Worms ... sorry I know they’re gross...

[[118739]]

I’ve spotted what I think was a tapeworm ? in my horses stable this morning (god knows how she picked that up since last worming because she’s been on box rest...). So I’ve wormed her immediately as a knee jerk reaction and been googling feverishly since.

During my googling I’ve had a bout of ummm hypochondria ... does anyone worm THEMSELVES as well as their horse?!

I know this is a bit stupid but my skin is CRAWLING still. (You’d think I would be able to cope I’ve had horses and lived on a farm all my life but this was a grim finding ?)

 

[ester]

you mean you don't have a photo? ?

 

[[118739]]

you mean you don't have a photo? ?

I was going to but I just couldn’t make myself !! I was trying not to spew ... 99% sure tapeworm having seen them before

*edit - just not so up close and personal ?

**edit again - I’m not joking I want to worm myself ?

 

[MissTyc]

It's unusual to see tapeworm segments but not impossible. In the future, you can use the Saliva test to check if your horse has tapeworm so there are no unpleasant surprises. The days of prophylactic worming and rapidly moving behind us. I can reassure you that tapeworm are host-specific (mostly, but for the sake of this discussion they are) so you are quite safe from your horse's worms.

Which wormer did you use in your "kneejerk reaction"? Remember that unless you do the blood test, you can't check for encysted redworm, so make sure you give a dose of moxidectin before the spring. Moxidectin doesn't treat tapeworm ....

Human children gets worms all the time - human pinworm! Adults tend to have better hygiene ... Pinworm are easily treated in humans thankfully. And in some countries other helminthic infections occur - tapeworm and other nasties. Very rare in the UK .... Have a made your skin crawl some more? You can't get any worms from your horse, but if you have young children who play with other children and scratch their bums a lot, then you could get pinworm from them in which case the pharmacy can sell you a treatment for humans (Panacur, usually, but I wouldn't take a non-human tested version!!!!!)

 

[[118739]]

It's unusual to see tapeworm segments but not impossible. In the future, you can use the Saliva test to check if your horse has tapeworm so there are no unpleasant surprises. The days of prophylactic worming and rapidly moving behind us. I can reassure you that tapeworm are host-specific (mostly, but for the sake of this discussion they are) so you are quite safe from your horse's worms.

Which wormer did you use in your "kneejerk reaction"? Remember that unless you do the blood test, you can't check for encysted redworm, so make sure you give a dose of moxidectin before the spring. Moxidectin doesn't treat tapeworm ....

Human children gets worms all the time - human pinworm! Adults tend to have better hygiene ... Pinworm are easily treated in humans thankfully. And in some countries other helminthic infections occur - tapeworm and other nasties. Very rare in the UK .... Have a made your skin crawl some more? You can't get any worms from your horse, but if you have young children who play with other children and scratch their bums a lot, then you could get pinworm from them in which case the pharmacy can sell you a treatment for humans (Panacur, usually, but I wouldn't take a non-human tested version!!!!!)

This is exactly the sort of sensible speak I needed to hear ?. I once came back from a foreign country convinced myself I had picked up a parasite & promptly went down to UCL hospital where they gave me a kill-nearly-all pill as a precaution.. before getting in contact a few days later to tell me I was just paranoid! I have a worm phobia what can I say, that and ticks/Lyme disease! I don’t know why, I should be more sensible given where I live/what I do ?‍

I gave her a pramox, cleared out her deep bed and gave the stable a good clean too - like I said, paranoid!

I really did think you could pick up everything the sheep/cows/horses could get so if that’s not true... I have a whole new lease of life ! ? sound a bit dumb don’t I !!

 

[SEL]

When my adopted my stray cat about 10 years ago I found all these weird looking things on her bed, stuck them to a bit of sellotape and showed her vet - tapeworm!! I joined you in the paranoia and was messaging a GP friend of mine (who was rather worse for wear at a festival and thought it was hilarious) because I was convinced I'd catch them. She told me to go away and stop worrying.

I do know a farming lass who happily worms herself - never asked her what with though because my horses tell me they all taste vile. I did get some pramox in my mouth pulling the little cap off the tube with my teeth and it wasn't nice.

 

[[118739]]

When my adopted my stray cat about 10 years ago I found all these weird looking things on her bed, stuck them to a bit of sellotape and showed her vet - tapeworm!! I joined you in the paranoia and was messaging a GP friend of mine (who was rather worse for wear at a festival and thought it was hilarious) because I was convinced I'd catch them. She told me to go away and stop worrying.

I do know a farming lass who happily worms herself - never asked her what with though because my horses tell me they all taste vile. I did get some pramox in my mouth pulling the little cap off the tube with my teeth and it wasn't nice.

I do usually direct my paranoia towards my Dr friends but I thought this was for an audience who might ... get it ?.

My horse did pull one hell of a shocked face, usually I’m a bit nicer with treat bribery but today I went military precision. I think it was actually easier too!

 

[rextherobber]

I once, long ago, wormed a new boyfriend cause he was so thin, but ate like a horse!

 

[ycbm]

I once, long ago, wormed a new boyfriend cause he was so thin, but ate like a horse!

? did he know or did you sneak it into his cocoa?

 

[L&M]

I will never forget watching our cat sick up a tape worm - a vision that still haunts me 20 yrs on!

Had worms occasionally as a kid but nothing as an adult touch wood....

 

[[118739]]

I once, long ago, wormed a new boyfriend cause he was so thin, but ate like a horse!

A perfect stranger once told me I needed a worming after he saw me wolf down a steak at the pub!! ... and so the paranoia returns..?!

Just kidding I think I’m over it .. just ?

 

[rextherobber]

? did he know or did you sneak it into his cocoa?

Lol - no, I did warn him!

 

[[118739]]

I will never forget watching our cat sick up a tape worm - a vision that still haunts me 20 yrs on!

Had worms occasionally as a kid but nothing as an adult touch wood....

God that’s grim. Saw an enormous blue giant earthworm in India (didn’t know what it was at the time other than MASSIVE BLUE WORM) .. took a pic of that one!! Wonder if I still have it (off topic..)

 

[Surbie]

you mean you don't have a photo? ?

Absolutely this - it's why I opened the thread! *disappointed face*

 

[laura_nash]

that and ticks/Lyme disease! I don’t know why, I should be more sensible given where I live/what I do ?‍!

Ticks/Lymes disease is a perfectly valid phobia (unlike catching horse worms ). I've known two people who've had Lymes, where it wasn't caught quickly. One took 3 years to properly recover and the other still has problems 10 years later.

 

[Northern Hare]

I read an article the other day about the Victorian era’s “tapeworm diet” - horrendous and fortunately it’s no longer popular! ?

 

[shortstuff99]

Fun fact, some people deliberately infect themselves with worms as a treatment for extreme allergies. The worms dampen down the immune system (so they can live happily) and thus help with the immune overreactions ?.

 

[[118739]]

Absolutely this - it's why I opened the thread! *disappointed face*

Very sorry ... didn’t know worm pics would be so popular ??

 

[[118739]]

Ticks/Lymes disease is a perfectly valid phobia (unlike catching horse worms ). I've known two people who've had Lymes, where it wasn't caught quickly. One took 3 years to properly recover and the other still has problems 10 years later.

This is true - hope they’re recovered now ? I’ve never picked up a tick (touch wood) but the horse was getting them ALL THE TIME last summer on her face ? had to recruit the OH to remove them

 

[Lady Jane]

I have never stressed about catching worms but I did take myself to the vet and get them to put the woods light on me as I thought I had ring worm-I hadn't. Went to doctor it was urticaria rosea - does look like ringworm but very inoffensive