Wormer causing mild colic?

Holly Hocks

Holly Hocks

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I got to the yard tonight and my five year old was standing at the gate to come in. This in itself caused alarm bells straightaway - she never normally wants to come in. I brought her in and she did a massive fart and splattered the back wall of the stable with severe diarrhea. She didn't touch her net, or her feed (which is only a handful of plain hay chaff anyway). She was wormed on Friday evening with Equest. Could this have caused this reaction? She isn't kicking her belly or sweating, just standing at the back of the box shifting weight from leg to leg looking quite unhappy. She is quite happy to have all her feet picked up, and walked and trotted up fine, with no hoof sensitivity, but is definitely not herself. Could this reaction be due to the wormer on Friday night? We were out hacking this morning and she was her usual perky self. I am going back to check on her in a couple of hours. I have left her with her usual small net of soaked hay. Thanks.
 
Horses with a heavy worm burden can colic after worming due to the huge numbers of dead worms causing a blockage in the intestine. Equest kills almost every type of worm. But your horse has diarrhoea so perhaps a blockage isn't her problem. Like the other poster, I would get the vet.
 
I'm going back soon to see how she is (yard is only 5 mins drive away). She had started picking at a few strands of soaked hay just before I left but then went to stand in a corner again. I wouldn't mind, but I always do worm counts and the last one came back clear. I poo pick religiously. I've even had them blood tested for tapeworms. This was for the encysted reds which don't show on the worm count. :(
 
Charlie007 said:
When I used pramox on my lad he showed mild colic symptoms. I haven't used it again and don't seem to have any trouble with any of the others.
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It wasn't the Pramox that I used - just the normal Equest. I deliberately don't give mine Pramox as I know it has been know to cause issues. I thought I'd done the right thing, but looks like even the ordinary one may have been too strong for her.
 
The best person to ask is the vet on call. Wormers can cause problems, but I thought it was mainly in those with a heavy worm burden (dead worms block up the guts).

i would give them a ring.
 
Holly Hocks said:
I'm going back soon to see how she is (yard is only 5 mins drive away). She had started picking at a few strands of soaked hay just before I left but then went to stand in a corner again. I wouldn't mind, but I always do worm counts and the last one came back clear. I poo pick religiously. I've even had them blood tested for tapeworms. This was for the encysted reds which don't show on the worm count. :(
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Whilst it could be worms, an unexpected* case of colic would always be a vet call out for me, particularly with explosive diarrhoea. I'm afraid I also wouldn't have let the horse have food. That's usually the first thing the vet will say.

I hope it passes but please call the vet if you haven't already.

*some horses present on a semi-regular basis and the owner has a good history plus vet advice to work on, and will know the drill. A new case on the other hand could be anything and I'd always call the vet, no matter how mild it appeared to me.
 
Yep - sounds like she may have had an encysted worm problem - they don't show up on the normal worm count. Equest is about the only thing that shifts them but it can cause stomach upsets (blockage OR diarrhoea.) I would definitely speak to vet if there's no improvement.
 
Wormer doesnt cause colic, its the worms its killed that cause colic, encysted red worms which come out of the pupae stage at this time of year, hence why you should worm in autumn so they cant become encysted over winter and pupate in spring. I would also get the vet though to be safe with the sycamore seedlings which are germinating. Hope she is okay
 
Thanks everyone. I have been back to the yard and spent some time with her. She is much brighter now and I have given her a small net of soaked hay which she started tucking into straightaway. She had had another poo which was better than earlier - still not firm, but not like projectile sewage. I'm much happier having see her as she is now. I will be up there about 6am tomorrow but at least I feel more settled now. I don't think I'll ever believe my vet when they tell me that I don't need to worm because I've had a clear worm count! From now on they will be getting done for encysted reds autumn and spring!
 
Please everyone take the time to understand about worm counts, when and why to use, what they tell you. Worm late in the year for encysted stages of redworm (which are just a different stage of the egg laying mature redworm seen at other times of the year). A five year old will often still have an immature immune system as regards worms, especially if he had a lot of worms when a foal. If in doubt please ask someone who can help. This is an informative article which again says not to blanket worm as horses are all different https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...49545902.56147.219012241471613&type=1&theater
 
Borderreiver said:
Please everyone take the time to understand about worm counts, when and why to use, what they tell you. Worm late in the year for encysted stages of redworm (which are just a different stage of the egg laying mature redworm seen at other times of the year). A five year old will often still have an immature immune system as regards worms, especially if he had a lot of worms when a foal. If in doubt please ask someone who can help. This is an informative article which again says not to blanket worm as horses are all different https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...49545902.56147.219012241471613&type=1&theater
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Good article. Now mine were both blood tested for tapeworm and my vet told me just to worm them for tapes once a year. What time of year would be best for that? Thanks
 
Am not saying its not the worm issue but just to add that the spring grass has suddenly flushed through in my field this last week. Cue much diarrhoea and green poos. My old pony used to refuse to eat anything but the grass at this time of year. So could equally be something simple like that.
 
Fun Times said:
Am not saying its not the worm issue but just to add that the spring grass has suddenly flushed through in my field this last week. Cue much diarrhoea and green poos. My old pony used to refuse to eat anything but the grass at this time of year. So could equally be something simple like that.
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You are right, but normally the TB would also have green runny poos when this happens and she didn't. Also this pony is such a gannet it wouldn't matter how much grass she had, she would still carry on eating whatever was put in front of her. I was on full alert that something wasn't right when she was standing at the gate to come in. My TB gets like your old pony when the grass comes through - just wants the grass and nothing else!
 
Buddy'sMum said:
You could use Pramox late Nov/Dec against encysted redworm and tapeworm.
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Would there be any point in doing it in a couple of weeks (I have some Equitape in) and then again in Nov/Dec as they haven't been done for tapes since they were blood tested last August. And then getting into the yearly cycle of doing it Nov/Dec? Or is there no point in doing tapes at this time of year? Thanks
 
If you don't like to use Equest Pramox then Panacur Guard (the 5day wormer) is for encysted redworm too. Use sometime between November and February.

Equitape will kill the most common type of tapeworm, as will Strongid P at double dose (which will also kill some other worms), or Equimax will kill all three types of tapeworm and some other worms too. Spring and/or autumn are the best times to worm for tapeworm.

I'm glad your horse seems a little better.
 
Sugar_and_Spice said:
If you don't like to use Equest Pramox then Panacur Guard (the 5day wormer) is for encysted redworm too. Use sometime between November and February.

Equitape will kill the most common type of tapeworm, as will Strongid P at double dose (which will also kill some other worms), or Equimax will kill all three types of tapeworm and some other worms too. Spring and/or autumn are the best times to worm for tapeworm.

I'm glad your horse seems a little better.
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Great thanks - I'll do them with the Equitape in a couple of weeks, worm count in summer, then Panacur 5 day again in Autumn. I don't fancy using the Equest again on the native after today, although the TB is completely fine.
 
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