Reactions to Wormer

[lt0510]

I have a Quarter horse filly which I wormed with Panacur Guard 5 day course last year. I wormed her with the 5 day Guard as a precaution due to her age (she was in her second year). She was not showing any signs of infestation at all. She had an extreme reaction (which was not instant but happened over a period of weeks), she never had colic, although her coat colour changed from pale palomino to chocolate - it has now gone back to original colour which means she was really quite ill!. She lost a lot of weight and her gut then had a problem absorbing protein - it was going out through the gut wall. The advice that I was given was that she had a worm burden (although the yard has not and never has had a problem with worms and the worm count came back clear). After a course of Pro-biotics and a careful feed programme I have been able to get her back up to her ideal weight and, touch wood, we have not had another episode. I now reguarly poo-pick and worm count her but was wondering if anyone has heard of this problem or knows a horse that has suffered the same. .

 

[AmyMay]

Young horses are in particular danger of worm damage - and if your horse was not managed properly as a youngster - including as a foal - then yes I can see that there could have been a problem. Also a worm count does not show up all worms - tapeworm for one.

I do know of a horse that was considered to have reacted very badly to worming - whilst on Bute - and was destroyed ultimately because of the severity of the reaction.

 

[lt0510]

I have owned the filly since she was weaned and she is still kept at the yard that she was bred. The breeder has extensive knowledge about worming etc so I know that she has been managed correctly. I can see where you are coming from but she never had a problem with worms. Her sire is creamello and I am wondering if the dilution of the genes has some effect on her sensitivity. she was wormed with Equest last month and was off her feed for a couple of days afterwards but luckily we seem to be doing ok now.