Eradicating pinworms

[PopStrop]

New chap been here 5 weeks, 12 year old TB came out of racing just over a year ago.
Wormed with panacur 5 day guard on arrival, I know that the fields he was on for the best part of the last year were probably worm ridden after talking to previous owner and was told he was "due worming" when bought.

Itchy bum since arrival, lots of pinworms eggs to be seen when vet did tape test.
Was given a triple dose of Eqvalan on thursday on vet's advice, to be followed by another panacur 5d guard in 7 days time, and an ivermectin/propylene glycol mixture to be painted around anus and perineum once a day for two weeks.

He's currently in a field on his own, supposed to be going in with horses in next field but he keeps throwing problems up! Fields not poo picked at this yard but have enlisted some help and will be clearing his field tomorrow and then keeping it clear for however long he's in there.

Was scouring on friday after the triple dose of ivermectin, spoke to vet who suggested heavy redworm burden but none to be found in faeces. Vet was happy as long as appetite remains and bright in himself, but he's still scouring tonight.

He's no less itchy than he was before the 3x ivermectin, does that mean the pinworms are still alive and leaving eggs?! Vet didn't seem very hopeful at getting rid of pinworms and everything I've read says they're buggers to get rid of. Am washing & drying bum before applying ivermectin mix because of scouring.

Have read that one way of spread is through contaminated water sources - any ideas on how to disinfect his trough?! Know it takes 5 months for pinworms to reach maturity but one of his favourite bum scratching posts is next to trough so chances are his trough now needs sorting.

Also want to treat fence posts he's been rubbing on, what would be best?! But can't use anything nasty yet as he's continuing to scratch and has cut the underside of his dock.

If I can't eradicate the pinworms, does that mean any horse he's turned out with will likely end up infected and he's doomed to spend the rest of his days on his own?!

Argh! Any help/advice much appreciated please!

 

[Tnavas]

The Ivomectin should have got rid of them. Surprised that the vet considers them hard to get rid off - my vet was surprised to actually see them when I first got my Clydesdale as with the modern wormers they have reduced dramatically in numbers. Could be a fungal infection as well - is the skin in the tail hair flakey?

If so wash with Nizeral - it a human anti dandruff shampoo (anti fungal) dilute with warm water and work well into tail hair, leave for at least 10 mins then rinse out. Generally knocks it on the head with one wash.

My Clydesdale is the same - came to me as a foal with every parasite you could imagine - she was bomb drenched with an Ivermectin & Praziquontal worm, once a week for three weeks and then when she was still itching I washed her tail with Nizeral - now as soon as she starts to itch she gets her tail washed.

 

[shazza283]

ditto ivermectin should have got rid of them - might be in a scratch itch cycle - scratching--> damage --> itchy so scratches etc etc - maybe bathing in an anti-itch shampoo and then drying and applying something like stop itch/ itch stop salve made by nettex might work.

As far as I know it's usually oral transmission from grass - not sure how well eggs would survive in trough of water but a good scrub out should get rid of any left and scratching post is only an issue if the others are chewing the wood - again a good scrub off should sort it.

Pinworms have got more common and I think there's been an article about resistance of these worms to moxidectin (the stuff in equest)

www.smartworming.co.uk has got some good info

 

[Bethie]

Funnily enough (or not!), someone asked this at a wormer resistance lecture I went to at the weekend. The advice given was to try a double dose of Strongid P as anecdotally, ivermectin/moxidectin although licensed for pinworms, aren't that effective.

 

[PopStrop]

Thanks guys, am happy to report he seems to be less itchy. Vet has now changed tune and said that once the course of fenbendazole is completed he should be clear as either the ivermectin or the fenbendazole will have got them, and he'll be ok to turn out with others as long as he's not still itchy.
Not completely sure why I've got to do another course of fenbendazole as he's already had a course when he arrived and it obviously didn't work so by doing another course will it not just increase resistance? Vet has said to go ahead and give him it again anyway.

He's still scouring so have picked up some codeine from vets to slow his digestion down. No flaky hair in tail but may well be in scratch/itch cycle, but can I apply anything to soothe itch whilst I'm applying ivermectin externally as don't want to stop the ivermectin from working?

Will be doing tapeworm after first frosts so can incorporate a double strongid p then if he's still itching?
I think I want to do a fecal egg count to check for resistance in other worms/eggs at some point in all this, when would be best to do this? The pinworms obviously didn't respond to the fenbendazole, but then pinworms eggs wouldn't usually show in a fecal count. Should probably have done one before giving the ivermectin but too late now!