What Worming programme do you recommend?

Worming made simple. Simply Equest in winter and summer Pramox in autumn and spring.

FREE POSTAGE ON WORMERS IN THE UK

No need for two syringes the longest lasting and most effective horse wormer

Palatable Gel

Ideal to use in Spring and Autumn

Tapeworm 6 months protection

Redworm 13 weeks protection

Is licensed for the use in foals from 6 1/2 months of age

SHOULD NOT BE USED ON PREGNANT OR LACTATING MARES

Each Equest Pramox wormer syringe will treat 575kg

Do not use for sick or neglected horses.

Equest Pramox contains Moxidectin and Praziquentel. This is a combination of two drugs in one horse wormer treats roundworm, tapeworm, bots, and encysted redworm larvae stages in horses.

Use Equest Pramox wormer alternately with Equest every quarter for a years complete worming programme. Thats just four single doses a year, one for each season!

The importance of Encysted Small Redworms

What are they?
Worm larvae which have burrowed into the gut wall to form cysts which can remain dormant for up to two years

Q If they are dormant, do they do any harm?

YES! They kill horses! When they emerge at the end of the dormant period there is massive inflammation and colic plus poisonous toxins are released. If the horse survives, the gut wall may be so damaged that it is prone to twisting.

Q But I worm regularly!

Most wormers work only in the gut so they do NOT treat encysted stages. THIS MEANS THAT WORMERS BASED ON IVERMECTIN OR PYRANTEL HAVE NO EFFECT.

Q What does kill them then?

There are only two treatments: Equest and Equest Pramox (moxidectin) and Fenbendazole (PanacurGuard given for five days). Recent research has shown that Equest (moxidectin) has up to 99.9% efficacy against developing stages of encysted small redworm and over 90% against the inhibited stages when given as a normal single dose. Fenbendazole (Panacur Equine Guard) needs to be given daily for 5 days to control encysted small redworms and is usually given in November and January for this purpose.

Worming Foals

Foals need special attention as the have no resistance to worms. Mares with foals should preferably be grazed on pasture that has not been grazed by other horses for the previous 12 months. If this is not possible, delay turning them out until June.

Manufacturers specific recommendations for worming foals:- Pyratape/Strongid P need to be used from 4 weeks of age every 4 weeks until 8 months old Ivermectin such as Eraquell or Eqvalan Should be used from 6-8 weeks of age and repeated regularly. Panacur may be used to treat diarrhoea caused by Strongyloides westerei in 2-3 week old suckling foals at a rate of one syringe per 90kg bodyweight. As a routine wormer for other worms it is given every 6-8 weeks.

Equest Is not recommended for use in foals until they are 4 months old.

Equitape This can be used in foals of any age but they are unlikely tohave tapeworm before 2 months of age so earlier treatment is unnecessary.

Worm Counts

These can be useful to check the efficiency of a worming programme or if there are worries about 'resistance' but it is important to understand their limitations. It is best to have TWO tests carried out before and a short period after giving a worming dose. This establishes the initial worm burden and confirms the effectiveness of the wormer. Worm counts cannot show the extent of any tapeworm infection or presence of encysted small redworms. The laboratory report should give the numbers of eggs found per gramme of sample and also identify the species found.

Rough Weight Guide