# Lice in pigs? Your remedy?



## DixyDoodle

I think one of the pigs I bought may have brought some lice with him. I noticed that the pigs seem to have been affected with a red rash type thing, with lots of scratching going on.

So I bought some Dri-Kill and it seems to be working. However, I have been having some problems with getting under their leg creases, as they are not being exactly cooperative.  Do you think it will be good enough to get what I can and sprinkle the bedding generously? Their rash seems to have gone, so I guess it was lice as suspected.

I had zero luck in finding pour-ons. What about ivermectin? Would it be beneficial to give them a dose of that to ensure they are healing? I read somewhere you can also put something in their drinking water, was that ivermectin? 

Any tips, please share, and thanks in advance!


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## hollym

I could be wrong, but it's probably mites rather than lice? Can you see teeny little bugs? 

Ivermectin worming paste is supposed to get rid of internal worms AND mites. 

You can sprinkle DE in the bedding, just make sure not to get any in your or their eyes. 

hollym


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## beeman97

save the oil from your next oil change in your car & pour that down a strip on there back ,,, problem solved , use generously to insure complete coverage,


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## sebastes

The pig louse is quite large and you should have no problem seeing them if the pigs are infested. If you get some permethrin insecticide concentrate (typically 10% permethrin) take about 3 ml or so in a syringe and just squirt it down the middle of their backs. The pig lice will be gone by the time the sunsets if you treat in the morning. I would also retreat in 2 weeks and you should remain lice free. The pig louse's lifecycle is completed entirely on the pig so once you get rid of all of them you should have no further problems unless you bring in another pig that is infested.


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## RedHogs

> save the oil from your next oil change in your car & pour that down a strip on there back ,,, problem solved , use generously to insure complete coverage,



don't do that, oldtimers would do that.... it got in the ponds and stayed for years, ivomec stays for days...


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## Ronney

RedHogs said:


> don't do that, oldtimers would do that.... it got in the ponds and stayed for years, ivomec stays for days...


Afraid so. It is also absorbed through the skin and is no longer considered to be suitable for the control of external parasites and sunburn.

When I sell my pigs they are all given Ivomec injectable at weaning so new owners get a "clean" pig - no lice, no mange mites, no internal parasites. If the pigs are to be grown for pork this should be the first and last time they ever need it. Talk to your vet about drawing off sufficient to do your pigs (assuming that you don't have any) and if you don't want to inject, discuss using it off-label.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## amylou62

I use ivomec and just feed it to them on a piece of bread.


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## DixyDoodle

I'm not squeamish about injecting pigs, I do my own goats, just not familiar with the where's and how's of the best way. OR should I just go with the feeding Ivomec? Seeing as pigs are a tad more difficult to handle than a goat....just the thought of trying to hold a pig still for an injection sounds pretty hard. 

The DriKill dusting seems to have done the trick, but still wouldn't mind an injectable or handfed remedy as well to be certain all has been killed off. 

BTW, these are pet PotBellies, so no worries about meat tainting.


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## Ronney

I prefer to use all animal medications in the way they were designed to be used i.e injectable is injected, oral is given my mouth, pour-on is poured on, but many people give Ivomec orally which is an off-label use. If you decide to go that way, be aware that neither your vet or the manufacturer will take any responsibility if anything goes wrong with the animal. 

To inject a pig, get the appropriate size needle for the size of the pig (your vet will advise you on this) and give SQ in the soft part of the neck just behind the ear. I wait until they are feeding and with a good sharp needle, they never know they've had it. 

BTW, whichever way you decide to go, do both pigs.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## DixyDoodle

Don't worry, Ronnie (would that be Dr Ron? hehehe You speak like a vet, if I may say), I will do them all just to be safe. It is very common to do the injectable meds orally with goats, but I prefer the injection route. I certainly would never hold a vet or manufacturer responsible for my own uses of it.


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## PrairieFireFarm

I used a treatment I got from this board, and it worked great, was easy, safe, and inexpensive.
I used ivermectin oral. It is sold in paste form in all the farm and pet stores for horses, about $5 bucks a tube. I used the smallest amount (one 'click' on the tube), and just squirted it in their mouths. Actually, they readily ate it, so it was easy. They liked the taste of it! Since I had a number of pigs and some were identically marked, as soon as I dosed each pig I'd mark it with a grease marker so I knew who still needed some paste.

I don't know why there isn't any pour-on products for pigs out there, maybe it's something to do with their skin physiology. It sure would beat injecting pigs, especially large ones.
I, too, had been looking at an economical way to get ivomec into pigs, without having to buy enough doses for 500 pigs! I'd never go through that much. As it was, I had more than half the tube left that I used on my pigs, and I used the rest to treat a wild fox with mange, lol. Well, I used a tiny amount in some meat it ate. Worked for her, too.


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## joe shaw

Ivermec is the way to go 
I had a sow come in she was infected bad with mange mites and real close to farrowing so i was hesadent to needle her she was constantly scratching so i soaked her with vegtable oil from a spray bottle and rubbed it in did that every other day for a few 
with in few days all redness was gone no more scratching hair was coming back fast about a week later and looks real healthy maybe cost 3 bucks and an extra 5 min everyother day
but once the weaners have a little more weight to them ill needle everything i have to be sure but the vegtable oil gave her some fast relife


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## Ronney

Joe, Ivomec is safe to use on pregnant sows. I don't go overboard with worming unless I feel there is real need to but I do all my pregnant sows two weeks before farrowing and all piglets are wormed at weaning or before they leave the farm.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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