New pony - could it have caught lice

[mrslaughan]

Its complicated - we had a pony on loan for a very short time, and I remember wondering if it had mites or lice because it was a bit itchy in its mane....I wondered to the point of when I was at the tack shop buying some Dermoline (Lice shampoo). Anyway it became apparent quite quickly this pony was not right and it went back. This is where I am fuzzy because I am not sure if she had gone a week and a half , or 2 and a half weeks when current pony arrived.

Current pony is fab - been with us a week, 2 days ago she started to get a bit itchy, roll onto today where she is beside herself. I have never seen a pony scratch like it. As I am scratching her back, she is arching her spine up into my hand. Overnight she has rubbed herself bare on a part of her chest. I have spoken to previous owner and she has said really she has never been an itchy pony (and she certainly wasn't on the 3 times we visited her and in the previous 5 days) . They don't normally use a fly rug. I know she may not be telling the truth, but she has said she will have her back for any reason.

We gave her a bath this afternoon with a skin soothing shampoo and that seemed to give her some relief....and then I have come home and had a bit of a panic....Could previous pony have had lice or mites and left eggs in stable, rugs (Which she hardly wore, but did wear, and I didn't wash between ponies) and tack, and now they have hatched out on new pony and driving her mental? I have googled and have found plenty about the lifecycle - which I think is about 3 weeks, but can't find if lice are like fleas and the eggs can lay dormant. I suppose they could be on the horse next door - but she is not itchy in the slightest---- though pony is far hairer.

I will dermoline her tomorrow I think - though slightly worried that if it is something else an insecticidal shampoo could make her worse, if the itchiness is not caused by little critters.

She is a fab little pony, and it would seem perfect for my son, but want to get this under control......so what would your corse of action be???

Difficult to say. My first thought at this time of year is sweet itch but that usually has a slower build. Given the sudden onset it would suggest an allergic reaction to something in the pony's new environment.

This is quite useful and says that lice eggs can lay dormant, but it is Australian! www.horsesa.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/HBB_Factsheet-6_17.03.15.pdf

I am thinking my plan is to go and get a full fly rug tomorrow. Because I remember reading somewhere one bite can set sweet itch off.
Then in the morning do a lice shampoo if she is still as itchy as she was this morning and treat the one cotton rug she has been wearing with the shampoo as well.
Then when she is turned out, always a fly rug.
What do you guys think about the half fly rugs, with the waterproof panel down the back?