Parasite Control & Faecal Sand Testing with Westgate Laboratories
The modern way to manage parasite control
The modern way to manage parasite control for horses is with a targeted programme and the backup and advice of friendly experts. Westgate Labs offer all this, available in a variety of ways to suit you. Clients can view a full history of results and purchase tests through the website. They can also access help and advice by phone, email or direct message, subscribe to an email newsletter and follow social media pages for seasonal advice from blogs and videos to news updates. There is plenty of free independent veterinary approved guidance to support horse owners. New for 2019, Westgate Labs, are launching a subscription service to make following a best practice parasite control programme even easier for busy horse owners! The All Seasons service is a tailor made testing programme designed to take the guess work out of managing this important aspect of horse’s health.
For one simple monthly subscription payment, clients receive a bespoke plan for each horse and all the tests needed to target the right parasites at the right time of year direct to their door. In addition to a regular schedule of worm counts and EquiSal tests for redworm, roundworm and tapeworm, the subscription also covers any incidental tests that might be required for pinworm, lungworm or liver fluke plus resistance tests to check for drug resistance.
Managing Director David Booth commented: “The new service has been built in response to requests from our customers who tell us how worried they get about making the right choices for their horses and how, even with the best intentions, the gaps between testing can slip when juggling all those other pressures of work and family life.
“Combine this with the ability to spread the cost into small monthly payments and we hope that the new All Seasons service will fill a real need. The goal is to bring the peace of mind that ensures our customers can get on with enjoying their horses.”
Consultant vet to Westgate Labs, Carolyn Cummins MVB Phd MRCVS commented: “The intervals for testing are based on the worm life cycles we’re testing for, the relative risk of the individual horse and the parasite challenges they might meet in their environ- ment. Unintentionally lengthening this time between testing or treating could easily allow a parasite burden to get out of hand and become a threat to horse health.”
With subscriptions starting from
£6.50 per calendar month for a total test control programme the All Seasons service is an affordable way to manage parasite control.
Faecal sand testing now available for horses to help reduce the risk of sand colic by monitoring sediment levels
Colic is one of the most common emergency problems in the horse and has many different causes, one of which can be sand in the horse’s gut. Animals ingest it as they graze and it can accumulate in the colon over time. Here it irritates the gut lining and, in sufficient quantity, also has the ability to cause impactions which, if not treated in time, can be fatal. To help horse owners to identify whether their equine is at risk, postal test specialists Westgate Labs, have added a faecal sand test to their range of easy to use, evidence based test kits.
Consultant vet to Westgate Labs, Carolyn Cummins MVB Phd MRCVS commented:
“Horses presenting with sand colic usually have a history of grazing on sandy soils, drinking from natural water courses, being kept on restricted grazing or fed in a ménage. For equines in these situations a faecal sample can be taken at intervals through the year and checked for sand to assess the levels in the gut. “Test results from Westgate are expressed as a percentage to give a quantitative measure of the level found. While it’s not desirable to find any sand in faeces, some healthy horses are not
10 MAY/JUNE 2019
affected by a small amount. For this reason positive tests should be discussed with your vet on a case by case basis. Together you can determine whether other symptoms such
as diarrhoea/colic are also present and devise an appropriate management and/or treatment protocol.”
With the variables of gut movement it is possible for the test to generate a false negative and show no sand in the faeces of horses that are carrying a burden. For this reason the Westgate test includes two sample kits; if no sand is detected in the first sample then a second can be taken a few days later. Alternatively if sand is detected then the second can be used to retest the horse following management adjustments. Abdominal ultrasound and X-rays can also be used to detect sand in the gut, although X-rays may not be easy in larger horses and require a powerful machine.
Director of Operations at Westgate, Kristy Hodgson said: “The test itself is a simple sedimentation technique which horse owners can of course conduct at home. We have introduced this service in response to requests from customers who would prefer to send their samples to the laboratory. Conducting them in the lab enables us to generate a consistent quantitative result so that levels can be easily monitored over time.”
Where sand is present in the dung a variety of management changes can be introduced with the aim of reducing sand levels in the horse. Regular testing along with management changes will help to monitor the sand levels in the gut and manage the risk of colic. Owners should always consult their vet if they have any health concerns about their horses.
For more information please visit
www.westgatelabs.co.uk
anniversary 1999 - 2019
Westgate Laboratories POSTAL WORM COUNTS & TESTS
I trust Westgate to ensure this essential aspect of our horses’ care is covered, helping to keep them in tip top condition through the season.
SARAH
BULLIMORE NEW!
NEW!
Subscription Service
A complete, bespoke test based worm control programme for your horse from £6.50 pcm
Sand Testing
Minimise the risk of sand colic with a faecal test to measure sediment levels
Parasite control
Worm egg counts, EquiSal tapeworm, plus tests to target pinworm, liverfluke and lungworm
passionate about good parasite control for your horse or pony
contact us
01670 791994
info@westgatelabs.co.uk |
www.westgatelabs.co.uk
For the latest news
visitwww.centralhorsenews.co.uk
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