Case report: Successful treatment of chorioptic mange in two Belgian draft horse foals with topical ivermectin.
Abstract: Various draft horse breeds, especially breeds with abundant feathering on the lower limbs, are known to be susceptible to chorioptic mange. Clinical signs of chorioptic mange encompass intense pruritus leading to self-mutilation and hair loss, thickening of the epidermis, and the formation of hyperkeratotic crusts and scabs. Despite the frequent occurrence and high impact of this condition, treatment options are limited, with a conspicuous absence of registered products formulated for equines, and especially foals. This limited availability of approved products highlights the necessity for alternative approaches to effectively address chorioptic mange in draft horse populations, given the severity of the clinical signs and their negative impact on the well-being of infested horses. Unassigned: Two 9-months old Belgian draft horse foals with clinical signs of severe pruritus and skin scaling on the distal legs were included. Both horses tested positive for living mites by means of superficial skin scrapings. Topical treatment with ivermectin at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight was applied twice with 1 week interval, directly onto the distal legs of the horses. Unassigned: In both cases, the mites were morphologically identified as Chorioptes bovis. Negative scrapings were obtained 7 days after the second treatment. Pruritus resolved in both horses within 2 days after the first treatment. Clinical signs consisting of skin scaling and crusting in the pastern region had resolved as well at 1 week and 3 weeks after the second treatment, respectively. Unassigned: This case report presents the first successful treatment of two clinical cases of chorioptic mange in Belgian draft horse foals with 1 mg/kg topical ivermectin, applied directly onto the distal legs.
Copyright © 2024 Brys, Den Hondt, Saey, Claerebout and Chiers.
Publication Date: 2024-11-20 PubMed ID: 39634758PubMed Central: PMC11616317DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1427400Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Case Reports
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article details a successful instance of treating chorioptic mange in two 9-month-old Belgian draft horse foals using topical ivermectin.
Background
- The article begins by highlighting the disease chorioptic mange, which draft breeds of horses, especially those with extensive lower limb feathering, are susceptible to.
- Clinical signs of the ailment include intense pruritus leading to self-injury and hair loss, epidermis thickening, and the development of hyperkeratotic crusts and scabs.
- The authors note the disease’s prevalent occurrence and significant impact, along with the notable absence of registered treatments specifically formulated for horses, particularly foals.
- This shortage of approved products underscores the need for alternative strategies to tackle chorioptic mange effectively in draft horse populations, given the clinical signs’ severity and their negative effects on infested horses’ welfare.
Case Study
- Two 9-month-old Belgian draft horse foals exhibiting severe pruritus and skin scaling on their lower legs were studied.
- Living mites were found in both horses via superficial skin scrapings, confirming the infestation.
- A treatment using topical ivermectin, applied directly to the horses’ lower legs at a dosage of 1 mg/kg body weight, was administered twice with a one-week interval.
Results and Conclusion
- Skin scrapings taken 7 days after the second treatment yielded no evidence of mites.
- The horses’ pruritus symptoms subsided within two days of the first treatment.
- Other clinical signs, specifically skin scaling and crusting in the pastern region, also disappeared; this occurred one week and three weeks after the second treatment, respectively.
- The authors conclude the article by noting this is the first documented success of treating two Belgian draft horse foals suffering from chorioptic mange using 1 mg/kg topical ivermectin applied directly to the lower legs.
Cite This Article
APA
Brys M, Den Hondt S, Saey V, Claerebout E, Chiers K.
(2024).
Case report: Successful treatment of chorioptic mange in two Belgian draft horse foals with topical ivermectin.
Front Vet Sci, 11, 1427400.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1427400 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- DAP Stien Den Hondt, Lier, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Author SD was employed by company DAP Stien Den Hondt. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
References
This article includes 17 references
- Sweatman GK. Life history, non-specificity, and revision of the genus chorioptes, a parasitic mite of herbivores.. Can J Zool (1957) 35:641–89.
- Rendle DI, Cottle HJ, Love S, Hughes KJ. Comparative study of doramectin and fipronil in the treatment of equine chorioptic mange.. Vet Rec (2007) 161:335–8.
- Paterson S, Coumbe K. An open study to evaluate topical treatment of equine chorioptic mange with shampooing and lime sulphur solution.. Vet Dermatol (2009) 20:623–9.
- Brys M, Claerebout E, Chiers K. Alleviating lesions of chronic progressive lymphedema in Belgian draft horses by successfully treating Chorioptes bovis infestation with moxidectin 0.5% pour-on.. Vet Parasitol (2023) 324:110074.
- Johnson PJ, Mrad D, Schwartz A, Kellam L. Presumed moxidectin toxicosis in three foals.. J Am Vet Med Assoc (1999) 214:678–80.
- Müller JM, Feige K, Kästner S, Naegeli H. The use of sarmazenil in the treatment of a moxidectin intoxication in a foal.. J Vet Intern Med (2005) 19:348–9.
- DiPietro JA, Todd KS Jr. Anthelmintics used in treatment of parasitic infections of horses.. Vet Clin N Am Equine Pract (1987) 3:1–14.
- Cremers HJ. The incidence of Chorioptes bovis (Acarina: Psoroptidae) on the feet of horses, sheep and goats in the Netherlands.. Vet Q (1985) 7:283–9.
- De Cock HE, Affolter VK, Wisner ER, Ferraro GL, MacLachlan NJ. Progressive swelling, hyperkeratosis, and fibrosis of distal limbs in Clydesdales, Shires, and Belgian draft horses, suggestive of primary lymphedema.. Lymphat Res Biol (2003) 1:191–9.
- Geburek F, Deegen E, Hewicker-Trautwein M, Ohnesorge B. Verrucous pastern dermatitis syndrome in heavy draught horses. Part II: clinical findings.. Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr (2005) 112:243–51.
- Rüfenacht S, Roosje PJ, Sager H, Doherr MG, Straub R, Goldinger-Müller P. Combined moxidectin and environmental therapy do not eliminate Chorioptes bovis infestation in heavily feathered horses.. Vet Dermatol (2011) 22:17–23.
- Villarroel A, Halliburton MK. Control of extensive chorioptic mange natural infection in lactating dairy cattle without milk withdrawal.. Vet J (2013) 197:233–7.
- Liebisch A, Oldbrich S, Deppe M. Untersuchungen zur Uberlebensdauer von Milben der Arten Psoroptes ovis, Psoroptes cuniculi and Chorioptes bovis abseits des belebten.. Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr (1985) 92:181–5.
- Brys M, Claerebout E, Chiers K. Chronic progressive lymphedema in Belgian draft horses: understanding and managing a challenging disease.. Vet Sci (2023) 10:347.
- De Keyser K, Janssens S, Peeters LM, Gasthuys F, Oosterlinck M, Buys N. Chronic progressive lymphedema in the Belgian draft horse in Belgium: clinical phenotyping, prevalence and risk factor analysis.. Vlaams Diergeneeskd Tijdschr (2014) 83:119–24.
- Francisco I, Sánchez JA, Cortiñas FJ, Francisco R, Suárez J, Cazapal C. Efficacy of ivermectin pour-on against nematodes infecting foals on pasture: coprological and biochemical analysis.. J Equine Vet (2011) 31:530–5.
- Gökbulut C, Çirak VY, Şenlik B, Akşit D, Durmaz M, McKellar Q. Comparative plasma disposition, bioavailability and efficacy of ivermectin following oral and pour-on administrations in horses.. Vet Parasitol (2010) 170:120–6.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
