What to worm with?

[Skhosu]

We have:
3x ponies who have been wormed reasonably regularly
1x pony just back from a years loan, was wormed before on loan, have been told was wormed while on loan,
1x 25yr old prob hasn't been wormed in the last few years
1x brand new horse, 10yr old, probably has been wormed regularly but to be safe...
Wanting to do a worm to sort them all out now, what should I worm them with?

 

[itsme123]

pramox?

 

[myhorsefred]

Panacur 5 day guard?

 

[flowerlady]

[ QUOTE ]
Panacur 5 day guard?

[/ QUOTE ]

My vet told me over 3 years ago that Panacur 5 day guard didn't work and they only advise it to be used on young foals upto 3 months old.

 

[Weezy]

I have just used Pramox. Yes it is a bit early (I usually do it in Autumn) but with the weather changing I figured we are into Autumn already

Have changed my worming so worm count and just Pramox twice yearly, so far, so good.

 

[myhorsefred]

Oh. mine told me it was good for treating horses when you don't know their worming history.

gave it to my new horse after having worm count done. first worm count was 2247 strongyles and after pan 5 day did another count and it was down to 300.

 

[Nic74]

I use Pramox twice a year and nothing else. I used to use Panacur 5 day (and if you want to go ahead then get prices for the sheep one in a big container, for that many horses it will work out way cheaper and it's exactly the same stuff but get the right solution, some are only 10%, it's the 25% one you need). Adult redworms have strong resistance to Panacur 5 day wormer, but I am sure that the encysted stages are not resistant - that's what the last literature I read on it said anyway.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

There are two equally effective worm control strategies, which we will call, a) Traditional system, and b) New Liverpool System.

Traditional worming strategy

Use one type of wormer for an entire grazing season i.e. 12 months starting in the late autumn.
Worm every six weeks, except with EQUEST (13 week interval).
Change the wormer to an entirely different one every 12 months. A suitable rotation would be, (a) Equest (b) Strongid - P, (c) Eqvalan.
The autumn wormer must be Eqvalan (or Equest) every year to help control Bots.
Check faecal egg counts once every 12 months to ensure that the adult worm population is under control (remember encysted larvae do not produce eggs, and cannot be detected clinically).
An annual worming with a double dose of Strongid - P will protect against tape worms.
Only two wormers can kill hibernating small red worms. Equest and Panacur guard. All worm programmes should include at least one treatment with one of these per year.

A good traditional worming schedule would be :-

July Equest
Oct Double Strongid P (to kill tapeworms).
Mid Nov. Equest (this will also kill bots.)
March Equest
July Equest.
Pasture Management. (Applicable to both worming systems)
Collect droppings from the pasture twice weekly.
Many large studs and stables alternate the grazing of pasture with cattle and sheep.
Do not overstock pasture.
New Liverpool System.

Due to concerns about the development of RESISTANCE by small red worms to some of the wormers currently used, clinicians at Liverpool University have devised a system so that the use of anthelmintics (wormers) can be reduced. They point out that under the traditional system many horses are wormed every six weeks even if they have no worm infection. The Liverpool system relies on regularly monitoring the number of eggs in every horse sharing pasture. Liverpool University has developed the Diagnosteq' service to analyse samples and advise when worming becomes necessary.

Collect faecal sample every six weeks and submit for worm egg count. (Diagnosteq £7.00 + V.A.T.). If samples are negative the testing interval is extended to three months and in some cases to six months.
Do not worm the horses unless 50% of animals have an egg count over 300 eggs/g.
Blood sample once yearly to check for tape worms. (Diagnosteq £15.00 +V.A.T.). Can be arranged with annual vaccination.
Take a faecal egg count from any new horse coming onto the yard and worm accordingly.
Advantages of the system are:-

Fewer wormers are used, this will hopefully delay the development of resistance. This should mean that the existing wormers will be available to treat worm infection.
Although the initial set up costs will be higher than the traditional system, eventually there should be a saving on the purchase of wormers.
It's a 'green' system. Fewer drugs are administered to the horses.
Monitoring of the faecal egg counts gives assurance that the worm control strategy is working.
You can also visit the Liverpool University site www.liverpool.ac.uk for more information.

(From Pool House Equine Veterinary Clinic)

 

[kellyeaton]

i would count counts down so you know what you are working with. then maybe equest then 12 weeks use equest parmox for all worms bots and tapes!

 

[Skhosu]

thanks for all the suggestions, have decided to do pramox, seems to cover everything!