Wormng question

[emfen1305]

Since moving yards a year ago, my horse's worm counts keep coming back over just over 200, meaning he needs to be wormed and he doesn't do well with wormers (fine taking them but they really upset his stomach) - is there any way I can reduce the need to keep worming? He is kept in a sectioned off bit of field by himself (he kicks) and I poo pick it every day and he only rotates between two fields (both of which are my sections and therefore always poo picked). Other horses kept in the field came back <50, and other horses on the yard range from <50 all the way to 1000 but he's never shared with those or been a field they have been in - does he just have a low tolerance? Just feel awful worming him as it really affects him despite giving him quick fix and other gut supplements to help.

 

[Lady Jane]

Have you asked your vet for suggestions? It does sound a bit odd. What wormers do you use?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

They are probably upsetting his stomach because of the worms I would speak to your vet about the worm counts and see what thet suggest.

 

[canteron]

Sheep ???? If they follow on the horses, horse worms don’t live in sheep and vice versus so they help break the cycle!

 

[emfen1305]

No I haven’t called the vet yet as only found out over the weekend! We use equest I think.

Good suggestion on the sheep but it’s a livery so can’t do that.

Its odd because the horse the other side of the electric fence but still in the same main bit of field came back less than 50 as well, and others that share a field have wildly different counts

I’ll call the vet tomorrow

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Have you had the horse very long?

 

[emfen1305]

Have you had the horse very long?

2 and a half years, for the first year and a half he was on one yard and then moved him last year

 

[soloequestrian]

Does the yard require you to worm at over 200epg or do you feel you need to? If the horse is well in other ways I would just not. 200epg is a random figure, there is no evidence that it's a reasonable cut off and there is evidence that much higher burdens have little effect on healthy horses. If you do need to worm, I would tend to avoid Equest.

 

[emfen1305]

Yes the yard requires us to worm over 200, his came back at 275. If I was able to stay in the same field or same 2 fields all year round I would probably ask if I could leave it this time and retest next time but we rotate the fields in summer and winter and I might even end up in a different field at the end of summer so I need to do what they want me to do. All fields are poo picked by the staff so cleared roughly once a week but I do mine every day as I really didn't want to have to worm again and he has a smaller section so like to keep on top of it.

If not equest, what would you recommend? I'll have to use it this time as it's already been ordered but if i know in advance I could ask to order my own in future.

 

[Gloi]

Panacur 5 day guard is less likely to upset the stomach. You don't have to use the Equest now even if it has been ordered, just save it for a future time.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

2 and a half years, for the first year and a half he was on one yard and then moved him last year

I would speak to your vet about it and the people you sent the worm count to should advise which wormer to use depending on the results, but seen as he has a reaction to wormer I would definitely tell your vet.

 

[emfen1305]

Thanks - I called the vet and they said to worm, see how he goes with it and then retest to make sure it is actually working. He is fine in himself when he has it, no change personality wise its just his poos go very sloppy for a good few days afterwards, spring grass like pats!

 

[Nasicus]

You can give him something like protexin gut balancer or quick fix if a wormer gives him a bit of a runny tummy. It's pretty useful stuff, I've used it before when worming a delicate tummy, and also when moving onto spring grass, really helped reduce the cowpats!