worms ...... fed up now :-(

vixann

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My lovely homebred 2 yo filly has never had a worm problem - last year she had a free trial from Intelligent worming and tested out clear all year.
In November she had an Equest Pramox. 12 week later she had a count of 2400 epg. Quite worried so I wormed her with Panacur 5 day guard. 3 week later she had a count of 1100 epg. Vet recommended strongid P - wormed her with that on Friday and will recount on Monday for results on Tuesday - don't know what I am going to do if its still high

And just to top it off she is going to referral centre on Friday to see an ophthalmologist as she has suspected uveitus.
 
So sorry! Get consult your vet and develop a good program for deworming. Also, pay attention to where you spread your manure - you could be reinfecting if you spread it on your pasture. And make sure all your horse's stablemates are dewormed on the same schedule.

Sadly, parasites are a fact of equine life. You have to keep after them all the time and do the best you can. Hope she's all better soon.
 
So sorry! Get consult your vet and develop a good program for deworming. Also, pay attention to where you spread your manure - you could be reinfecting if you spread it on your pasture. And make sure all your horse's stablemates are dewormed on the same schedule.

Sadly, parasites are a fact of equine life. You have to keep after them all the time and do the best you can. Hope she's all better soon.

We have a strategic worm plan with the vet - horses changed pasture all summer and we poo picked after - all other groups are clear its just the babies and they currently live in. Its her group of 3 with problems but she is the worst :-(

Muck is spread somewhere else (not on grazing pasture!!)
 
I wonder if the problem could be that she has been 'too clean' up til now? Animals (including us) need to experience lots of bacteria, fungi, parasites etc to allow their immune systems to develop. If you horse doesn't have much previous experience of worms, perhaps she hasn't developed any immunity at all and as such when she does get infected, the worms can multiply a their maximum rate. It might be an idea to manage the worm burden but not to try to eradicate it completely. The standard 'worm if the count is over 200 epg' was actually, as far as I'm aware, a figure that was just plucked randomly out of the air, so 1000epg probably isn't as high as it might appear. Look up 'refugia' in the context of worm control too.
 
Hi, I have the same problem. my 3 yr old has been wormed regularly with Equest Pramox. 13 weeks after his last wormer he got severely ill, with a red worm infestation. We used Panacur 5 day wormer and after a month he recovered. We then worm counted him and he came back with a count of 400epg. so we gave him Panacur again, his worm count came back with 700 epg. We have just given him Equest (not pramox), and will be worm counting him again on monday. So fingers crossed, but if this doesnt work, there is nothing left for us too try other than Ivermectin, and that is supposed to have a fairly high resistance rate, so if Equest doesnt work then Im not sure Ivermectin will either. He is still on box rest as cant be socialised with other horses in case of re-infestation. He is going mad as in himself he feels fine. He has developed white spots on his eyes and sheath and is loosing all his fur around his nose. I am hoping its just stress. its all very worrying that these worms seem to be immune to everything. please let me know how you get on, as anything you have done to help may work for my boy too?
 
Hi guys - results yesterday came back as less than 50 epg - no eggs seen in sample - that is 1 week after strongid P granules so will retest in another 4 week and keep my fingers crossed.
Yes I was worried maybe she had been too clean and now thats come back to haunt me but I don't know what else I could have done diff as she was on Intelligent worming when she was 'clean'.
According to the vet 3000 epg is seriously high and one died on a yard near us from a worm count not much higher but tbh I don't really know enough about burdens.

Also when I went to buy my 5 day guard and then my strongid P the SQP did their best to try and change my mind even though I told them I was doing as the vet had instructed?? I think if I hadnt of been pretty adament I wanted them I could have come home with anything!! Is this really what they should be doing? Surely a vet over rules them??
 
Hi, Just a suggestion but if she was clear when she was on Intelligent Worming, why not go back to using it? It is they way that they structure the programme that makes the difference, and they also liase with your vet and the vets at Liverpool University on what is the right thing to do. Mine have been on it for 10 years and have required different things at different times, but touch wood all clear for 2 years now, other than a wormy loan pony who came in with resistance worms!!
 
Also when I went to buy my 5 day guard and then my strongid P the SQP did their best to try and change my mind even though I told them I was doing as the vet had instructed?? I think if I hadnt of been pretty adament I wanted them I could have come home with anything!! Is this really what they should be doing? Surely a vet over rules them??
Definitely NOT! Especially when you are buying what has been recommended by your vet!

I take it you were buying from a shop? Staff are not necessarily knowledgeable about worming despite what they might think and pushing products is a marketing strategy and has nothing to do with the wellbeing of horses. Grrrr!
 
I don't believe panacur guard is totally useless but getting the weight of your horse accurate is so very important to avoiding worm resistance. If under dosed persistently either through incorrect weight assessment or horse spitting out then this is the perfect scenario for worms to develop resistance.
 
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