realize horses could get it.

	Re: .1

	I generally find them at the dock of his tail or underneath towards the
	point of the bone. Sometimes they are embedded in his legs, as .4
	mentioned. I rarely find them anywhere else.

	Re: all

	Thanks for the recommendations! I just might try them all ;^)

>	Re: .2
>
>	What is the difference between an insecticide and a repellant? Also, what
>	symptoms did the horses wth the Lyme disease have and how did the vets
>	diagnose it? What's the treatment? I've heard of dogs and people getting
>	it, but I didn't realize horses could get it.

insecticides kill, repellants repel. sometimes they are combined, and sometimes
not. for instance. i believe "Repel-X" is both a repellant and an insecticide.
"Off" (human use) is a repellent only. Permethrins and pyrethrins are 
insecticides only, I think. (don't quote me on anything here but the first
sentence :-)

with the horse on nantucket, they tested the horse when the owner was 
diagnosed with it. with the horse in wisconsin, i believe they saw signs
of arthritis and the vet in question had just diagnosed another case, and
decided to be careful/thorough.

the way you diagnose it is to take a blood titre and test it. the results
come back in about two days, if memory serves. if the first titre comes 
back negative, and Lyme disease is high on the list, test again. false
negatives are not exactly common, but neither are they unheard of. 

i believe the symptoms are the same as in people. ring-shaped rash, low 
fever, joint inflammation and mild arthritis, eventual neurological damage 
if left unchecked. unfortunately the early-warning symptom, the characteristic
rash, is covered by the horses coat (or if it isn't, you've got worse 
problems than Lyme disease! ;^)

treatment: course of antibiotics by injection. usually penicillin. unless 
the disease has progressed for a significant period of time (like many months, 
i think) symptoms are usually reversable.

all of the above is off the top of my head. anyone who is more than 
casually interested should verify these facts.


-cj-

    We've been serving a feast for the black flies in our pasture this
    week.  The horses came in a few days ago with horrible, swollen lines
    of bites across their chests.  So the next morning I sprayed their
    chests and up the under side of their necks with Deep Woods Off.  It
    works and seemed to last all day.  I've used it in past summers also
    for mosquitoes and deer flies with none of the horse-specific products
    would do the job.
    
    Has anyone ever heard of any reason why I shouldn't use a people-
    specific product for the horses?  I would think that, if it's ok
    for me to use, it should be safe to use on them.
    
    gwen
    

    
    	I know other people that use Deep Woods Off, but I don't
    	know if it's bad for the horses, either...
    
    

    I've been cautioned not to use it on dogs because they might lick it
    off, and I guess it's "for external use only", anthough I don't know
    its toxicity.  Horses don't spend a lot of time washing, though!
    8^)   8^)
    
    -ellie

    
    I have never had ticks on my horse before this year.  I pulled 12 off
    his hind leg (only on the white part of his leg)  When ever I put bug
    spray on any of my horses tails I allwasy get a dry skin type of funus
    growth then I have to treat the tail w/ EPICOAT, so I no longer spray
    the tail w/ bug spray.  I just brush the tail daily and look for the
    little critters...so far not on his tail,,but the white leg..never the
    chestnut one's.
    
    Lou

    
    Has anyone noticed the increased amount of ticks this year?  In the
    time it took me to tack up and walk up to my lesson last night I had
    3 on me!!
    
    And one of the horses is having his tail made into hamburg by these
    things.
    
    Any suggestions that will help??
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mary
    

    Put a flea and tick collar around each ankle (yours and the horses)?
    
    I use flea and tick shampoo and I also use citronella shampoo.
    I think that f&t spray might help also.  I also check manes and tails
    thoroughly every night.  That means you have to dig through with
    your nails and find the little buggers.  It's pretty gross but the
    horses really like it.  They make that face where they stretch their
    neck way out and stick out their nose.  I know I'd appreciate it if
    I had bugs crawling on me!
    
    gwen
    

    I guess I've been lucky this year and haven't found any ticks (two
    years ago they were really bad).  I've been using Repel-x -- this 
    seems to be effective for ticks.  (I like the flea collar idea :*)
    
    JB