To treat mites in pigs, use vet-approved macrocyclic lactones, repeat in 14 days, and clean housing to break the mite life cycle.
Mange steals growth, comfort, and feed money. The good news: you can clear a herd with a tight plan and steady follow-through. This guide shows what to look for, what to give, and how to clean so mites stop cycling on your farm.
Treating Mites In Pigs: Step-By-Step Plan
Start with a head-to-tail check, pick a labeled treatment, and schedule a second pass. Treat all pigs in the same window. One untreated pig keeps the mite factory running.
Quick Signs And Where They Show
Early signs hide in the ears and neck. As numbers grow, itch ramps up, skin thickens, and growth lags. Use the checklist below to stage the work.
| Sign | Where You See It | What It Suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Head shaking | Ears, head | Early sarcoptic irritation |
| Intense scratching | Pen posts, feeders | Rising mite load |
| Red bumps | Neck, shoulders | Allergic reaction to mites |
| Gray crusts | Ears, elbows | Chronic hyperkeratotic mange |
| Thin hair or bald spots | Flanks, tail base | Ongoing rubbing |
| Reduced gain | Grow-finish pens | Feed conversion hit |
| Restless piglets | Farrowing crates | Sow to litter spread |
| Scabs with mites | Ear/skin scrapings | Lab-confirmed mange |
| Quiet itch with thick skin | Older boars/sows | Long-standing infestation |
How To Treat Mites In Pigs: Dosage And Timing
Pick a macrocyclic lactone with a swine label. Dose by weight, hit every pig, then repeat to catch hatchlings. Match the drug to your setup:
Ivermectin Injection
Use 1% injectable at 300 µg/kg subcutaneously behind the ear. Give a second dose 14 days later for full cleanup. This rate and two-dose schedule fit mange control programs and align with the swine label. Check the meat withdrawal: swine require an 18-day withdrawal for ivermectin.
Doramectin Injection
Use 300 µg/kg intramuscularly. One dose clears most cases; tough herds often use a second dose 14 days later during eradication. Follow your product insert for route and lot-specific directions.
Lime Sulfur, Phosmet, Or Permethrin Sprays
Sprays help when injections are not possible, or as add-ons in heavy crusting. Wet pigs to the skin. Repeat in 10–14 days. Keep suckling pig rules straight: lime sulfur allows use on litters; phosmet does not. Read the label line by line.
Merck’s swine mange chapter confirms that sarcoptic mites spread fast by contact and fomites, that doramectin and ivermectin are labeled and effective, and that eradication hinges on treating all animals together and cleaning the pen space. See the detailed chapter on mange in pigs for label classes and timing guidance.
Weigh, Dose, And Repeat Without Gaps
Guessing weight creates failures. Use a tape or scale, round up to the next dose mark, and record each shot. Repeat on day 14 to break the egg-to-adult gap. Mark treated groups with chalk so no pig is skipped.
Sows And Boars
Treat sows 7–14 days before farrowing so piglets don’t start life itchy. Treat incoming gilts before breeding. Boars pick up mites during service; work them into a regular schedule, at least twice a year, or more if exposure is high.
Piglets And Weaners
If litters scratch, treat the dam and manage housing. At weaning, run the whole group on the same day. A matched schedule lowers pen-to-pen spread.
Clean Pens So Mites Have Nowhere To Hide
Mite survival off the pig varies with heat. Cool pens extend survival. Warm, dry pens shorten it. That means cleaning matters. Do this with intent:
Pen Reset Checklist
- Pull bedding and bag or compost away from pigs.
- Scrub rails and corners where pigs rub.
- Wash, rinse, and let surfaces dry hard.
- Focus on farrowing areas and boar pens.
- Rotate brushes and gloves between groups.
Field data and lab work show mites can pass by contact within a day and survive off host for multiple days in cooler sheds. That is why a full-barn pulse works best: treat, clean, and reset in the same week to drop the fomite risk.
Quarantine And Source Control
Many outbreaks start with a new breeder pig. Set a two-week intake pen away from the main rooms. Treat on arrival, repeat on day 14, and only then mix the animal.
When Skin Looks Worse Before It Looks Better
Itch can spike after the first dose as mites die. Keep the schedule. Crusts fall over weeks as skin turns over. Gains should rise within a month.
Diagnostics That Speed Decisions
Use ear or skin scrapings to confirm mites. ELISA and slaughter checks back up the picture in herd programs. On small farms, a vet can scrape samples and read them the same day. Quick proof helps lock buy-in for whole-herd work.
