Does Your Horse Have Mange?

Itchy skin and patches of missing hair could mean your horse has a skin condition called mange. Mange is more common in dogs, pigs, sheep, and goats but can also affect equines. In addition to making your horse miserable, mange poses a threat to your entire barn. The condition can spread to other horses and animals if not treated promptly. Fortunately, your veterinarian can help you manage and treat mange.

Types of Mange

Mange is caused by tiny mites that burrow into your horse's skin or hair follicles. These types of mange may affect horses:

• Sarcoptic Mange. Also called "scabies," sarcoptic mange is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. Symptoms include severe itching, hair loss, thickened patches of skin, and small bumps and crusty spots. The lesions first appear on the head, neck and shoulders, according to Merck Veterinary Manual. Sarcoptic mange is contagious and can spread to other animals and people.
• Chorioptic Mange. Caused by the Chorioptes bovis mite, chorioptic (leg) mange usually affects the lower legs. Draft breeds with heavy feathering may be more likely to develop this form of mange. Thickened skin, skin crusts, and itching are common with chorioptic mange.
• Psoroptic Mange. The Psoroptes mite is responsible for psoroptic mange, a skin condition that causes itching, oozing scores, and scabs. Psoroptes mites prefer areas with longer hair, including the tail, mane, and the area under the forelock.
• Demodectic Mange. Demodectic mange is less common in horses and is caused by the Demodex equi or D caballi mites. These mites make themselves at home in your horse's hair follicles and cause hair loss, scaly skin, or small bumps on the skin. Unlike other types of mange, itching isn't a problem. Demodectic mange typically affects the head, shoulder, body and skin around the eyes. Horses with immune conditions are more likely to develop this type of mange.

Horses with mange may stamp their feet, rub against fences and other structures, or chew their legs to relieve intense itching. While scratching that itch may feel good, scratching may cause open sores that become infected. Although mange often starts in specific areas, it may spread through the body if your horse isn't treated.

How Your Veterinarian Diagnoses and Treats Mange

Veterinarians diagnose mange by collecting samples of your horse's skin cells. Looking at the cells under a microscope makes it possible to determine which type of mite is causing your horse's symptoms. In some cases, a skin biopsy may be needed to make a diagnosis.

Once the cause is determined, your veterinarian may recommend one of these treatment options.

• Hot Lime Sulfur Spray or Dip. Hot lime sulfur kills mites and relieves itching if your horse has sarcoptic, chorioptic or psoroptic mange. The treatment may be repeated every 12 days. If one horse has mange, it may be best to treat all horses.
• Anti-Inflammatory Medication. Your veterinarian may prescribe medications that reduce inflammation and improve itching.
• Antibiotics. Antibiotics may be needed if your horse develops a skin infection.
• Ivermectin and Doramectin. Although neither treatment is specifically approved for horses, off-label use of these drugs may be helpful in treating sarcoptic, chorioptic or psoroptic mange.
• Topical Treatments. Tropical treatments that kill mite eggs on the skin will help keep the condition under control and prevent new mite infestations.

Demodectic mange doesn't usually require treatment and may improve on its own. Treating underlying immune system issues could help your horse avoid mange in the future.

Preventing Mange

These changes may help prevent mange outbreaks:

• Separate new horses until they receive a clean bill of health.
• Quarantine horses as soon as you notice possible signs of mange.
• Replace bedding often. (Mites can transfer from bedding to your horse's skin.)
• Clean tack and grooming tools after every use to prevent the spread of mites.
• Use insecticide to kill mites and other pests in barns and other areas.
• Trim long hair around the horse's legs and feet.
• Keep your horse up-to-date on deworming medication. (Dewormers kill worms and mites.)

Do you suspect your horse may have mange? Get in touch with our office to schedule an exam and discuss treatment options.

Sources:

PetMD: Mange in Horses: What Is It and How to Treat Your Horse, 1/16/2025

https://www.petmd.com/horse/conditions/skin/mange-in-horses

Horse & Hound: Feather Mites in Horses (Heel/Chorioptic Mange: A Challenging Problem, 3/23/2020

https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/plus/vet-library/feather-mites-horses-644771

Merck Veterinary Manual: Mange in Horses, 9/2024

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/integumentary-system/mange/mange-in-horses

The Horse: Solving Skin Issues on Horses’ Legs, 11/20/2024

https://thehorse.com/187721/solving-skin-issues-on-horses-legs/