The odd worming result

[Orangehorse]

I poo pick my summer paddocks every day. My horse and pony have had 2 previous clear worm counts this year. Just done another one and the result it that one needs worming and the other doesn't.

I have heard of these odd results before, but it seems strange that both animals have exactly the same regime for the past 3 years, yet one has worms and the other hasn't.

I am not thinking that there is anything wrong with the test, because I have heard of this sort of result before.

Trip down to the vets and purchase of wormer tomorrow.

 

[ycbm]

I might test the one with the high worm count for Cushings. Anything that reduces the efficiency of the immune system can make a horse less resistant to worms, and that's the only one you can cheaply and easily test for that is common.

 

[milliepops]

Mine come back like this from time to time. The older one always returns no eggs seen, the younger sometimes wants worming.
I wonder whether her previous worm history has any effect. Millie has always been in a structured regime whereas kira was kind of left to her own devices for quite a while before I got her, and arrived with a heavy worm burden.

 

[ycbm]

Mine come back like this from time to time. The older one always returns no eggs seen, the younger sometimes wants worming.
I wonder whether her previous worm history has any effect. Millie has always been in a structured regime whereas kira was kind of left to her own devices for quite a while before I got her, and arrived with a heavy worm burden.

Interesting!

Mine that tests positive for tape was a thin, neglected Irish import at four.

 

[Orangehorse]

I might test the one with the high worm count for Cushings. Anything that reduces the efficiency of the immune system can make a horse less resistant to worms, and that's the only one you can cheaply and easily test for that is common.

Bingo! Light bulb moment. I think you could be right. The pony had a touch of laminitis last winter - in December - and all summer I have been thinking "considering the high quality feed that pony is getting, she could look better." Greys don't really have shiny coats though. Pony and my older horse are getting the same feed, in different quantities obviously, but he has a really shiny coat and looks very well.

As well, have to see what the vet says.

 

[michelledud]

I think irrespective of any worming or counts or poo-picking regime you are on, it has more to do with the horse's individual susceptibility to worms.
I've known many herds on the same management whose worm counts come back with different results.
It's got to be down to the individual horse in my opinion x

 

[serenityjane]

The saying is- 90% of the worms in any herd/flock can be found in 10% of the stock-ie some animals (horse/sheep/cow) will be the wormy ones and others won't-it is just that some are more resistant /susceptable than others.