Would like to pick your brains about 'tucking up'

[Tiarella]

This could possibly turn out long...

I bought my connie as a 4yo in November and he has been absolutely foot perfect in anything we've ever done. Really is the worlds easiest pony - nothing phases/worries him.

He was weak when I first had him so spent 4 months hacking and just getting to know each other on the ground, did a few w&t tests gaining 70%+ each time. March time I upped the work as he was visibly much stronger and started introducing interval training/more schooling and April a small amount of grid work lessons.

For 3 weeks now every morning he is very tucked up after being stabled at night. One of the first times he was also covered in poo and very clammy which made me think he had colicked.
Didn't worry too much for a week as always fine after turn out and thought he may need electrolytes as was sweating excessively when worked.

Started turning him out at night and in in the day which did seem to help, but he then went footy (he is barefoot, with some cracking event lines) so kept him in for 5 days on soaked hay and he did seem to improve but is still a little delicate now so back out in day on bare patch with soaked hay.

Did a worm count 10 days ago and it was 3200epg, wormed pronto, spoke to vet and the day after all the vile little red worms appeared - thought great, job done, already standing a lot better.

Couple of days later still tucked up. Spoke to vet and coming to take bloods on Tuesday and potentially scope to make sure the worms haven't caused an upset inside.

I feel like I've missed out several parts of the story, but didn't want it to become too long winded. Really just wanted to pick your brains and see if anyone could think up more ideas as to what it could be. Happy to answer any questions

Currently thinking mild lami or ulcers

 

[ester]

what did you worm with? and I would now send another sample off for testing. I think it quite likely they are still your culprit/he needs more time to recover from them.

 

[Tiarella]

what did you worm with? and I would now send another sample off for testing. I think it quite likely they are still your culprit/he needs more time to recover from them.

My yard owner is very hot on worm counts and we take several a year as part of studies/surveys etc. He was wormed in December with equest pramox as his worm count was around 400epg and then went down to zero January and back up to 38epg in Feb. Did a worm count on the advice of yard owner incase that was causing tucking up and came back with 3200epg so wormed with equest as the red worm must have been encysted in last count. Vet advised to wait 2-3 weeks after last being wormed but did say could take another sample Tuesday when he comes.

 

[ester]

Please be aware it is quite easy to get false negatives with FEC because of the behaviour/egg production times of the worms (it means eggs are aggregate in the faeces) and the very small samples taken compared to a horse's total production over 24 h. Yes I would wait a couple of weeks too but not far off that now.

If you treated with pramox in december the current increase in count is not likely due to encysted redworm as you would have got them then. It seems more likely to me they have been picked up since that treatment.

 

[Tiarella]

Please be aware it is quite easy to get false negatives with FEC because of the behaviour/egg production times of the worms (it means eggs are aggregate in the faeces) and the very small samples taken compared to a horse's total production over 24 h. Yes I would wait a couple of weeks too but not far off that now.

If you treated with pramox in december the current increase in count is not likely due to encysted redworm as you would have got them then. It seems more likely to me they have been picked up since that treatment.

Yes I totally agree on FEC especially during winter when many lay dormant so will not appear. It's part of the yard and a rule (we are organic) to do worm counts and only worm when necessary but obviously this doesn't seem to be working with my boy. Are you suggesting it could be a different type of worm? Or red worm still causing havoc. He is an uncomfortable boy this morning but eating as normal and isn't so tucked up once turned out and moving.

I actually know very little about worms as never had to deal with them, so still learning

 

[ester]

No still redworm, but that they may have been picked up as a new infection rather than emerged from cysts.

 

[paddy555]

I think it will take time. I took a pony, around 3, in who was very tucked up, almost slightly colicy a lot of the time. He lived out. I wormed immediately and he looked slightly better. Then he started to go back to being tucked up, counted and 800. Wormed again, counted after 2 weeks <50. Then he started to look tucked up so worm counted again and higher count. It took me well over a year to get him down to constant low counts and I counted every month for a couple of years to monitor him. He came fine in the end but the cure wasn't instant.

The rest of our herd BTW just about always come in at <50.

 

[swellhillcottage]

interesting thread.

 

[Kylara]

I'd agree that probably worms and possibly new bunch rather than encysted. The winter has been perfect for them and my old boy is usually so low not to worm and came back high recently so need to weightape and worm.

Younger and older horses can be more susceptible to worms and just keep on testing and treating accordingly.

 

[alainax]

Is it only in the stable he is becoming tucked up? My gelding gets tucked up when he is stressed ( for example moving yards, was tucked up when in isolation).

 

[Tiarella]

Thanks for your helpful input guys and interesting to know you've had a similar problem paddy.

After looking at his poo this evening he now actually has live redworms in his poo a week after worming - should this be the case?