Roundworms should be treated for according to the risk of the yard — dependent on pasture management and other horses present on the grazing — as well as the known infection level inside the horse.
This information can be gained through the use of faecal egg counts where a sample of dung is tested for worm eggs that are passed by the horse.
Horses with egg counts over a certain level, will require treatment. The advisers at Intelligent Worming can provide guidance on how to interprete faecal egg count results, for mares that are in foal. The eggs seen by the parasitologist during this test can be identified by species and Intelligent Worming will also be able to prescribe an appropriate treatment. The treatment prescribed must be licensed for use in pregnant mares. This is to make sure the horse is given a product that has shown sufficient safety levels when used during pregnancy.
All of the active ingredients available in the UK are licensed for use in pregnant mares, but crucially not all brands and preparations have received the necessary license and so care must be taken when selecting the treatment. Develop an effective worming programme on an annual basis using tactical worming for specific parasites, using faecal worm egg counts and tapeworm tests when conditions are suitable and rotating active ingredients during the grazing season not each time you worm your horse.
Select one of the distinct chemical groups, which are:. Products based solely on Praziquantel only are effective for tapeworm control and must be used in conjunction with products based on the three main chemical groups. Combination wormers are also available containing lvermectin and Praziquantel and a combination of Moxidectin and Praziquantel. These products offer great convenience at times when tapeworm treatment is required along with routine worming.
If there are reasons for routine worming on a continual basis use your selected group during a month period with particular emphasis to rotation during the grazing season. The grazing season is basically the summer months and although your selection of products may well be based on an annual selection, it is the grazing season when particular attention should be paid to rotation of the active ingredients.
Outside of the grazing season are the occasions when specific worming products should be used for tactical equine worming. Change your selected group annually to a different chemical group so that your stock does not build up a resistance to wormer use. Also you must consider the use of faecal worm egg counts and tapeworm tests to help with deciding when, if and what to treat with. There has been evidence of a resistance building to products in the Benzimidazole group in certain areas so it is best to take expert advice before relying on products within that group to control worm burden.
TACTICAL WORMING Although most of the leading brands of horse wormers are effective against adult redworms take expert advice before relying on Benzimidazoles, ascertain that your horse is infected with worms that are susceptible to it by taking a dung sample and having an egg count done there are times when you will need to worm tactically to treat for specific worm types at certain times of the year.
Whichever chemical group you choose to use on an annual basis you will still need to dose tactically to control encysted small redworm, tapeworm and bots. As data is limited with regard to how effective these herbal preparations are in combating worm burden, it is best to take expert advice before relying on herbal products.
There are many ways in which pasture management such as poo picking, faecal worm egg counts and tapeworm tests and field use can help in reducing the use of chemical wormers, so why not tell the experts about your particular circumstances and let them tailor a plan specifically for you?
A critical time for parasite control is the early months so take special care when treating foals. Ensure you select an ingredient that is suitable for use on foals and use that at the correct times. A common mistake when treating horses is under dosing, ensure that you ascertain the weight of your horse as accurately as you can either by using a weight tape or even better a weigh bridge.
Correct dosing is important, if you under dose your horse the product will not work efficiently and could lead to resistance. If you administer a sub therapeutic level of the drug, you will expose the worms to the drug, but perhaps not at a sufficient dosage to kill them. There are brands on the market that now that treat up to kg in a single syringe and now Equimax is available in tablet form with each pack treating up to kg.
These larger syringes and tubes give that little bit extra to play with when dosing. Avoid administering dewormers during peak hot, dry summer months since risk of strongyle transmission is greatly reduced. Excessive drought conditions will also reduce the risk of strongyle and possibly tapeworm transmission and should be taken into consideration.
If you have a large breeding operation with many mares grazing limited pastures, you'll have an increased threat of heavy worm burdens accumulating during the grazing season. Remember, if your mares are shipped off to be re-bred, they will be exposed to other parasites on other farms. All incoming or returning mares should have fecals performed and may benefit from deworming prior to exposing them to your pastures and resident mares. If mare was not dewormed pre-foaling with a drug having an egg reappearance period still effective during post-foaling period, then deworm soon after delivery with broad spectrum dewormer effective against Strongyloides westeri threadworm.
Periodically monitor fecal egg counts FEC to evaluate efficacy of drugs used and to confirm the mare's shedding status. Check with your vet or SQP to ensure any wormers are licenced for use in pregnant mares.
Keep the pasture as clean as possible by poo picking or cross grazing, resting paddocks and taking care not to overgraze the fields.
Foals and young stock are especially vulnerable to ascarids. Due to the thick sticky shell of the ascarid egg these parasites can survive extremes of hot and cold and remain dormant on pasture for many years which is why fresh grazing is recommended for mares and foals.
Threadworm, Strongyloides westeri is the first parasite to be concerned with. New thinking is that strongyloides is actually harmless to the foal - the choice is with the owner as to whether you would prefer to worm as a preventative for it or not. In order to treat for threadworm the mare should be wormed proactively with a dose of moxidectin Equest four weeks before the foaling due date or an ivermectin based wormer around foaling time - our preference if you're going to treat is to use the moxidectin wormer as we prefer not to give chemicals around such a critical time as foaling.
Healthy foals should acquire a natural immunity or tolerance to this parasite at around six months of age. If the young foal is scouring and you suspect an active infection of threadworm it is important to consult your vet as dehydration can quickly affect a young foal.
The next parasite foals are likely to encounter is the ascarid, Parascaris equorum - these are huge creamy white worms which can grow to 40cm in length, a very large worm for small foals to carry. They reproduce in large numbers and an infected youngster can produce a frightening barrow load of these worms after treatment.
The size and quantity of worms can form intestinal blockages leading to colic and ruptures of the gut while migrating larvae cause coughing and respiratory damage through pulmonary haemorrhaging.
When the foal is a month old treat with a generous single dose of fenbendazole Panacur , effective for ascarids — it is difficult to accurately assess the weight of a foal so err on overestimating to ensure an effective amount is given.
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