Waiting for the first frost to worm...

alexomahony

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 January 2015
Messages
760
Visit site
I’ve got my wormers ready to go, just waiting on the first frost to come... do we still do this? What if it never comes? It’s so mild atm (15degC yest!) I’m reluctant to go ahead but would normally be worming around now.

What’s everyone else doing in this odd climate?
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPO

little_critter

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 June 2009
Messages
5,758
Visit site
I mentioned this to my vet at the last egg count. He agreed that a frost is ideal but given the climate we seem to have now he’d prefer i wormed at the end of October rather than wait for a frost that may not come.
 

HashRouge

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 February 2009
Messages
9,254
Location
Manchester
Visit site
When I spoke to my vet recently she said there is actually no reason to wait for the first frost and it is fine to worm for encysted red worm in the Autumn. This is unfamiliar to me, but I did it anyway as the Welsh had a positive tapeworm test so I just gave him a tube of Pramox.
 

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Joined
7 February 2013
Messages
17,814
Location
Outstanding in my field!
Visit site
Rigsby came from a large livery yard, so I wormed soon after he arrived just to be sure (even though they had a good worming program).

I don't think the frost thing matters to us much really as we poo pick twice a day. Rigsby isn't even on grass. He had a Pramox.
 

HappyHollyDays

Slave to 2 cats and 2 ponies
Joined
2 November 2013
Messages
13,231
Location
On the edge of the Cotswolds
Visit site
My two will have their worm counts done today and I’m also going to do tapeworm tests. I’m a bit concerned if they come back positive because I can’t give Pramox as DP is a very very prone to colic this time of year. Is there anything that does both tapeworm and encysted redworm or is Pramox the only option.
 

oldie48

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 April 2013
Messages
7,027
Location
South Worcestershire
Visit site
i shared this on another thread recently, it's an article by Westgate labs that explains why we normally wait for a cold snap and gives a bit of advice.

https://www.westgatelabs.co.uk/news...so9a0yHXDxwZtwYBiDZdTg8Ao_ClXa-OP67lB8mpBjPxI
Thanks for this. I did an egg count on Rose and Fatty and they had a low medium burden and I was advised to worm them. Did them both on the 9th November with Equest Pramox. I'm always a bit confused with worming and usually the egg count comes back low with no need to worm. I think I'm now covered for everything until I do a Spring count?
 

eggs

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 February 2009
Messages
5,245
Visit site
I was told that the waiting for first frost was a throw back to the old days when if there was a frost it was usual that the horses would not be worked hard and that nowadays there is not need to wait for a frost.
 

EmmaC78

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 December 2006
Messages
1,526
Visit site
My two will have their worm counts done today and I’m also going to do tapeworm tests. I’m a bit concerned if they come back positive because I can’t give Pramox as DP is a very very prone to colic this time of year. Is there anything that does both tapeworm and encysted redworm or is Pramox the only option.

I was looking online for ages last night and as far as I can find Pramox is the only one that does both.
 

Tiddlypom

Carries on creakily
Joined
17 July 2013
Messages
22,233
Location
In between the Midlands and the North
Visit site
Thanks, I looked for ages today as well and couldn’t find anything.
Since Equitape (praziquantel) was discontinued, I worm with Equimax (ivermectin + praziquantel) in autumn to cover tapes, then plain Equest in Jan or Feb for encysted red worms.

Equimax is not as drastic a wormer as Pramox, and causes fewer side effects.

It’s nuts that praziquantel is no longer available as a standalone product, but is freely available mixed in with other wormers.
 

poiuytrewq

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 April 2008
Messages
17,382
Location
Cotswolds
Visit site
Since Equitape (praziquantel) was discontinued, I worm with Equimax (ivermectin + praziquantel) in autumn to cover tapes, then plain Equest in Jan or Feb for encysted red worms.

Equimax is not as drastic a wormer as Pramox, and causes fewer side effects.

It’s nuts that praziquantel is no longer available as a standalone product, but is freely available mixed in with other wormers.
Another same as above. We have had a few, well 2 frosts this year already. I figured everywhere had!
 

HappyHollyDays

Slave to 2 cats and 2 ponies
Joined
2 November 2013
Messages
13,231
Location
On the edge of the Cotswolds
Visit site
Just want to say thank you to everyone who pointed me in the right direction yesterday, It wasn’t as straightforward as expected as the vet was a bit resistant at first to giving Eauimax now and Equest in February but we got there in the end. I’m sure it was the Pramox that triggered his colic last year, it was awful and I was in pieces and had it not been the quick action of the next door yard owner it would have been a Sunday call out.
 

Tiddlypom

Carries on creakily
Joined
17 July 2013
Messages
22,233
Location
In between the Midlands and the North
Visit site
It wasn’t as straightforward as expected as the vet was a bit resistant at first to giving Eauimax now and Equest in February but we got there in the end.
Yes, I can see why as it’s an extra dose of ivermectin that you/I wouldn’t give otherwise. But that’s been forced on us by the arbitrary removal of Equitape from sale :(.

In Spring, I worm for tapes with double dosed Strongid P to ring the changes.
 
Top