wormers-direct.co.uk Annual Horse Wormer Programme
IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT YOUR HORSES HEALTH
PLEASE CONSULT YOUR VET.
Click here to view a worming calendar with
tactical worming guidelines
Click
here to see which brands fall in to which chemical group
EQUINE WORMING
Nothing is set in stone about what to use and when as you plan your
worm control, as in all walks of life opinions vary and of course
commercial thinking comes into play too. The entire supply chain of
equine wormers is very vigorously regulated and all those in that
supply chain are duty bound to provide the best possible advice and
guidance to you the end user. Here at
www.wormers-direct.co.uk we have tried to gather all such
opinions and research and use that information to provide guidance
on your worming planning. Hard evidence shows that continuing use of
the same active worming ingredient can lead to resistance so it
seems logical to adopt a rotational approach to product choice.
ROTATIONAL WORMING
We have all noticed a climate change in the UK in the last few years
with wet summers and warm winters just the weather parasites love to
breed and multiply so it is even more important nowadays to take
that expert advice when choosing your wormers as the traditional
natural enemy of those pesky blighters are red hot dry summers and
very cold winters.
When rotating your
worming products of choice make sure you are choosing a different
ingredient not just a different brand. Develop an
effective worming programme on an annual basis using tactical worming
for specific parasites and rotating active ingredients during the
grazing season (not each time you worm
your horse). Select one of the distinct chemical groups, which are:
|
MACROCYCLIC LACTONES |
lvermectin and
Moxidectin |
|
TETRAHYDROPIRIMIDINES |
Pyrantel |
|
BENZIMIDAZOLES |
Fenbendazole,
Mebendazole, Oxibendazole |
Products based solely on
Praziquantel have a role to play in
tapeworm control but must be used in conjunction with products based
on the three main chemical groups.
|
PRAZIQUANTEL |
Praziquantel |
Combination wormers
are also available containing lvermectin and Praziquantel also
available a combination of Moxidectin and Praziquantel. These
products offer great convenience at times when tapeworm treatment is
required along with routine worming.
Use your
selected group during a 12-18 month period with particular emphasis to
rotation during the grazing season. The
gazing season is basically the summer months and although your
selection of products may well be based on an an annual selection it
is the grazing season when particular attention should be paid to
rotation of the active ingredients. Out side 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.
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.
Click
here to see which brands fall in to which chemical group
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. Which ever 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.
Treat for
Encysted Small Redworm Larvae during the winter months with Equest or
Panacur 5 Day Equine Guard
Treat for Bots during the winter months with Equest, Equest Pramox, Eqvalan,
Eraquell, Vectin, Eqvalan Duo or Equimax
Treat for Tapeworm in Spring & Autumn with Strongid P, Pyratape P,
Equimax, Eqvalan Duo, Equest Pramox or Equitape (EQUITAPE TREATS FOR TAPEWORM ONLY)
Treat for Large and Small Redworm during the grazing period with
Equest, Strongid P, Pyratape P, Eqvalan Duo, Panacur, Telmin, Eqvalan, Eraquell,
Vectin or Equimax. All products can be used year round for Large and
Small Redworm treatment (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
EQUITAPE AND BEARING IN MIND THE ABOVE ADVICE WITH REGARD TO BENZIMIDAZOLES)
as part of a worming plan with specific products being used for
strategic worming when necessary.
Click here to view a worming calendar with
tactical worming guidelines
HERBAL FORMULATIONS
Herbal worming
products are now available using a specific combination of plants to
repel parasites. These products can be used throughout the year
as the sole wormer in a horse's worming programme or alternatively
substituting part of the conventional worming programme. There
is no scientific data about how effective these herbal preparations are
in combating worm burden so it is best to take expert advice before
relying on herbal products.
HEALTH & CIRCUMSTANCES
Different chemicals work in different ways within the body of the
dosed horse so extra thought needs to be given to such circumstances
of age, general health condition, administration to mares, foals and
stallions and also pasture management. There are many ways in which
pasture management such as poo picking and field use can help in
reducing the use of chemical wormers and 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 so 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 and thereby
expose the worms to the drug, but perhaps not at a sufficient dosage
to kill them. Worms that survive treatment may pass on their
“immunity” to subsequent generations and those generations will
become more adept at surviving chemical treatments with the
potential for resistance to develop to that drug.
There are brands on the market that now that treat up to 700kg in a
single syringe and now Equimax is available in tablet form with each
pack treating up to 800kg. These larger syringes and tubes give that
little bit extra to play with when dosing. When you estimate the
weight of your horse remember we all lie about our weight so if in
doubt, when estimating the weight err on the generous side. Although
a slight overdose of wormer is unlikely to have harmful effects, as
with all drugs, it is important to dose accurately and in accordance
with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Don’t forget the environment when selecting your products be
particularly concerned about aquatic life in and around your
pastures. Make sure that NO product enters the water courses and
protect the flora and fauna from spillage and waste. Above all be
careful when you have your dogs about as some products are very
dangerous and can be fatal if ingested by dogs particularly collies.
You must read the instructions
on the packing and keep your self up to date with the latest
thinking.
The above guidelines to an effective worming programme are the
opinions of the author and are not the definitive answer. They are
however a base for an effective procedure that can be modified with
the assistance of your vet or other professional authorised to advise
on animal health. The author hopes that this article will help you to
care for your horse but cannot be held responsible for any errors,
omissions or changes in acceptable procedure.
We are more than
happy to help out with any queries that you may have with regard to
worming your horses, please feel free to contact us by email or
telephone.
