We offer a simple, low cost, complete worming scheme to our clients Each February and August we put together a package of wormers to suit your horses for the forthcoming six months. Each wormer is labelled for your individual horse and when to give it for maximum benefit. Payment is required at the time of placing your order. This allows us to offer this level of service at such low prices. To place your order or for more information about the worming scheme, please phone the clinic during office hours. (The cost of the scheme is worked out in February and August and will be published on this Web site and in circulars to our clients)
The following is intended as a guide to help you with the efficient worming of your horse. Please remember to take into account the individual circumstances of you and your horse e.g. if you keep your horse at a livery yard or in a group, try to ensure that you organise for all the horses to be wormed on the same day and ensure good pasture management. The regular use of effective wormers is only part of a complete and thorough worm control programme.
Ivermectin (This includes 'Panomec', 'Eqvalan' & 'Furexel'). These are effective against all the internal parasites except tapeworm and are not so good as some, e.g. 'Panacur 'Equine Guard' is more efficient against the encysted larval stages of the small redworm.
Pyrantel (This includes 'Strongid-P' & 'Pyratape'). These are good against most adult internal parasites, except bots, lungworm and the encysted larval stage of the small redworm. They are the only type of horse wormer that will treat tapeworms but must be given at double the normal dose.
Fenbendazole (This includes 'Panacur' or 'Panacur Guard'). This kills large and small redworms, and if you give the appropriate dose for 5 days it treats the encysted larval stage of the small redworm. It does not kill tapeworms or bots and only poorly kills lungworms.
Moxidectin (This includes 'Equest') This kills all internal parasites except tapeworm. Although the most expensive of the wormers it has a persistent effect (3 months) making it the most economical. Recent evidence suggests that it may also be effective against some encysted small redworm although it is not clear yet whether it is as effective for this purpose as Panacur Equine Guard.
There are certain key times of the year when specific wormers must be used if you are to achieve the best optimum worm control.
SEPTEMBER - A double dose of pryrantel type wormer (Strongid-P or Pyratape) to kill off any tapeworms.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER - A 5-day course of fenbendazole wormer (Panacur equine guard) to kill off any encysted (hibernating) small redworms and any migrating large redworms.
DECEMBER - A single dose of an ivermectin wormer ('Panomec', 'Eqvalan' or 'Furexel') to kill off any bots in the stomach. This must be given after the first good frosts as these kill off the bot fly, which lays its eggs in the horses coat during late summer/autumn, which are subsequently licked off the coat and eaten. You can pick these off when grooming.
FEBRUARY - A second 5 day course of Panacur Equine Guard to high risk horses, e.g. young and old horses or those kept in multi-horse environment.
MARCH TO SEPTEMBER - The grazing season. It is a good policy to rotate the four types of wormer one year to the next, so as to help reduce the risk of the worms becoming resistant to them, e.g. year 1 pyrantel, year 2 ivermectins, year 3 fenbendazole, year 4 'Equest', year 5 back to pyrantel and so on.
The interval between worming is dependent on which type of wormer you are using. Ivermectins last about 8 weeks, fenbendazole and pyrantel last for about 6 weeks, & 'Equest' lasts for 13 weeks.
All new horses should be treated with a 5 day course of Panacur Equine Guard, followed on the 6th day with a double dose of a pyrantel type wormer. Ideally the horse should be kept off the pasture until day 8 but if not possible restrict it to a small area of pasture and pick up all its dung for the first 7 days.
Pasture management is vital in order to avoid build up of worm eggs and larvae on the pasture, arising from the dung of infected horses. Picking up the dung is easiest on small paddocks. On larger areas of pasture, scattering the dung with chain harrows during dry weather will help kill the eggs and larvae by desiccation. Resting the pasture from horses for at least 5 months and the grazing of other species of animal, e.g. cattle and sheep which will harbour different worms not infective to horses is also a good policy as they effectively 'hoover up' the resident worm burden.
DISCLAIMER
This factsheet is intended for use by registered clients of EqWest only. The advice offered is general advice only. EqWest clients who wish to discuss the individual circumstances of their horse should contact the Clinic.
To speak to a vet please phone between 8.30 - 9.30 am on weekday mornings.
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