New Horse hasnt been wormed in AGES!!

When I picked Kira up she hadn't been wormed for yonks. She looked incredibly well, but fearing the worst i started with a worm count. Glad I did, her worm burden was sky high and we had to proceed with care. I was advised by the company that did it (Westgate) to start off with some fairly 'gentle' wormers 4 weeks apart, and then to repeat the count to check for resistance.

From memory she had a tube of strongid p and then a 5 day panacur. If we'd gone straight in with something like equest it might have been too much at once for her. So I'd say start with a worm count - either buy a test from a specialist lab or get your vet to do it... then see what you're dealing with.
 
I'd also proceed with caution, if a heavy worm burden is shifted too fast it can cause serious problems. I usually start with panacur 5 day but a quick call to your vet wouldn't go amiss and they are usually happy to advise over the phone although may want to come out.
 
Mince Pie said:
I'd also proceed with caution, if a heavy worm burden is shifted too fast it can cause serious problems. I usually start with panacur 5 day but a quick call to your vet wouldn't go amiss and they are usually happy to advise over the phone although may want to come out.
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^^^^ This. You can't be too careful.
 
I was previously advised to use the Panacur 5 day course for worming a pony with an unknown worming history, rather than something like Equest or Pramox. You can then worm 4 to 6 weeks later with a different wormer.

Worm counts are a good idea to show you are making progress with the worm burden. But do take a few days to do, I personally would rather start the worming programme asap.
 
Other way round usually milliepops.
panacur 5 day then double dose strongid/pyratape or I would prob now single dose with praziquantel (equitape).

I would NOT use equest/pramox on a horse with unknown history as that is a colic waiting to happen :p.
 
as an aside you could do a FEC for interest but if it came back low I would still worm a horse with an unknown history because of the way worm eggs in poo works ;)
 
ester said:
as an aside you could do a FEC for interest but if it came back low I would still worm a horse with an unknown history because of the way worm eggs in poo works ;)
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If memory serves me correctly, doesn't the head of the worm stay embedded in the gut and the 'eggs' are small segments that break off from the tail end portion, passing through the gut in the dung? It's being a very long time since I did Biology at school!:rolleyes3:
 
merlin100 said:
If memory serves me correctly, doesn't the head of the worm stay embedded in the gut and the 'eggs' are small segments that break off from the tail end portion, passing through the gut in the dung? It's being a very long time since I did Biology at school!:rolleyes3:
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tapeworms yes, but it isn't tapeworms you are counting in FEC. It is more that there are issues with aggregation of eggs in the droppings. Worms don't release eggs on a consistent regular basis and the sample size taken is usually fairly small so unless you are chucking 24 h worth into a cement mixer it can be 'fairly' easy to get a false negative result. Not so much of an issue with a horse you know, one like this that could be quite problematic.
 
Don't host animals usually acquire a degree of resistance to their parasites, unless overwhelmed? Horses and worms have been living together for a very long time. Provided they are not grazing contaminated pasture, I can't really accept some of the paranoia about worms and worming. Yeah, I know, I'm going to get shot down for that point of view! But if it ain't broken, don't fix it. I don't see why a horse that hasn't been wormed for some time but looks fine, shouldn't be fine! Maybe it has this acquired resistance?
 
Usually resilience over resistance, also not helped by the fact we manufacture herds so that there isn't usually a sacrificial oldie or youngster to keep them all ;)
The main issue is spring emergence of encysted redworms really, so if you have no history on a horse and it's living situation/stocking density/pasture management that is a problem. I imagine you are pretty good on the latter and iirc sheep?
 
ester said:
Usually resilience over resistance, also not helped by the fact we manufacture herds so that there isn't usually a sacrificial oldie or youngster to keep them all ;)
The main issue is spring emergence of encysted redworms really, so if you have no history on a horse and it's living situation/stocking density/pasture management that is a problem. I imagine you are pretty good on the latter and iirc sheep?
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I used to see the occasional worm in poo when poo picking but haven't seen any since last year when a couple of foals were inside being weaned. And that was just the odd worm.

Going back a few years, I shut a field up without poo picking it and did notice larvae (I assume) apparently newly hatched from dung. None seen since.

Since then I have seen no worms at all. Zero. Haven't done FECs even though I have the microscope, slides. and the knowledge (due to laziness). A couple of 2yo's that were a bit ribby were wormed but I don't think they needed it and nothing else looks the least bit wormy. The label on the wormer says foals should be wormed every six weeks. I doubt whether we do it every six months!

Also, the two GSD pups were wormed once and haven't exhibited symptoms (worms in poo) since, so they haven't been wormed again.

So I am extremely sceptical that all the fanatical worming that's recommended is actually needed -- at least in my situation. No, no sheep (thank God!) and only a herd of a dozen Highland ponies varying from foals to oldies in their teens and twenties on 20 acres, all apparently glowing with health!
 
Mine was fat, shiny and looking well when he came back from loan. He wormed counted at over 1500. I'm not sure you can go by what they look like or if worms are visible in droppings.
 
ester said:
Other way round usually milliepops.
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Ahh, thanks for correcting. It's written in my little log book but that's at the yard :o

FrankieCob said:
Mine was fat, shiny and looking well when he came back from loan. He wormed counted at over 1500. I'm not sure you can go by what they look like or if worms are visible in droppings.
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Yes, mine too. Outwardly she looked incredibly well - the fattest horse I've ever come across that wasn't struck down with laminitis, coat gleaming, eyes bright... but absolutely stuffed to the gunnels with worms :p
 
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