Mange in Horses

skin will become thickened and chronically inflamed causing the horse to lose condition.
Causes of Mange
Mange is a skin condition caused by microscopic mites. Mites are eightlegged ectoparasites that bite or burrow into the horses skin and cause intense itching. Certain types of mites have a predilection toward certain places on the bodythe ear area fetlock pasterns between the legs or elsewhere on the body.

Diagnosing Mange in Horses
A physical exam of affected skin may be the only diagnosis required by your veterinarian to determine a course of treatment. Depending on the location of the lesions a vet may also perform a skin scraping to detect specific mite species under a microscope.
Treatment
Once mites are identified a horse may be treated with an acaracide wash and an oral parasite medication like ivermectin. The treatment may need to be repeated because mites may take several weeks to complete their life cycles.
Since the mites may persist for a short time on the horses brushes tack and stable all must be washed to prevent further spread. Its important to wear gloves during the treatment time and take care not to pass the mites on to other animals.
In a herd situation all horses should be treated to completely eradicate the mites and severe skin lesions may require antibiotic medication to cure secondary bacterial infections.
Prognosis for a Horse With Mange
Mange can spread easily from horse to horse by physical contact and mange mites can live for short periods in warm damp conditions such as saddle pads blankets or tack and other items the horse may come in contact with. If all horses and tack are treated for the duration of time recommended by a veterinarian the mange problem should be eradicated and the horse or horses will likely be free of the itchiness within a few weeks. More severe lesions may take longer to heal completely.
How to Prevent Mange
Keeping your horse in good health is the key to avoiding many problems. It is a good idea for each horse to have its own tack and brushes. Any new horses brought into a stable should be carefully examined and isolated