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MaryLD Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 05:50:56 AM
Help!
I keep my two donkeys on a friend's 600 acres, and one of them, Brownie, has a fly allergy. I had not gone to see the donkeys for 2 weeks, but they live on acrage with a family and frequents guests, so I was not too worried. Yesterday, we got a HUGE outbreak of flies at my place, so I went up to check the donkeys. Brownie was not too terribly allergice yet, but I treated him with all my usual regime, except the feed store was out of the 2 week anti fly applications.

Pinky, however, had a few spots on her legs where it looked like the flies were breaking in and getting under her skin, probably to lay eggs. I fly sprayed her, gave her a dose of Ivermectin, and used both Swat and Nu- Stock on the wounds. I will call the vet once I can break free at work this morning. Has anyone had this happen? The flies are so bad, so suddenly and so early this year ( mild winter), the feed store was out of the 2 week applications as well as Swat!
I will go back and check the donkeys tomorrow- give the treatment time to work, and give myself a chance to find the anti- fly medication I need.
Any thought?
I tend to run a non toxic barn, but certain animals need stronger fly stuff in certain circumstances. Aple cider vinegar in the water is not realistic- donks are on a cattle ranch, not drinking from a large bucket!
Mary LD
22   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
garyw965 Posted - Sep 13 2012 : 6:03:36 PM
Paula, Where did you get the Calm Coat? At a supply store maybe? I've never heard of that but if it works for your fly prevention go for it.
StrawHouseRanch Posted - Jul 31 2012 : 05:47:41 AM
I've used a product called "Calm Coat" for my mule who rubs the hair off of her face from fly irritation (even though I use fly masks religiously during the summer days). It has simple, natural ingredients to it, but I've tried so many other things and this is the only thing that relieves her itching, grows the hair back right away, and repels flies for a short time. It is very oily, which is why I've tried other things because it is so messy, but now I've just determined to live with the mess because it works so well for her. I spray a little on a sponge and wipe it on the irritated spots on her face. I can see a look of relief in her eyes immediately.

Paula

Farmgirl Sister #3090
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wandaj Posted - Jul 30 2012 : 09:47:59 AM
What about neem oil for how to get rid of flys? I have heard of others using it? Or that too expensive?
wandaj Posted - May 09 2012 : 11:26:24 AM
Thanks crittergranny. I have also heard about the skin so soft working to get rid of flys. If yo come up with a way that is better please let us know
garyw965 Posted - May 04 2012 : 10:37:38 AM
Wow, it sounds like a good dose of fly prevention is in order.
crittergranny Posted - Apr 25 2012 : 08:04:02 AM
I think that organic or not a big factor of whether a fly spray works or not is if it oil based. The reason skin so soft works as a repellent is mostly because it is oil based. Some people buy the cheaper water based fly spray and add skin so soft to it to make it work better. It's the oil that is the key I think. I am interested in figuring out a way to make some repellent that isn't so costly. We have 22 horses and we have to spend a lot on fly spray in the summer. I'm going to look up all of this stuff you ladies are posting. Thank you all for the posts even though it wasn't my original post I appreciate them too.
Laura

Horse poor in the boonies.

www.nmbarrelhorses.com
wandaj Posted - Apr 24 2012 : 12:49:51 PM
I'm curious MaryLD, are any of these sprays natural or organic that don't use pesticides to get rid of flys?
MaryLD Posted - Apr 09 2012 : 4:20:21 PM
I googled for "fly spray recipes" and linked to one that starts with M something then stables. I think if you google for US forest service bug spray, you will find the same link. There are a ton of recipes!
Mary LD
Making fly spray tomorrow!

Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!)
garyw965 Posted - Apr 09 2012 : 2:32:40 PM
I'm curious, maryld how do you make your own fly spray??? I know of a recipe for fly paper, but never heard of a homemade fly spray.
BlackHorseFarm Posted - Apr 05 2012 : 6:05:17 PM
I had a big black mare that seemed to attract those huge horse flies. I used a fly sheet on her and it was wonderful. I agree with those that suggested the fly leg wraps. In the long run much cheaper then fly spray.
MaryLD Posted - Apr 04 2012 : 11:44:34 AM
Thanks everone!
My home computer is crashed, so I am relegated to the library. My guys do not eat grain but I am going to try the vinegar water idea. Fly spray is getting costly in this heavy fly season we are having! I will be making fly spray also!
Mary LD

Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!)
crittergranny Posted - Mar 27 2012 : 06:55:55 AM
My main barrel horse Sequoia hates flies. He will break out in hives from them just walking around on him. I think part of the problem is that he frets about them. He is very macho and likes to solve his own problems and it really bugs him, pardon the pun. So anyway getting to the point, in fly season I put a little vinegar in his grain, and soak him down with vinegar water using a big sponge and he loves it. I also use the systemic fly repellent and spray repellent. The kind that is oil based. Water based is a waste of money. The systemic is used every 6 or 8 weeks and one just puts a spot on key points of their body. I think one of the brand names is spot on.
Laura

Horse poor in the boonies.

