Horses are infested by two types of lice. Both types are dangerous and can threaten the health and life of the horse. As a horse owner or groom, one should pay attention to the symptoms of a possible lice infestation. Lice infestations must be treated immediately and prevented in the future.

 

Horses must be regularlyHorses should be brushed regularly and their coats groomed so that they do not become infested with lice. A horse infested with lice has a dull coat that falls out in some places when nipped and itched. Horses can be infested by blood-sucking lice and biting lice. The blood-sucking lice feed on the horse's blood, the biting lice on the skin. Both species can cause lasting damage to the horse's skin.

 

Symptoms of the blood-sucking louse

 

The grey blood-sucking louse is around 3 mm long and is usually found in the horse's hair, mane, tail and fetlock. If the louse infestation is particularly severe, the entire body of the horse can be affected. In this case, the horse can suffer from anaemia, in which the blood circulation and oxygen supply are disrupted and the red blood cells and the blood pigment haemoglobin are reduced, leading to a lack of oxygen.

 

Symptoms of thelouse

 

The brown louse is about 2mm long and likes to eat hair cells and skin scales. Their food sources are on the back, neck, head and flanks. The lice leave red wheals and cause hair loss. The biting of the louse causes enormous itching, which often causes the horse to pull its own skin off its body to relieve the itching.