Are You Worming The Right Horse?
As horse owners we all have the responsibility of keeping our horses properly wormed. Such an important aspect of care is vital to their health and happiness, but many people remain confused by the whole subject. Every year thousands of pounds are wasted on unnecessary or inappropriate doses of wormer.
Using worm counts provides a simple alternative to complicated drug rotation programmes and can lead to much more effective worming and healthier horses. It is also better for the environment and will save you money in the long term.
Worm control using worm counts.
Getting started couldn't be easier. Westgate Labs specialise in horse worm counts by post, coupled with qualified worming advice based on your results so ask them for a free collection kit and information pack
Send off your first samples including all the horses on the programme, taken when worming is due. At this point in the cycle you should get a true result, not affected by wormer still working in the horses' system, and you will be able to see if any horses in the herd, have a particular problem. These horses may need more targeting than the others so you will know where to use your wormers.
Your aim is to reduce your worming, providing you still keep the two important doses, for encysted/inhibited redworm, and tapeworm.
Here is a suggested timetable to get you started:
If you are getting good results on this system then you can widen the gaps between counts as time goes on, but at first it is important that you don't leave too long a gap.
If the results are higher than you would like, then ask for some advice on what the potential problems might be, and work on using the correct wormers to eliminate them, before reducing doses. Often this would only affect one or two horses in the group but the test will tell you which ones.
You may want to add a spring tapeworm dose to the above.
It is important to worm for encysted redworm in the winter, even if the counts are clear as parasites can remain in the dormant larval stage for a long time within the horse before making their presence known as mature egg-laying adults.
If you get a series of 'less than 50 eggs per gram' (<50 epg) counts then you may only need the two important doses detailed above. There is no danger to other horses grazing together as there will be no worm eggs shedding onto the pasture when the count comes out at <50 epg.
New horses joining the group will need special attention as they may bring worms. Worm as for inhibited/encysted worms and make sure their count is <50 epg before they join the others. Ask for your free pack today, 01670 791994. www.westgatelabs.co.uk
Your programme might look something like this, depending on the time of year you start:
June - Worm count all horses. Worm any with a count of 200 + epg. No need to worm any with low or clear counts.
September - As above.
End of October - Worm all for tapeworm eg with Equitape or double dose pyrantel wormer, or a combi wormer for tapes and redworm.. (Or blood test with your vet)
December - Worm for encysted redworm eg with Equest. or Panacur Equine Guard (if no resistance present). Equest also treats bots.
March - Begin counts again, as above.
June - Worm count………
