encysted redworm HELP needed with ongoing treatment please

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clairemax

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:( I 'rescued' a pony that was thin and had intermittent diarrhea. He's a cremello gypsy cob colt about 2 years old - Snowy. After putting him on a feeding/ worming program I realised he was not going to improve, and that he had not gained any weight. the vet started treatment for encysted redworm/ larval cyathostominosis. I'd already given him Equest Pramox before moving him to my paddock (luckily Snowy had stayed on a patch away from my others) He then had 3 more Equest at 2 weekly intervals and a course of steroids.
Now 2 months on, he is brighter but has put on no weight, his blood proteins have not increased and he still has diarrhea.
I had 3 choices to spend a huge amount of money on investigative surgery/scans (not an option) have him put down, or keep him ticking over on half dose steroids and hope time will heal slowly. For the last 2 months he's been off grass and on a concrete yard with stable. Ad lib hay, conditioning mix hifi light and a NAF 5star feed balancer with pro biotics and herbs and a cup of corn oil a day.
Does anyone have any experience of ongoing care/recovery please? Any ideas suggestions very welcome.
 
I would say that is a lot of drugs pumped in a short space of time and his system probably needs a bit more time to recover fully.

I would keep him on high fibre as much as you can to help his systems keeping moving.

Why is he still on steroids?
 
dianchi said:
I would say that is a lot of drugs pumped in a short space of time and his system probably needs a bit more time to recover fully.

I would keep him on high fibre as much as you can to help his systems keeping moving.

Why is he still on steroids?
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New to this - not sure where my reply went to!
Still on steroids half dose for 2 weeks to wean him off, trying bio sponge next (vet recommendations)
 
Sorry I meant what were the steroids for?

I don't know if they still make it/ you can get it, but recovering horses we always used to use Visorbin as an overall pick me up tonic.

Alternatively I know people that have used Trinity Consultants for their liver/body tonic, but haven't used it myself.
 
dianchi said:
Sorry I meant what were the steroids for?

I don't know if they still make it/ you can get it, but recovering horses we always used to use Visorbin as an overall pick me up tonic.

Alternatively I know people that have used Trinity Consultants for their liver/body tonic, but haven't used it myself.
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The steroids were to reduce inflammation in the gut wall from the emergence of the encysted larvae.
Thanks - Will look into those suggestions :)
 
Don't think you can do much more drugs wise, just follow vets advice, personally [and its easier for me to say] I would try to get him better, obviously, but these worms could have caused permanent damage, you have to hope not. ..... Main thing is to find out if he could affect the others, if not turn him out with the others asap and hope it all sorts itself out.
 
MrsD123 said:
Don't think you can do much more drugs wise, just follow vets advice, personally [and its easier for me to say] I would try to get him better, obviously, but these worms could have caused permanent damage, you have to hope not. ..... Main thing is to find out if he could affect the others, if not turn him out with the others asap and hope it all sorts itself out.
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I'd love to turn him out with the others but he can't cope with the grass at the moment - it's a long haul and I take your point about the long term possible damage.
 
I am going through the exact same thing with my boy. Hes on veterinary probiotic powder twice a day. Yesterday his latest bloods showed no improvement in his protein levels. My vet is reluctant to prescribe steroids yet but has put him on Myoplast, which is an equine supplement. Have no idea if it will help or not. After a week of no diarrhoea it started again yesterday so I am willing to try anything. My cob is fed topspec lite balancer and topchop lite. Hope it starts clearing soon for both of them xx
 
missmatch said:
I am going through the exact same thing with my boy. Hes on veterinary probiotic powder twice a day. Yesterday his latest bloods showed no improvement in his protein levels. My vet is reluctant to prescribe steroids yet but has put him on Myoplast, which is an equine supplement. Have no idea if it will help or not. After a week of no diarrhoea it started again yesterday so I am willing to try anything. My cob is fed topspec lite balancer and topchop lite. Hope it starts clearing soon for both of them xx
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Other suggestions I've had are to use Aloe Vera, and/or Slippery Elm to line the stomach. And Charcoal has been suggested. My prime worry at the moment is the diarrhea :(

Another similar rescue pony in my village was treated by same vet in the same way, and is now fine - however it is possible that my colt was ill for a lot longer prior to me getting him.

I've seen some research that suggests penecillin might help - the vet has discounted this - and I can see that it would not help with the natural balance of the gut but have you heard of this??
 
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Havent heard of the penicillin for it but just spoke to topspec and they have suggested moving him onto topspec complete balancer as it has 25% more protein and more vitamins etc... to support him. Shall try that with the new supplement see what happens x
 
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