Lice

[adlynch]

We just brought home a 7 month old calf and realized she has lice. My question is: Do i need to treat my donkey for lice also? I think lice are species specific but I'm not 100% sure? And if i do need to treat her, any recommendations for the donkey? One more thing... best way to clean and disinfect brushes and halters? Diluted Clorox and water mix? Thanks in advance!!

 

[Latestarter]

Yes, I believe lice are species specific. for cleaning and disinfecting, a bleach solution should work just fine. If you keep the calf enclosed in a stall or any enclosed area, the bedding will need to be replaced and the area treated to keep her from being re-infested. Permethin or pyrethrum type sprays should work for animals and enclosures both.
http://www.livingwithbugs.com/permethrin_pyrethrum.html

 

[greybeard]

We just brought home a 7 month old calf and realized she has lice. My question is: Do i need to treat my donkey for lice also? I think lice are species specific but I'm not 100% sure? And if i do need to treat her, any recommendations for the donkey? One more thing... best way to clean and disinfect brushes and halters? Diluted Clorox and water mix? Thanks in advance!!

A pour-on is the easiest and works well. Retreat in 2 weeks but read the directions. Some insecticides including pour-ons will treat grubs (larvae of warble fly) and you have to know the cutoff dates for using an insecticide with grubicide if there is a chance your calf had them in summer or fall.
In your state, it appears the exclusion months are from Nov15 thru Mar1. Don't use a grubicide on cattle during that time period!!
Make sure whatever you use will kill both biting and sucking lice..not all will.

https://www.drovers.com/article/cattle-health-control-lice-winter
https://buncombe.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Livestock-Newsletter-Spring-2015.pdf?fwd=no

You should contact your county agent to get a reccomendation regarding which specific product to use on both your bovines and equines...there are different kinds of lice and mites in different parts of the country..

 

[adlynch]

Vet told me to use ivermectin pour on. Did that about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Lice and eggs seem to be gone, but now she has what appears to be dry skin/dandruff?? It doesn't look like lice or eggs to me but I'm not sure. Sorry pics are kinda blurry.

 

[adlynch]

 

[adlynch]

Here is a photo of when she actualy had lice... This is why I "think" the other is dry skin? Because it looks totally different. Sorry if I'm grossing anyone out! I just know that pics are always helpful.

 

[Bayleaf Meadows]

Great photo! I don't have any experience with skin issues at this time, but I know a friend who supplements her wethers' feed to treat dry scaly skin. I think it's flax seed that she adds.

 

[Latestarter]

I don't know, but they look almost like desiccated corpses of the previous blood suckers coupled with damaged skin from healing. Pics are ALWAYS great, especially when they are of bad stuff that folks always have questions about. That was a pretty bad infestation!

 

[adlynch]

I don't know, but they look almost like desiccated corpses of the previous blood suckers coupled with damaged skin from healing. Pics are ALWAYS great, especially when they are of bad stuff that folks always have questions about. That was a pretty bad infestation!

Yeah, it was pretty bad. I didn't notice it until after I brought her home!

 

[Latestarter]

Did you notice anemia in her or any indication she was being sucked dry? What caught your eye that you looked and found them? She's gotta be feeling 100% better now that they're dead. Did you (or will you) follow up the initial treatment to get any eggs that got missed and hatched?