Worm egg count results

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zangels

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I just got the results back form my horses worm egg counts and they were zero. The vet advised to just worm for tape worm with either equitape or double dose strongid p. my horse was wormed for tape worm in September and my daughters pony last May. What one would you go for? I have read best time to worm for tape worm was autumn? Should I wait until then or do it now?
 
If you're worried give a call to the lab who did the test they are usually full of good independent advice. Did you vet say he needs worming for tapes now?

I only worm for tapes and encysted worms in autumn.
 
You should worm for tapeworm Autumn and Spring. Encysted redworm are usually treated for around Dec/Jan before they emerge from the gut in Spring. Egg counts are usually recommended to be done over the Summer grazing months. Depends if your on a livery yard, the amount of horses coming and going, is poo picking done? These factors can affect your worming programme too.

Your Vet is giving good advice in your case to worm for tapes now.
 
Agree good advice (even better would have to blood counted for tapes to avoid possibly unnecessary worming, hopefully this will become the norm, worth asking your vet about.

It is more expensive if it gives a positive result as you then still need to worm, but if its negative you don't then need to tapeworm that year either spring or autumn so pretty cost neutral-ish and it avoids increasing the resistance issues with the wormers.

NB my vet reckons horses who are negative on several successive tapeworm tests tend to stay free of it for a while, horses do seem to be more prone or less prone individuals. My pony is always negative in the test, my horse is sometimes positive sometimes not. I get them tested with their 6 monthly teeth and annual jabs all in one visit so it doesn't cost any more except the actual lab test.
 
good advice from the vet.

Whichever of those mentioned should be alternated with the autumn dose as there is some resistance to pyrantel emboate (double dose strongid/pyratape) but not to praziquantel (equitape/pramox/equimax etc)

Please remember you cannot get a count of 0, only a count of <50 eggs per gram of faeces tested.
 
The worm egg count was done by the vet. So is either of the twobetter to use for any reason? They were both done with equest at the end of October. The zero egg count was just what the vet said on the phine, I think I read that any between 0 and 49 are said to be zero.
 
ester said:
good advice from the vet.

Whichever of those mentioned should be alternated with the autumn dose as there is some resistance to pyrantel emboate (double dose strongid/pyratape) but not to praziquantel (equitape/pramox/equimax etc)

Please remember you cannot get a count of 0, only a count of <50 eggs per gram of faeces tested.
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Worm count result for one of my horses last week came back as <50 (no eggs seen in sample).
 
due to the well sizes (4 wells) on the slides used 1 egg seen in one well equates to 50 epg therefore that is the limit of this test.

If no eggs are seen it doesn't mean the horse has no worms, just that none were observed in any of the wells and for one to appear you would need 50 epg. There are lots of other things going on with regards to sample quality, sample mixing, and sample proportion with regards to this method too which I have probably gone on about quite enough on here.
 
Thanks ester, lots of usefull info there. Its easy to persume it means your horse has no worms when that is probably not the case.
So its best to do tape worm now and not wait until autumn? Does any one know a reason to choose one over the other out of strongid p or equitape?
 
I tend to do now and autumn tbh.

advantages of strongid is that it will also treat most other worms that might be present, advantage of equitape is no known resistance.
 
Go and ask your vet! They did the test, they will advise what next. You don't have to do it all yourself or stay confused. Our customers can ask about worm problems whenever they like or post on the fb page. You need support if you are doing something new so don't be afraid to ask.
 
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