Who does worm counts?

SNORKEY

SNORKEY

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Hi, we keep our three horses in our own fields and poo pick every day. Two of our horses have been regularly wormed for years and we got our 2yr old cob in February and wormed him with equimax, he was also wormed by his previous owner who only had him a few months, I don't know what with and I doubt the previous dealer/breeder wormed him.
Should I do a worm count? I've found them for about £10 each. Or shall I get a tape wormer now as I'd usually do then a bot egg wormer later in the winter?
I'm just wondering if its worth worming them without knowing if they really need it!
 
I would always get one done if in doubt- we bought our own land a little while ago and keep only our horses on it- but we still get regular worm counts done and occasionally they need worming, its useful to do it with their tapeworm one too :)
 
Yes I have been doing it for a few years. It's the only way to go with worming. We do not have more wormer chemicals coming out from the drug companies and tolerance is so high.

They don't pick up tapeworm or encysted red worm... But if there's adult red worm then... Well y know.
 
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I don't worm count and never will unless they find a better way to include more types of worms.
Iv known a few people trust worm counts to much to only have problems with colic and be shocked at the worms that came out after worming.
Worm count won't pick up on tape anyway and it won't pick up on encysted, pinworm, bots. It only picks up on one type of worm so don't see the point myself
 
thatsmygirl said:
I don't worm count and never will unless they find a better way to include more types of worms.
Iv known a few people trust worm counts to much to only have problems with colic and be shocked at the worms that came out after worming.
Worm count won't pick up on tape anyway and it won't pick up on encysted, pinworm, bots. It only picks up on one type of worm so don't see the point myself
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Please let people know which labs this is so they can avoid them.
 
I get worm counts done on my two - in fact I'm just awaiting the results back from Westgate Labs. I don't like multi purpose wormers as I don't think putting all the chemicals into the system at any one time can be good for them. Last time one of mine came back with a low count of large strongyles and the other a medium count of large strongyles. So I wormed them with Equest (I think - can't remember without checking) and then six weeks later did them for tape. I think it's also useful to find out if the wormer you're using is actually working....
 
SNORKEY said:
Thanks, westgate doesn't include the p&p to post it back. Does anyone know of another company that tests the same but cheaper?
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I'm a satisfied Westgate customer but ask your vet if they do worm counts - mine does and they've been great too and no posting required:)
 
So how does it work with all the other worms apart from red worm which is picked up on a test?
My friends horse had a low count and was told not to worm then a week later had colic for 3 nights running and in the end the vet wormed him and he was full of red worm which must of been encysted at the time?
Also everybody says worm for tape, that's fine but even if you have a low count for red worm does that mean u have no problem with all the other worms not tested for? I don't think I will ever be happy using counts at the mo but am always willing to learn and have read the links.
 
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