Common Mistakes That Keep Mites Around
Skipping The Second Dose
The life cycle creates a timing trap. Eggs survive the first shot. Hatchlings emerge inside the two-week window. Miss the second dose and the count climbs again.
Underdosing Heavy Pigs
Pigs grow fast. A dose drawn on day one may be short on day 14. Re-weigh before the second shot so each pig receives the right amount.
Treating Only The Scratching Pen
Even calm pens can carry mites. Treat barns as one unit, not one pen at a time.
Withdrawal And Recordkeeping
If your pigs go to freezer camp, track dates clearly. Ivermectin has an 18-day swine withdrawal on the U.S. label. Doramectin labels list their own withdrawal. Keep shot sheets with dose, product, lot, and person giving it.
Second Table: Doses And Withhold Overview
| Product | Typical Dose | Meat Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Ivermectin 1% injectable | 0.3 mg/kg SC; repeat day 14 | 18 days (U.S. swine label) |
| Doramectin injectable | 0.3 mg/kg IM; herd programs may repeat day 14 | Per product insert |
| Lime sulfur dip/spray | Label rate; repeat 3–7 days in pigs | Per label |
| Phosmet spray | Label rate; may repeat day 14 | Per label |
| Permethrin spray | Label rate; may repeat day 14 | Per label |
Sample Seven-Day Work Block
Day 0
Weigh groups, dose every pig, pull bedding, and wash hard-contact surfaces. Mark pens done.
Day 1–3
Dry the rooms, switch to clean bedding, and keep traffic one-way from clean to dirty.
Day 7
Spot check itch and crusting. Any misses get treated today.
Day 14
Second dose for every pig. Repeat the wash-and-dry cycle in the same order.
Safety, Labels, And Herd Goals
Use pig-specific products and read every line on the insert. Wear gloves when handling dips and sprays. Keep kids and pets out of treatment areas. Talk with your veterinarian if pregnancy, breeding, or other medicines are in play.
Why This Plan Works
The drugs paralyze mites, cleaning strips away stages off the pig, and timing blocks the next wave from hatching into adults. Merck’s chapter outlines these steps and notes that treating all pigs together, plus pen reset, drives success.
Troubleshooting Scratchy Holdouts
Now and then one pig still rubs after the barn-wide pulse. Check weight, confirm a true subcutaneous shot, and use the right needle. Pull an ear or skin scraping to confirm mites, since lice or sun burn can look similar. If mites are present, repeat the same class or add a labeled spray, then repeat on day 14. Track feed intake and behavior; calmer pens mean the plan is working.
People can feel short-term itch from contact. Wear sleeves, wash after chores, and keep laundry for pig gear separate. Clean, dry pens lower that nuisance and make chores easier.
Wrap-Up Action List
- Say the plan out loud and post the dates.
- Treat every pig by weight on day 0 and 14.
- Reset pens the same week.
- Quarantine every new arrival for two weeks with two timed doses.
- Keep records and watch gains.
Cost And ROI You Can See
Feed bills climb when pigs waste calories on itch and poor sleep. Clearing mange buys back daily gain and calmer pens, which shortens days on feed. Build a quick budget: drug price, syringes, needles, fresh bedding, and a couple hours of washdown time. Stack that against extra feed for slow finishers and trim loss from skin damage. Most herds see payback within one group. If you want a simple way on how to treat mites in pigs that also saves cash, run one barn-wide pulse, record weights, and measure gain over 30 days; the numbers make the case better than any promise or pitch.
Show Pigs And Small Yards
Pens sit closer to people in these setups, so tidiness matters even more. Bag used shavings, wash gates, and keep a set of chores clothes for pig work only. Use a scale, not a guess, because show pigs swing in weight through the season. Dose from the label, repeat on day 14, and log every step. If a show needs health papers, bring treatment dates. To friends who ask how to treat mites in pigs at home, hand them a simple two-dose chart and this cleaning list.
Field Handling Tips
Match needle length: 16g x 5/8″ under 50 lb, 16g x 1″ growers, 16g x 1.5″ sows. Keep a sharps container by the chute nearby.
This article used peer-reviewed veterinary references and label sources to keep treatment steps and withdrawal days straight. See the FDA ivermectin document for the 18-day swine withdrawal and the Merck chapter for product classes and herd program steps. Stay.