What Is Ectoparasites In Horses?

An ectoparasite is a parasite that lives on the skin surface of an animal–in this case, the horse. The primary ectoparasites of horses are houseflies, stable flies, mosquitoes, and, to a lesser extent, horse and deer flies. Ticks, lice and mites are also common ectoparasites in horses.

What do you mean by ectoparasites?

Ectoparasites are parasites that live on the external surface of hosts, for example fleas and lice of various terrestrial vertebrates, and Monogenea and Copepoda of freshwater and marine fishes. From: Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, 2001.

What are the symptoms of ectoparasite?

Repeated licking, chewing and biting of the flea bite sites leads to hair loss, self-induced trauma and secondary infection. Other symptoms include restlessness, irritability and weight loss.

What disease do ectoparasites cause?

Ectoparasites such as ticks and lice can cause anaemia, as well as weight loss, which can even be fatal if parasite burdens are particularly high [19].

What is an Endoparasite in a horse?

They are the most common worm found in horses and only cause a problem when infestation is massive. Symptoms of strongyles infestation can include diarrhoea, colic, decreased food efficiency and performance. There may be organ damage and intestinal blockages in extreme cases.

How do you treat ectoparasites?

Combination treatment is recommended with a topical scabicide, either 5% topical permethrin cream (full-body application to be repeated daily for 7 days then 2 times/week until cure) or 25% topical benzyl benzoate, and oral ivermectin 200 ug/kg body weight on days 1, 2, 8, 9, and 15.

What is the most common ectoparasite?

Pediculus humanus capitis. Of the three lice species affecting humans, the head louse is the most frequent. Pediculosis of the head affects millions of school-age children all over the world. In developing countries, prevalence of pediculosis in vulnerable parts of the population can be over 50% (1).

How do you control Ectoparasite in animals?

The use of insecticides is still the basic procedure for controlling most ectoparasites, but various methods are being developed to act in addition to, or in synergy with these products, so as to enhance the efficacy and reduce the adverse effects of insecticides, by contributing to ecologically acceptable strategies.

How are ectoparasites transmitted?

Dispersal of avian ectoparasites can occur through either vertical transmission from adult birds to their offspring in the nest or through horizontal transmission between adult birds or through phoresy.

What are ectoparasites give one example?

In humans, ectoparasites are comprised of two major animal groups: parasitic arachnids and parasitic insects. Parasitic arachnids include ticks and mites. As for the ectoparasitic insects, they are exemplified by mosquitoes, tsetse flies, fleas, and lice.

Are ectoparasites harmful?

Background. The three major groups of parasites that can cause disease in humans are helminths, protozoans, and ectoparasites. Ectoparasites are organisms that live in the skin or outgrowths of the skin of another organism (the host) for varying lengths of time and can be harmful to the latter.

How are ectoparasites diagnosed?

Diagnosis: diagnosis is confirmed by finding mites, eggs and faecal pellets in skin scrapings. Treatment: if treatment is required, systemic ivermectin can be used although topical lime sulphur (2%) has also been reported to be effective.

What damage or harm do ectoparasitic animals cause?

Endoparasites are the more dangerous one. It severely attacks the host. Ectoparasites weaken the host by sucking nutrients, blood and proteins from the host. Feeding parasites destroyed the tissue of the hosts.

What is the most damaging parasite to horses?

Large Strongyles
Large Strongyles Large strongyles, otherwise known as bloodworms, are parasites known to be the most destructive and deadly of all equine parasites. As immature larvae migrate through the horse’s blood vessels, they begin to destroy arterial walls, block or rupture blood vessels, damage circulation, organs and tissues.

What kind of parasites do horses get?

Although a number of parasites can infest horses, there are a few that are more common — bots, strongyles, ascarids (roundworms), tapeworms and pinworms. Large and small strongyles, ascarids and tapeworms can present the greatest health risks.

How are endoparasites treated?

Treatment of endoparasites involves the use of common anthelmintic drugs and should follow the published ferret dosages of these therapeutic agents.

Where do you find ectoparasites?

the skin
Ectoparasites are organisms that live on the skin of a host, from which they derive their sustenance. The phylum Arthropoda includes the two-winged, or dipterous, flies. The larvae or maggots of these flies may invade living or necrotic tissue of animals and humans, producing myiasis.

What are Ectoparasitic drugs?

An ectoparasiticide is an antiparasitic drug used in the treatment of ectoparasitic infestations. These drugs are used to kill the parasites that live on the body surface. Permethrin, sulfur, lindane, dicophane, benzyl benzoate, ivermectin and crotamiton are well known ectoparasiticides.

What are ectoparasites in farm animals?

Hematophagous ectoparasites (ie, blood-feeding flies, myiasis-causing flies, lice, mites, ticks) are the most important in cattle. Intense use of ectoparasiticides to treat infestations can result in ectoparasite populations becoming resistant to this treatment method.

Which diseases are caused due to Ectoparasitic animals?

Ectoparasites are involved in mechanical damage, anemia, loss of condition, irritation, allergic reaction, toxicosis, morbidity, and mortality. Indirect effects of ectoparasites consist of transmission of pathogens that cause babesiosis, theileriosis, anaplasmosis, and more (17).

How do ectoparasites affect the body?

Ectoparasites live on or in the skin surface of host organisms and can harm hosts by feeding on their tissues and causing irritations, or by vectoring pathogens [1].