liver fluke

[tikino]

has anyone had any experience of this and if so what was the treatment

 

[lamicjoa1]

You are best off asking your vet, but often triclabendazole is one of the main treatments- think commercial name is fasinex? But don't quote me on this, I'm just a lowly vet student
Alot of the treatments arent registered for use in horses, so definitely a vet needed!

 

[tikino]

vet is dealing with it just wanted a bit more info thanks anyway

 

[flintfootfilly]

When you say the vet is dealing with it, what do you mean they are doing, please?

My only experience of it is one fluke egg found in 3 grams of poo from one of my ponies last year. Around a dozen other samples had not shown anything. We were investigating because of raised liver enzymes.

My vet spoke to David Sutton at Glasgow Uni who is interested in liver fluke in horses and he recommended dosing with Fasinex, so if your vet hasn't already done this it is probably worth suggesting they have a word with DS.

Worth knowing, too, that there is some resistance to triclabendazole (the active ingredient of Fasinex), and I think I'm right in saying I heard of someone in the Glasgow area or thereabouts where there was known resistance to it, so again it's worth speaking to DS in case he has any suggestions relating to that.

Sarah

 

[tikino]

its david sutton that she is working along with

 

[widget]

I had this with my yearling, after a week of not eating and weight falling off got the diagnosis and then wormed with fasinex was eating next day and now fit again

 

[Monkers]

I had this with my yearling, after a week of not eating and weight falling off got the diagnosis and then wormed with fasinex was eating next day and now fit again

How did you get a diagnosis? With a fecal test?

 

[riding_high]

my horse had liver fluke a few years ago. after numerous blood tests the vet said that he had an idea of what it might be but wanted to do a liver biopsy. biopsy was done and it showed he had alot of fluke and the liver was badly damaged. he had some kind of injection (can't remember what it was called now) and after a couple of weeks i could see an improvement.

 

[jrp204]

Fluke has been rife in sheep and cattle this year as it has been so wet, not sure how much of a risk it is with horses, would be interesting to know.

 

[exdressagediva]

My mare was given fasinex as a option to what has caused peritonitis as I lost a lot of sheep to this. She didn't have any ill effects from this. She's been in the Dick vet Edinburgh. I gave some of my sheep the hilton herbs stuff for liver function and it perked them up. Hope your horse is better soon

 

[widget]

Hi yes it was a faecal count and blood tests but was really a lucky guess of the vets with advice from leahurst that fluke has been seen a lot. Since met someone else who's horses had it too.

 

[MonreithWolfgang]

Hi, my miniature Shetland is currently being treated by David Sutton for suspected liver fluke. A horse at our yard was put to sleep and it was discovered during his autopsy that he had liver fluke. All the horses on the yard were blood tested as part of a herd health evaluation as a result of this . My pony has had 2 doses of fasinex and her GTT level has reduced, however a biopsy 8 weeks ago showed that the damage to her liver is severe and her prognosis is poor (her liver function at the moment is within reference and she currently is symptomless which is quite hard to believe given her biopsy scoring). She has had another dose of fasinex and is due to return to the Weipers centre for another biopsy within the next couple of weeks. She is being supplemented with Vitamin E and on a hepatic diet. We have a huge problem with sheep from a neighbouring farm invading our fields and I now have to consider drenching my other horses as a preventative. I am based west of Glasgow and there has been resistance to the drencher seen in cattle and sheep in this area so there is a lot to take into consideration before giving it to the horses as its unlicensed for the use in horses.

 

[Monkers]

Widget, do you have any more info about the blood test for fluke? My vet says their isn't one, but I have heard from a few sources now that you can blood test for fluke.

 

[MonreithWolfgang]

There is no specific blood test to diagnose fluke in horses at the moment. David Sutton is in the process of trying to develop one. My pony has had 7 blood tests since January. They are looking at liver parameters and liver function, specifically GTT enzyme. Fluke causes the same damage to the biliary tract as ragwort.

 

[Monkers]

There is no specific blood test to diagnose fluke in horses at the moment. David Sutton is in the process of trying to develop one. My pony has had 7 blood tests since January. They are looking at liver parameters and liver function, specifically GTT enzyme. Fluke causes the same damage to the biliary tract as ragwort.

thanks, I was hoping there was a new blood test! My horses have high GGT with no obvious cause.

 

[Silverfire]

Do horses with liver fluke always have raised liver enzymes?