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Christiane
2570 Posts |
 Posted - 07/10/2012 : 09:33:06 AM
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I have never had any of my animals with mites before, but I think one of my black girls has it one her feet. What should I do?
Christiane Rudolf
Tanglewood Farm
19741 Victory Lane
Fayetteville, Ohio 45118
(513) 875-2533
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Christiane
2570 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 09:41:45 AM
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My shearer said she thought one of my black girls had mites on her foot. I tried spraying it with Frontline spray, but it does not appear to have worked because it looks like she has it on all four of her feet now. How do I know if it is mites or something els? Do I need to have the vet look at it?
Christiane Rudolf
Tanglewood Farm
19741 Victory Lane
Fayetteville, Ohio 45118
(513) 875-2533 |
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Pepperina
776 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 7:15:02 PM
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Just got a copy of the International Camelid Health Conference for Veterinarians March 2012. Very good article on mites (there are sarcoptic, chorioptic and psoroptic (least common) and rarely demodex mites that can affect alpacas. Some are easier to treat than others as some burrow and suck and some live superficially.
The article is about 20 pages long but a summary follows -
The life cycle of Sarcoptic 7-14 days and sarcoptes can live 30 days in the environment.
Psoroptes life cycle 10-21 days.
Chorioptic life cycle three weeks and can live 70 days in the evironment. Very superficial than the other.
The article says to treat WHOLE herd not just ones showing signs. Skin scrapings can be taken especially from inbetween toes - must be firm almost causing skin to bleed using side of scalpel blade - best area is at the edge of any lesion. (Personal note - I have heard of someone using a firm tooth brush dipped in oil and then applied to glass slide to look for mites - I havent tried it myself). Do not clean the area prior to scraping. Put drop of oil on slide and put scrapings in the oil and cover with coverslip.
Mites are identified by different pedicels (small structure that attaches the sucker to the end of each leg). You may have to refrigerate slide to slow them down enough for identification. You can seal the edge of the coverslip with clear nail polish to take to your vet to look at.
Treatment: Lime sulfur dip (stains fleece but can be effective). Fipromil (Prontline spray) - kills mites in 2 hours. Apply from fetlock down to feet and inbetween toes on ALL FOUR feet. Spray any other visible leasions. Treat every 3 weeks for at least 4 treatments.
Remove all organic material from barn floors.
The article goes into fungal and bacterial secondary infections and supportive care.
Consider treating all newly introduced alpacas and on return from mating or shows.
Pepperina Alpacas Forest Hill QLD Australia
Ph: +61754654232
Email pamas@bigpond.com
Website: http://www.pamas.com.au/PepperinaAlpacas.htm |
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elden harms
107 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 9:57:11 PM
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My standard treatment for ALL skin issues is: Mix one standard tube of Desitin diaper cream, 2 tsp tea tree oil, 2 tsp liquid vit E. Mix well. Apply to all affected areas and rub in well in areas that have fleece to make sure it gets right down to the skin. My guess is the tea tree oil is the most important ingredient. I can't imagine any mite surviving it and it's effective on any fungal growth too. This can be more than a bit messy but IMO well worth the inconvenience. Treat every few days for a week or 10 days and then give the skin a chance to recover and grow fleece. If you get a build up of crud at treatment sites - dirt etc - take the time to clean the crud off with a suitable stiffness brush before appling the next treatment.
Elden Harms
Token Creek Alpacas LLC
Sun Prairie WI |
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Christiane
2570 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 10:38:12 PM
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Thank you to all who responded to my question about mites. I took my girl to the vet who did the scrapings and determined that it was chorioptic mites. He scrubbed all four feet with a shampoo that is supposed to help with that, and told me to spray Frontline on the feet every two weeks for three treatments.
Christiane Rudolf
Tanglewood Farm
19741 Victory Lane
Fayetteville, Ohio 45118
(513) 875-2533 |
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moramaura
33 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2012 : 6:24:15 PM
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Frontline? The stuff you use on dogs for flees? How do you apply? If not, link to the product you are talking about?
Thanks, maura
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Christiane
2570 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2012 : 6:54:16 PM
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Yes, Frontline, that is used to treat dogs for fleas. So my vet gave me a bottle and I have been using it. I can also use what is left on my dogs/cats. I tie the alpaca up so I can spray her feet--she is very antsy and does not want me near her feet, so tying her is the only way to do it. PBS also sells the Frontline spray. It runs about $36 per bottle and comes with a sprayer attached.
Christiane Rudolf
Tanglewood Farm
19741 Victory Lane
Fayetteville, Ohio 45118
(513) 875-2533 |
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nyala
3311 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2012 : 8:46:19 PM
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Hi,
We have used frontline livestock spray for years for mites and it works great. We spray the affected areas once a week for a month. We don't spray the entire herd I'm sure some have mites probably most but you only get skin problems with a few. I worry that if you treat your whole herd you might get resistant mites.
Ann
D. Andrew Merriwether, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Biology, Binghamton University
and
Ann and Andy Merriwether
Nyala Farm Alpacas,Vestal, NY
www.alpacanation.com/nyalafarm.asp |
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mites
