need help with worming!!

[lamprellsarah]

I need some help with my worming routine, I have been reading lots off books and leaflets but it can still be confusing does this routine sound right???

October-March – every 6 to 8 weeks strongid-p
In April a double dose of it
May-September- every 6 to 8 weeks strongid-p
In October a double dose

And on top of this every 13 weeks a dose of Equest to kill encysted small redworm and bots.

I know you have to change wormer every year, does this mean just change to another wormer or do I have to consider other things??.

[Gill]

Hi, I think you could do better than this as you will be overworming using Equest in this way. The latest information tells us to use our wormers strategically ie when that chemical is required, rather than changing every year, although you will still see that kind of programme recommended. The problem comes in the year you use benzimidaozole wormers like panacur as your main wormer. Many worms are resistant to this chemical now. We have recently done worm counts for some horses on such a programme. Their owners thought they were worming properly but the horses all had high counts, so they got a bit of a shock.
If you get a worm count done with us (www.westgatelabs.com) we can devise a worming regime for you. We are qualified under the Beta medicines act to do so. Hope this helps! Worming is not really so confusing.

[Sarah]

Sarah,

I would highly recommend te service which Westgate labs offer. It is cheap and quick and could also save you a lot of money in not making you worm your horse when there is no need to. If you are allowed to control your horse's worming schedule (as in there isn't a compulsory one at your yard) then I think getting regular tests done is the way to minimise the risk of worm damage to your horse.

bye!

[Murphs]

I've just had a worm count done as i was also confused and getting different advice from different people! Her count is towards the top end of the mid range count so her current programme isn't really effective so now i can start a better programme for her (she's kept at home with a companion) and assess again at a later date to see how it's working. It's worth getting the count done if you can.

[Sharon H]

Help, I use eqvalan and I've just realised that I've missed the time when I should have done it. I know that you're supposed to double dose with strongid p or similar in Sept. but if I do them with eqvalan now won't it be too soon to do them again with strongid p in Sept.? What's the latest time I can do them with the double dose for it to be effective? Would I be better off to wait a bit longer, do them with strongid p and then start again from there?

[Gill]

Hello Sharon, don't worry too much. If you do the eqvalan now then it should be ten weeks until you next worm, taking you to near the end of October. You can double dose pyrantel then for tapeworm, it is the perfect time. Horses may pick up tapeworm from pasture over the summer and the adults can be treated at this stage. Is your horse in with others, and have they all missed the worming date? If he is at home by himself and you clean the pasture then he may not need worming as yet. A worm count can help with this decision.
Reminds me- I must find time this week to check my own ponies!

[Sharon H]

Thanks Gill. I'll do that. Both of mine share the field with other horses belonging to the yard owner. She does hers with equest which I'm not keen on using (Can't really say why on here) but of course the problem is that trying to keep them in sync is difficult because the equest is only given every 13 weeks. Am I correct in thinking that furexel is the same time span? Obviously it would be better if we can get them all on the same timing. I would love to get worm counts done for all of them but I don't think she'd go for it and it wouldn't be worth doing my two if I don't have any control over the others would it?
(Sorry for hi-jacking your thread Sarah!)

[lamprellsarah]

Don't worry about it :)
Thanks i have sent off for one, i never realised they were so cheap, even though i only have one horse now!!!.

But will the info i get back be any good? as i share a field with about 10 other horses, so if they aren't on the same programme, or they have bad worms will my programme work???

[Gill]

Hello again.
Sharon, Furexel is the same as Eqvalan with a dose interval of 8-10 weeks. People have different opinions about Equest, all I can say is that I use it with my own ponies. You are right that you wont be able to keep them in sync with different dose intervals.
Sarah, thanks for sending for a pack, you should have it today (thursday) if the post is performing properly. I think that when you share a field with a lot of other owners you do need a good worming policy in place. Can they be pursuaded to worm together using one programme? If not then your efforts are being undermined all the time. Having said that, at least you can get a bit of peace of mind (or otherwise) by using the count as a check and I am sure that you would want to know if there actually is a problem. You may find all is well. If not, then would you want to keep your horse where he is constantly under threat from a parasite problem? At least you will know what to do.
Please don't ever get the impression that we are telling people to stop worming their horses. That is far from the case. But it is important to use these drugs with care and intelligence as I am sure you realise.

[lamprellsarah]

Yeah i got it thanks, i will be sending a sample pretty soon!
It is a really nice yard and it's better at worming than the other two i have been to, it's just there are a couple of horses that i am sure are not wormed properly, and i don't think mine was completely ok when i bought her i gave her a double dose of Strongid-p but she looked awlful!
We do all worm every 6 to 8 weeks at the same time, but i am sure there are a couple of people that don't although they wouldn't admit it.