www.nmbarrelhorses.com
MaryLD Posted - Mar 27 2012 : 06:22:41 AM
My Internet and computer are both working poorly. Quick post:
Pinky and Brownie are both fine. My usual treatments worked, no signs of pigeon fever. My vet told me how to treat the fly allergy when I first got Brownie. Pinky's problem resolved quickly. She just had some unflamatikn and the wounds healed very quickly with treatment. They are fine and full of themselves!
Mary LD

Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!)
garyw965 Posted - Mar 26 2012 : 1:44:07 PM
Boy I feel bad for brownie. Flies carry so much bacteria. hope see is getting better. hope to see an update soon
wandaj Posted - Mar 20 2012 : 3:00:52 PM
Glad to here the donkeys are doing better. There are different sites that have fly predators. Is that all you are looking for is predators?
crittergranny Posted - Mar 19 2012 : 8:56:27 PM
My horses are on 600 acres, but the flies like it up by the house just like all the other critters if they can. Makes me feel so loved. LOL I'm glad to hear that Pinky is doing better. Hate flies, bleck! Not too many here yet, there is still snow on the ground, but I think I might try the fly predators this year, I've heard a lot of good things about them.
Laura

Horse poor in the boonies.

www.nmbarrelhorses.com
MaryLD Posted - Mar 19 2012 : 7:18:45 PM
I have used fly predators, too- but I don't own the 600 acres! There are a ton of animals out ther ethat don't belong to me, so the cost would get high.
The good news is, Pinky is healing up very well, and quickly. She was just inflamed from the fly bites. Once I treated her, the wounds no longer looked like open holes, and things are resolving. I will keep an eye out for pigeon fever symptoms.
Mary LD

Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!)
Bella Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 4:44:54 PM
Mary,

One of my donkeys had problems with flies last summer. Her front legs were raw and bleeding. I used the pink SWAT and also purchased wraps for her legs, which helped keep the flies off her wounds. I would put them on during the day and take them off at night. Flies aren't as active at night. It took a while, but her legs finally cleared up. I also started using natural wipes, the same kind I use on my cat and dog, that are supposed to repel fleas, ticks, flies, and mosquitos. There's something else that can be done to get rid of the flies and that's to put out natural predators on the manure. On my farm we have cows, so there's lots of manure and the flies breed in it. I can't think of the company that sells the predators; there may be more than one. There's an island in the northern part of the United States where the only transportation they have is horses. They use the predators there and don't have any flies. I need to do an internet search to refresh my memory. Spring is the time to start putting out the predators. My farm is only 35 acres and maybe 50 percent is pastured. Are all of your 600 acres pastured and are there other animals on it? If it's a large area with several animals, then it might be too expensive to use the predators.

"Just living is not enough, said the butterfly. One must have freedom, sunshine and a little flower." -Hans Christian Anderson
MaryLD Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 9:31:46 PM
I will have to look for the alushield. Our Tractor Supply is pretty sparse.

M

Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!)
MaryLD Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 9:30:41 PM
Thanks you guys!
I have the donkeys at a friend's house due to my landlord- but one of the geldings here at the house had pigeon fever this year. I looked up what to do, and called the vet. The vet did not need to come out, just advised me over the phone. It took a long time for the abscess to stop draining. When I go up tomorrow, I will bring the type betadine solution I used for the PF. I remebered that applying Cortaid, from the drug store, has kept Brownie off steroids for 2 1/2 years. I need to get some more of that. I talked to a friend, and I think Pinky either got caught in something that created wounds, or she rubbed open some fly bites. From my descrition, my friend, a trainer/ breeder did not think the flies are biting flies or laying eggs. Let's see what tomorrow brings!
Mary LD

Haflingers- You can't have just one!
( I'm just one short of a drill team!)
crittergranny Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 9:17:07 PM
Yes pigeon fever comes after stuff like this. It's also called dryland distemper. Two of my horses got it last year and both because flies were biting their bellies and they rubbed their bellies on the sagebrush which made sores which provided more of an opening for the flies. I cleaned and rinsed the wounds with betadine and then put biozide salve on it. Its sort of like neosporin only not as expensive since its for horses. About $14 per jar. But if you have flies real bad you will probably have to clean it every day. There is also some other stuff I use on small sores or cuts on my horse I think it's called alushield. It has aluminum in it and its sort of like a spray on bandage and provides a barrier to the flies and stuff.

Horse poor in the boonies.
MEWolf Posted - Mar 15 2012 : 6:44:06 PM
Mary my Donks get what looks like a sweet itch every fly season. However, if it is black flies that are biting and laying eggs you may run the risk of pigeon fever. Definitely call the Vet and see what they recommend. We use swat, and fly spray, but the Vet put our guys on Uniprim (broad spectrum antibiotic), also did a course of steroids with them when the break outs were really bad. Hope this helps.

Margaret

“Kind hearts are the gardens, kind thoughts are the roots, kind words are the flowers, kind deeds are the fruits. Take care of your garden and keep out the weeds, fill it with sunshine, kind words and kind deeds.” ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1808-1882)
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