DO NOT USE A WORMER - Unless you know your horses worm count

[hussar]

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Following a talk by a local vet about 5 years ago, who may have been ahead of his time, I have been worm counting every 10-12 weeks, using Westgate Labs, and worming strategically, based on the results. I used Equest Pramox about a month ago for encysted redworm and tape.

Frequent worming of normal healthy horses can't be good for them or for the pasture the chemical is excreted onto.

 

[Weezy]

So Pramox twice yearly and daily poo picking is absolutely hunky dorey - nothing else required?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

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So Pramox twice yearly and daily poo picking is absolutely hunky dorey - nothing else required?

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On a true reduced worming programme, with good paddock management and a closed herd, you should only need to worm for Tape & Encysted in late Autumn.

 

[SpruceRI]

Went to a vet talk / worming company talk (Fort Dodge I believe).

They also said that rarely are our hotest summers or coldest winters enough to kill off worm larvae in droppings and therefore regular harrowing of the fields just serves to spread the larvae round.

They also said something about the fact that it was good horses pooing in one place and then not grazing round so if you didn't poo pick you shouldn't feel too guilty about it as the larvae (or hatchlings?) couldn't move as much into the pasture as people thought and also birds and beetles pecked away a lot of them.

....As you can see I didn't make good enough notes about this bit!!!

 

[Weezy]

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[ QUOTE ]
So Pramox twice yearly and daily poo picking is absolutely hunky dorey - nothing else required?

[/ QUOTE ]

On a true reduced worming programme, with good paddock management and a closed herd, you should only need to worm for Tape & Encysted in late Autumn.

[/ QUOTE ]

My paddock is poo picked daily without fail. Only P and 1 other horse who has been on the same prog as P. I have said that we only need to Pramox - other owner is happy with me dealing with worming prog - both worm tested as <50-nil. What is the bear minimum (talk brands - we Pramox ATM)

 

[S_N]

Difficult for me to ever blood test B, as she is so needle shy, we'd have to orally sedate her first and then see if it was possible.... I'm sure that there are other horses like her too.

I worm count in Jan and Jun/July and worm for tape and redworm. Paddocks poo picked daily without fail!

 

[alsxx]

Sigh - I do miss my own place!! At yard now we have to worm with Equest every 3 months and they harrow the fields (which I have always been taught gives eggs a free ride round the field!!). I do miss being able to worm count, worm as needed and poo picking (although maybe not the poo picking...)!

Also, we have a rule that they have to be kept in for 48 hours after worming. Is there any sense in this? I personally cant see any.

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Pramox is what I used last time (used to use Equitape and Equest, till they brought the combined one out).