DEWORMING RECOMMENDATIONS

The Big Deworming Issue

Yes, we all know that all our animals require regular deworming. Most horse owners know that rotating the deworming products is important. But, how do you know when to deworm? Is the more expensive product better ?  Is using a different branded product an effective way of “ rotation”? Also, did you know that 20% of horses are responsible for shedding 80% of the eggs? There is no single treatment that will fit every situation, due to different size paddocks and different numbers and ages of animals, but at the Old Mill Veterinary Surgery we can give you the answer to all of these questions, all you need to do is bring in fresh manure.

Problems with Intestinal Worms

Not only can intestinal worms cause diarrhoea and ill-thrift, they can also lead to colic. You may notice worms in the manure, or your horse may be rubbing its backend against the fence because of pinworms. And if your horse has a large worm burden, most of your money spent on feed goes to feeding the worms.

Get the most out of your Deworming Program – Use Faecal Egg Counts

Adult intestinal worms lay eggs that pass out in the faeces, and these eggs can then be detected by performing a faecal egg count test. A faecal egg count is a microscopic examination performed by a veterinary pathologist for parasite eggs in fresh manure, effectively determining which parasites are present, and in what numbers. The number of eggs will determine the need for deworming, and the types of eggs seen will determine the type of deworming product needed. If a faecal egg count is performed 10-14 days after deworming, it can be used to assess the effectiveness of the product used.

So why would we want to know how many worms our animals have, why not just deworm regularly regardless? Overtreatment can lead to dung beetle and earthworm death in the soil, laminitis events in horses, development of resistant parasites (superbugs), and it can become costly if you own several animals. You would want to know your big shedders in a herd from the horses that have a better immune system and are more resistant to the parasites. Using the appropriate dewormer, as needed, can be cost effective and can help lessen the chance of parasite resistance to deworming products.

We recommend the use of faecal egg count tests to help manage internal parasites more effectively.

Using the appropriate dewormer only when needed is cost effective and can help lessen the chance of parasite resistance to deworming products.