278 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



MANGE. 



Mange is a parasitic disease, similar to " Scab " 

 in sheep, and the " Itch" in the human subject, but 

 the parasites are distinct. There are three kinds of 

 mange parasites found on the body of the horse, but 

 all of them are so small that they cannot be recognised 

 with the naked eye, and therefore a microscope has 

 to be used in order to determine their presence. 

 Certain chronic non-infectious skin affections lead to 

 changes in the skin, very much similar to those 

 changes produced by the burrowing and breeding of 

 the mange parasites, and therefore it is imperative in 

 all suspicious cases to examine the scales and hairs 

 with the microscope. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms are intense pruritus 

 or itching. Touch the skin and the horse shows his 

 sense of pleasure by stretching his neck, curling his 

 lips, and clenching his teeth. He rubs his body 

 against the stall or any object to which he can gain 

 access, and this rubbing and biting and burrowing 

 of the parasites sets up inflammation in the skin. 

 Numerous small pimples and vesicles appear on the 

 skin, the hairs fall off and are glued together by a 

 liquid. The epidermis thickens, and fissures are 

 formed in it. Owing to the continued irritation to 

 which the animal is subjected, he falls off in flesh and 

 condition, and if he is allowed to come in contact with 

 other horses, or the harness, or the clothing, or the 

 brushes which have been in contact with his body, 

 the so-called mange disease appears on them. Grooms 

 should be very careful not to use the same currycomb 

 to a diseased and to a healthy horse indiscriminately, 

 neither should the same brush be used. 



Remedies. — In the early stage, when the parasites 



