Faecal egg count.. who's the best?

I use Westgate think they are really good. Very helpful and very good at sending reminders and calling and talking through advice!
 
I've used Abbey Diagnostics & Westgate Lab, they are both good. One of them gives the result of any count a little quicker than the other, can't remember which. I go with whichever one is cheaper at the time. :)

Just checked, Westgate Lab costs £9.00 & Abbey Diagnostice costs £6.50 at present.
 
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Miss Bean said:
I use Westgate think they are really good. Very helpful and very good at sending reminders and calling and talking through advice!
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In BHS magazine handbook there is an advert for Westgate labs and I was going to try it as like you I have NEVER done these tests. The cost is for a 4 count pack £29 for a four test pack.??

I am assuming it means I get 4 tests (or is it 4 types of worms?? I am not sure) but am going to give it a go?

Am a bit confused but am going to give it a go? It says its a labs 4 count pack?

Oh well here goes now you have reminded me to get on with it!! I usually only worm twice a year as poo pick every day. I have a curiosity to see what is growing in all those big poos!oh it tells me it costs me less when I do a worm count in their advert...............mind you thats my two wormers costing here?? !!
 
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indie999 said:
In BHS magazine handbook there is an advert for Westgate labs and I was going to try it as like you I have NEVER done these tests. The cost is for a 4 count pack £29 for a four test pack.??

I am assuming it means I get 4 tests (or is it 4 types of worms?? I am not sure) but am going to give it a go?

Am a bit confused but am going to give it a go? It says its a labs 4 count pack?

Oh well here goes now you have reminded me to get on with it!! I usually only worm twice a year as poo pick every day. I have a curiosity to see what is growing in all those big poos!oh it tells me it costs me less when I do a worm count in their advert...............mind you thats my two wormers costing here?? !!
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You can use the 4 counts whenever you want to with no "out of date" limit! So if you have very low counts or no eggs seen in sample then you will probably use less than 4 counts a year :-)

Last year I used 1 count end of March with result no eggs seen in sample and wormed in November.(I have been doing worm counts for 2 years)

(I've just checked the prices and the 4counts pack has gone up to £31 + £2 postage as the enveloppes are already stamped for you to send straight away)
 
Even with a clear egg count, this does not cover all worms, .
Encysted red worms are treated in November, and some people also worm again in spring.
I disagree with "vets worming program", if it is like our vets, it recommends four or five wormings per annum and runs over a three year period, not preventative medication, more shotgun approach. To me, less is more.
I use Westgate for egg counts, and wormers-on-line for advice.
 
I am always happy to recommend Westgate - as the previous poster said, they're the original and have the experience others don't. They do the faecal egg counts for you, results very quickly by text or email, and if you need advice on what to do about the result, they're knowledgeable but have no tie in to any product or company.

The 4 count pack just means you get 4 little kits, so can do e.g. 4 counts across a year (or longer if your horses have consistently low counts) or do 4 horses in a field all at one time. We do this, but I have to admit it can be a challenge, stalking your horse to make sure the correct poo sample has the correct horse's name on it. Somehow, when you want them to, they never do it while you're watching. Current record is 3 days to get a sample from one particular horse, he never pooed while we were there. The downside of 24/7 turnout :D
 
Brightbay said:
I am always happy to recommend Westgate - as the previous poster said, they're the original and have the experience others don't. They do the faecal egg counts for you, results very quickly by text or email, and if you need advice on what to do about the result, they're knowledgeable but have no tie in to any product or company.

The 4 count pack just means you get 4 little kits, so can do e.g. 4 counts across a year (or longer if your horses have consistently low counts) or do 4 horses in a field all at one time. We do this, but I have to admit it can be a challenge, stalking your horse to make sure the correct poo sample has the correct horse's name on it. Somehow, when you want them to, they never do it while you're watching. Current record is 3 days to get a sample from one particular horse, he never pooed while we were there. The downside of 24/7 turnout :D
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Thankfully I only have one and there I was wondering how to get a freshie(warmth test/steam) ...but poo stalking!! Thats something new!
 
I use my vet. I think it's about £12 and get results same day. As above post said be aware that worm count does not pick up if your horse has encysted worms. I know two people who ended up with ill horses because no one explained this to them grrrr...
 
Westgate

Really helpful and when I phoned them after I got my results person on phone helped recommend which wormers would be best based on type of horse / pony, size, age etc.

:)
 
There are several factors which have a profound influence on the result of a fwec: the volume of faeces chosen; the age of the faeces; the time delay between sampling and analysis; the ambient temperature (eggs hatch much quicker when it is warmer resulting in lower or zero counts); the methodology used for counting; the experience of the technician doing the test.

If you are able to deliver a large and fresh (that morning) sample to your lab of choice and they run the test in house on the same day then you are much more likely to get an accurate result. If you post a small quantity to an external lab then the chances are they are undercounting the true result. We regularly get +ve counts from horses who have been -ve on a postal sample. There is no doubt that the on-line services are cheaper, but like so many things in life you get what you pay for!
 
Abbey Diagnostics for me, although absolutely nothing wrong with Westgate..
Our local Agri Store now does them too, same day results.
 
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