Worming - Tapeworm - Help!

[Keimanp]

Evening All,

I had mine tested for tapeworm and the results came back as a high burden of tapeworm (0.9<0.7). I was advised by the vet to worm with Equitape.

Reading the instructions it says to keep the horse in for 48 hours. As mine live out I can't do this but they do go onto a different pasture whilst they are wormed and then off onto another one shortly afterwards.

I wormed them both on Friday evening when I got in from work and have spent time of the weekend collecting the droppings and mashing them up looking for evidence of tapeworm! (I must have looked incredibly weired to the neighbours who overlook my field!) I have found no evidence at all of any tapeworm.

From googling it looks as though when they are passed through the droppings they are not particularly hard to miss.

I know that the wormer for tapeworm strips their outer coating and allows the horses immune system to do the rest but surely I would see something by now?

I plan on phoning the vet in the morning but I wondered if you knowledgable bunch had any experience and would you have expected to see some evidence? Would you worm again or would you go down another route to confrim if there is indeed a burden?

Thanks

Robert

 

[onemoretime]

I'd contact Westgate Laboratories if I were you and have a chat to them.

 

[kerrieberry2]

I've never read the instructions but I use it every 6 months and my mare stays out! the vet told me to use it when she had a high count, they know she lives out and they've never told me to keep her in! i've never had any issues?!?!

 

[Shysmum]

poo pick religiously ?

 

[Gucc]

I wormed with equest pramox about 6 weeks ago and the next morning had very obvious tapeworm in droppings. I suspect that this was from my youngster, but as mine live out it is hard to tell.

 

[LouandBee]

I would wait a month or so and worm again with Equest Pramox which will do your tapes, encysted red worms and bots all in one go.

I would also get a re-tesT, although depending on how much the blood test costs?

 

[LouandBee]

P.S - I think most wormers recommend you leave them in afterwards but I don't quite see why as surely the worms they poo out are dead.

 

[painted ponies]

The ELISA test for tapeworm antibodies so our horse could have has a burden 6 months ago and your horses antibodies are still up as it takes a good while for them to go down. The Equest Pramox contains Praziquantel that is exactly the same at Equitape. If you are worried go for a double dose of a pyrantal such as Pyratape P as its a completely different chemical and I believe covers species of tapeworm that the Praziquantel doesnt.

 

[Keimanp]

Thank you for all the replies! I've tried to respond to each and give more information where required below.

I'd contact Westgate Laboratories if I were you and have a chat to them.

I have them on my list of people to contact tomorrow.

I've never read the instructions but I use it every 6 months and my mare stays out! the vet told me to use it when she had a high count, they know she lives out and they've never told me to keep her in! i've never had any issues?!?!

The Vet knows that I keep them out but as I've been having some trouble with him (weightloss, he's had a high count for ACTH and GGT and is now medicated) I have been vigilant and read the instructions! I always move them onto seperate pasture for worming and then move them off onto fresh grazing and make sure there are healthy breaks in the grazing of each pasture. I like to be able to have a look through the wormed droppings to see if there was any burden.

poo pick religiously ?

I poo pick on a daily basis clearing the field and I am out with a head torch through the winter months. I also rotate my pasture to break the worm cycles.

I wormed with equest pramox about 6 weeks ago and the next morning had very obvious tapeworm in droppings. I suspect that this was from my youngster, but as mine live out it is hard to tell.

I thought that they should have been obvious but have never seen them before!

I would wait a month or so and worm again with Equest Pramox which will do your tapes, encysted red worms and bots all in one go.

I would also get a re-tesT, although depending on how much the blood test costs?

Equitape is a wormer made by the same company as Equest Pramox, it is just that it is their specific wormer for targetting tapeworm so it is the same active ingredient. He was wormed with Equest about 6 weeks ago.

He is due another round of blood tests in about 6 weeks to have a look at his ACTH and GGT levels but I can't do the test for tapeworm for at least 3 months(?) after clearing them via worming as the test is for checking the antibody level within the blood and it takes some time to drop off after worming.

P.S - I think most wormers recommend you leave them in afterwards but I don't quite see why as surely the worms they poo out are dead.

They probably do all suggest they are kept in, I know mine would be climbing the walls if I suggested it to him!

The ELISA test for tapeworm antibodies so our horse could have has a burden 6 months ago and your horses antibodies are still up as it takes a good while for them to go down. The Equest Pramox contains Praziquantel that is exactly the same at Equitape. If you are worried go for a double dose of a pyrantal such as Pyratape P as its a completely different chemical and I believe covers species of tapeworm that the Praziquantel doesnt.

I read somewhere anitbodies started to decline after 3 months following removal of the worm burden? I think this will be a question for the vet tomorrow!

I will ask about trying him with an alternative chemical as that sounds as though it could be a way forward.

Are there any other ways of testing for tapeworm? or is the alternative a camera up or down to determine if and how bad the burden is??

Is the ELISA test specifically for tapeworm antibodies or could it be confused for another antibody for another type of worm burden??

Thanks again for the replies!

Robert