Winter worming

 

Following the recent case of an apparently healthy horse dying suddenly due to severe worm damage, Merial Animal Health is supporting the call from equine vets for horse owners to ensure they have planned and implemented an effective worming programme.

 

Claire Edmunds, EQVALAN® Product Manager says: “The horse in question was kept on a large DIY yard that had found it difficult to coordinate a regular worming programme. Whether individual owners take responsibility for their own horse’s programmes, or whether the yard manager implements a yard-wide strategy, a worming programme needn’t be difficult.”

 

This case was highlighted by vet Kirsty MacGregor of Bakewell Equine Clinic in Derbyshire. Although this is an extreme and relatively rare case, it emphasises the need to introduce a regular system of testing and strategic worming regardless of whether clinical signs associated with worms have been seen. Claire adds: “A good worming programme will focus on strategic dosing according to the risks at specific times of year alongside targeted worming with the use of Worm Egg Counts (WECs). WECs can be provided by a number of laboratory and specialist services or you can ask your vet. A worm egg count will indicate the horse’s likely roundworm burden and should be performed around every 8-10 weeks. However, encysted small redworm is an increased risk in winter and these are not identified on worm egg counts. Therefore an encysted treatment in winter will reduce the risk of a large burden of encysted redworm.” During winter the encysted small redworm ‘hibernate’ in the intestinal lining and subsequent reactivation, often in the spring, can cause very severe damage. If tens of thousands all emerge at the same time this causes massive damage leading to loss of condition, diarrhoea, colic and even death. A combination of strategic dosing with the appropriate wormer and a careful programme of testing to monitor worm burdens will help to provide good protection against worms.

 

Find out more by speaking to your vet or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) and sign up to a free online worm programme at www.smartworming.co.uk. This simple to use free online system helps you to Simply Monitor the situation regularly, Assess the Risk to your horse using a worm egg count and, if necessary, Treat with the most appropriate wormer.

 

 

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