Worms

[Maci]

I've never seen a horse, with worms, feces. I was wondering (for future knowledge incase I ever come across this), when you have a horse with worms, will the worms be very visible in his feces, or would you have to look closely and "dig around"? Thanks!

Maci

 

[ros]

I think worms are a bit like fleas - when you start to see them it's just the tip of the iceberg! You'd see adult worms fairly easily; Mark was harrowing one of our fields a few weeks ago where a girl keeps four small ponies and he saw some worms in the dung. (He did tell her but she said she'd just wormed them - about b. time too! Glad no-one else has to share with her.)

 

[suze]

I dont really know what to look for either.
I did panic when I found a disgiusting worm but someone told me it could well have been an earthworm. Looked like one with a red head and red dot at its other end.
I have been looking closely since then and as Chester is being seperated (starvation paddock) Im checking his but have found nothing at all to my relief.

 

[Gill]

Hi Maci,
you do sometimes see worms in the droppings, although I have never seen any in my own horses droppings, even though they have worms from time to time. If you wormed a horse then you might see redworm passed, small and red. Roundworms are pretty horrific looking, long thick, white worms, usually only a problem with foals. Tapeworm segments might be visible. Generally I think the horse would have to be in quite bad shape for the droppings to be very wormy.
Sometimes people ask me about worm eggs too, but these are not visible with the naked eye, in case anyone is wondering.
Getting your horses worm counts done is a good guide to parasite levels, or in the case of tapeworm the vet can do a blood test.
www.westgatelabs.com (postal worm counts)

 

[Wally]

Sadly I have seen some horrific cases of worms. If the worms are being passed you don't really have to dig. In my experience the worms are usually on the outer surface of the dropping.

I have seen manure which was RED, with worms, bright red! Yuck, I have seen round worms over 3 inches long and still living and writhing!

Our little rescue mare had manure that could get up and walk about by it's self.

They are easily recognisable as they don't look like earth worms at all.

 

[Maci]

Thanks!

Great help! Thank you guys very much! Manure red with worms...yummy...

Maci

PS- Thanks for the website Gill! I enjoy the picture on the homepage with the foal looking over his stall!! Cute!!

 

[Gill]

Thanks Maci. I'm afraid our web site is rather overdue for an update. The 'little foal' you see there is Smartie with her mum Sally looking over the door of the stable she was born in. Smartie is now a strapping four year old, very cheeky, destined to be my daughters next riding horse. Sally is 24 this year and has given our family many years of pleasure. She is on loan to a friend at the moment, ridden regularly and still behaves like a seven year old.