Worms in a foal, round or pinworm?

C

chapper

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 October 2012
Messages
61
Location
East Yorkshire
Visit site
I've just got 2, 6 month old foals. I was told that they'd been wormed before I picked them up and have had them a week with no problems. Then i noticed bout half the poo was very sloppy ( I poo pick everyday ) wondered if it was just stress or change in diet but then next day still sloppy and worms in it!! I was really shocked, after having horses over 20 years and bred my own foals I've never seen worms!!! I've wormed them both with Equimax, lots more came out! Still a few coming out 2 days later, not sure how long to leave it till worm again! Wanted to post pics as not sure if round or pinworms, they look so similar to me but don't know how :-/ both foals eating well and very happy in themselves. Would like a little more weight on one of them but he is finer build than the other. Any thoughts/help appreciated
 
From the pics - pin worms. They are creamy coloured and can get up to 2 inches long. The tail end tapers to a thin pin width - hence the name. They are seldom picked up on worm count and are notoriously resistant. If you look under the tail you will probably see a little cream like or pale discharge around the anus - these are the eggs as the female lives in the intestines near the anus and lays the eggs outside. In cases of high infestation you can get the adults passed in the dung. It takes 5 months from egg ingestion ( from pasture) to adult. Despite following a vet-planned protocol annually and a clear worm count, my horse has suffered for the first time ever, since we had an RSPCA case livery with us. The pony had an 'unknown' worming plan from RSPCA, and although was given 5 day Panacur on arrival still was the source. The pony was also showing typical signs of heavy infestation by scratching tail and mane and shoulders, as if it was mites or sweet itch.
My vet has recommended Embotape, and this should be done each month for a total of 3 doses. After treatment you will see even more in the dung so be warned!
 
Blimey, it's all so complicated!!! Guess will wait and see what the vet says Monday, just feel so useless till then :-/ They haven't any signs of the pinworm, no itching and no anal discharge! Yet I agree does look more like pinworms, the one in the second pic was pretty big!! Over 3 inches and I'd chopped a bit off trying to get at it!!!!
 
Pinworms are notoriously resistent to worming and traditionally a lot of vets will say to
worm foals with an ivermectin based wormer....which they are resistent to. My vet this year recommended a pyrantel based wormer like embotape or pyratape, etc at the dble dose strength to combat the issue.
 
look like pin worms. my horses are all worm counted and wormed when needed but i have had a pin worm problem, Washing the bottom helps get rid of the eggs but the eggs make them itchy and they can rub and leave the eggs on surfaces to be re ingested
 
They don't all show the itching - only if the infestation is very bad and long standing. The first sign of my horse's problems was finding worms in the poo. But after about a week the discharge/ eggs around the anus could be seen. ( would have wormed straight away but there was a dispute in the vets as to exact nature of the worms which were then sent off for identification!) If you keep a few of the worms in a jar with cooking oil in then your vet can see them straight away, since they are not in every pile of poo!
 
This is interesting, I bought a new horse a few weeks ago and had a worm count done which was ok. Have just done the routine worming for tape worm and used molemec plus next day lots of pin worms, she had been rubbing her tail end but as I have never had a horse with any type of worms before I didn’t know what to look for. So when and with what should I worm her with. I have cleaned her tail area a couple of times, will this help?
 
Welly said:
This is interesting, I bought a new horse a few weeks ago and had a worm count done which was ok. Have just done the routine worming for tape worm and used molemec plus next day lots of pin worms, she had been rubbing her tail end but as I have never had a horse with any type of worms before I didn’t know what to look for. So when and with what should I worm her with. I have cleaned her tail area a couple of times, will this help?
Click to expand...

Pinworms are susceptible to moxidectin, fenbendazole, mebendazole and ivermectin, and for adult worms only, pyrantel. There is a thought that many are immune to ivermectin. I was advised to use embotape which is pyrantel and to use it twice more with a month between doses. What you use will depend on what wormers you have used this year and when you are next due to worm, but since you should be worming for tapeworm and encysted redworm at this time of year depending on your choice for this, it might cover you for pinworms too if any of the above 5 chemicals are included.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top