LECTUEE XXVII 

 MANGE 



Horse Mange 



Causes. — Mange of horses, cattle, hogs and many other ani- 

 mals is similar in cause, symptoms, and spread to sheep scab. 

 Horses, like sheep, are subject to three forms of the disease. The 

 most common form in the horse is due to the Sarcoptes, which 

 burrows and affects the head, neck, and body. Another form is 

 due to Psoroptes which moves freely and affects the surface. A 

 third form is due to the Chorioptes, which lives on the surface, 

 moves but little, and affects feet and 

 legs, usually below the knees and 

 hocks. 



Sarcoptes scabei var. equi is a 

 common cause of horse mange. This 

 is one of the smaller mites, practi- 

 cally invisible to the unaided eye. 

 These mites burrow tunnels into 

 and under the skin. The eggs are 

 laid and the young are hatched in 

 these tunnels. On account of this 

 tunneling habit, spread is slow at 

 first and the disease difficult to 

 cure in advanced cases. 



Spread of mange mites may be direct from horse to horse or 

 indirect by way of the harness, saddle, blanket, currycomb, 

 or a post, for example. 



Symptoms.— The disease usually appears first on the head or 

 side of the neck, and the first symptoms are small pimples and 

 itching. The skin loses hair, becoming thickened, roughened, 

 and wrinkled. Affected horses are much more uneasy at night, 

 particularly in a warm stable. 



Treatment.— It is usually necessary to repeat treatment at 

 least once, and in bad cases, several times at intervals of ten 



137 



Fig. 46. — Mange Mite. 



The cause of one form of 

 horse mange. Psoroptes com- 

 munis equi. 



