Worm burdens

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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I know a heavy worm burden can cause colic. But that's all I know - I don't know any of the in betweens. And by that I mean what type of colic and the severity. Another question about colic, (and it's probably a bit like how long's a piece of string) but the spasmodic and relatively mild kind, is that more common in older horses? Does anyone on here have experience with horses that suffered mild but regular episodes and if so, what was the cause or did you never discover? Thanks in advance.
 
Ive got a big pack of colic info that was handed out by a vets for a presentation i went to a couple of years ago. Ill have a look in it tonight to see if theres any info on worms.

Ive only ever seen colic once, in chunky. Scared the hell out of me. I some days later worked out that it was some hay that id put in the field and had been there a couple of weeks and started fermenting where it got rained on. I realised some days after the colic episode it was missing from the field. So he must have got hungry and eaten it.
 
chunky monkey said:
Ive got a big pack of colic info that was handed out by a vets for a presentation i went to a couple of years ago. Ill have a look in it tonight to see if theres any info on worms.

Ive only ever seen colic once, in chunky. Scared the hell out of me. I some days later worked out that it was some hay that id put in the field and had been there a couple of weeks and started fermenting where it got rained on. I realised some days after the colic episode it was missing from the field. So he must have got hungry and eaten it.
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Thanks, that would be great if you had time to have a look in the pack.
 
Mild and regular - I would be looking at liver fluke. Not very easy to test in horses but definitely something to think about nowadays. Liverfluke is on the up.

I think Westgate test for fluke.

For a mare I could not quite put my finger on (she was dull and not her best), I gave her Fasinex. It is not licenced in horses but it does the trick. Your vet should give you the right dose. Does not harm and can make all the difference. xx
 
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Sorry busy afternoon and im only just off to do the animals. Just found the pack, will have a look through the info tomorrow.
 
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There’s different worms that will cause different issues, eg small red worms can damage the gut as the eat the lining and encyst (bury into gut wall as part of their development), that can result in discomfort and if they all die off at once cause some big problems and the damage is long lasting, things like ongoing fecal water syndrome or very sensitive tummy. Ascarids can cause impaction but that’s generally only in young horses.
Generally we don’t see the bad worm infestations of years ago (and resulting colic) as wormers are better, there’s more types available and they are more strategically used now in conjunction with FECs.
Jess has coliced more than I like, it’s probably 10 times over 17 years tho, she was worse when younger, 2 occasions were gas from stuffing down far too much hay and resolved without vet intervention, she had 1 bad sand colic which resulted in a week in hospital, a couple of other spasmodic colics, some needing the vet others not, the last was when she had a bad asthma attack and it looks like the stress and coughing set her off. Hank has coliced twice in 8 years, 1 sand, the other I think mildly impacted. Both have routinely zero eggs found in their FECs. Dan who always has a high FEC has never coliced with me, and didn’t with his previous owners of more than 10 years.
 
Ziggy nearly died of severe impaction colic not long after I got him, caused by a tapeworm blocking the entrance to his small intestine. I trusted the dealer when she said she had wormed him.
 
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Jessey said:
There’s different worms that will cause different issues, eg small red worms can damage the gut as the eat the lining and encyst (bury into gut wall as part of their development), that can result in discomfort and if they all die off at once cause some big problems and the damage is long lasting, things like ongoing fecal water syndrome or very sensitive tummy. Ascarids can cause impaction but that’s generally only in young horses.
Generally we don’t see the bad worm infestations of years ago (and resulting colic) as wormers are better, there’s more types available and they are more strategically used now in conjunction with FECs.
Jess has coliced more than I like, it’s probably 10 times over 17 years tho, she was worse when younger, 2 occasions were gas from stuffing down far too much hay and resolved without vet intervention, she had 1 bad sand colic which resulted in a week in hospital, a couple of other spasmodic colics, some needing the vet others not, the last was when she had a bad asthma attack and it looks like the stress and coughing set her off. Hank has coliced twice in 8 years, 1 sand, the other I think mildly impacted. Both have routinely zero eggs found in their FECs. Dan who always has a high FEC has never coliced with me, and didn’t with his previous owners of more than 10 years.
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Some of the young horses imported from France died of red worm issues as they had not been wormed and they became seriously ill and did not recover despite intensive treatment. Our tests tend to be zero or less than 50, but from time to time we get one of them who has a really high reading and have to treat and re-test. Never the same one, sometimes Suze, once Buddy, once Aimee donkey etc.
 
Dan came to me riddled 3 years ago (so bad he was pooping live worms), and despite getting him down repeatedly he always comes back high eventually 😣 my vet wondered if he had a moxidectin resistant strain or maybe because he’s packing a lot of fat which changes how moxidectin works but I darent give him a higher dose as there lots of anecdotal evidence of equest killing minis.
 
Thank you all for the replies. I'm working my way through a list and eliminating things - worm burdens (ruling them out) being one of them. I've got worm egg count kits in the post coming to me. Though I feel maybe it could be a collection of things. Teeth (again) next week. After that, I really don't know. She is old and until 6 months ago had never had a days ill health bar the long-term condition of Cushings (which has been under control and not caused any issues for 11 years!) Now I am watching her like a hawk for colic as she had another mild episode in the field yesterday. She recovered quickly and was as bright as a button again shortly afterwards. But something isn't sitting right with me and I need to get to the bottom of this. So just working my way through all possibilities.
 
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