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Autumn Parasite Control 2019 P
arasite control is very much a seasonal game, targeting the right worms at the right time of year to guard against the threat to horse health that comes with infection. Generally warm wet weather increases parasite activity while extremes of temperature and dry conditions help to stop them in their tracks. With high rainfall and plenty of sunshine we’ve therefore seen counts rise accordingly in horses this summer. Anything that is good for grass growth is generally good for parasites too! We therefore need to be on our guard going into the
autumn.The worms we specifically need to be aware of in our horses through autumn and winter are adult redworm, encysted redworm, tapeworm and bots. What to do when will depend a little on your management routine and personal choice.
TEST FIRST It’s important to keep a close eye on red worm and ascarid activity with a worm egg count for each horse. Faecal egg counts can be used to identify the likely 15-20% of horses that need worming and can reduce wormer use by up to 82%.” In addition Autumn is traditionally known as ‘tapeworm time’ as this was a good point in the year to worm hunting horses coming in from a summer at grass. It can be a useful way to remember to target tapeworm but there’s no reason to stick to this routine if another serves you better – and certainly no point in giving a wormer for the sake of it without knowing if there are parasites present to treat and if so, which ones? Tapeworm should be targeted twice a year, every six months with an EquiSal Tapeworm test to determine whether your horse is one of the minority (fewer than 27%) of infected horses requiring treatment. Whether you test now in conjunction with your autumn worm egg count or before your winter encysted redworm treatment depends on your schedule and preferred treatment
choices.The results of the tests will inform the treatment choices open to you and your prescriber.
BOTS
Bots are not worms but the maggot stage of a large fly which is active during the summer months. It lays eggs on the hairs of the horse’s coat that appear like tiny cream or yellow flecks. These eggs are ingested by the horse as it scratches and hatch in the mouth, slowly migrating to the stomach where they can cause mild irritation. Treat with ivermectin or moxidectin after the first frost has killed off fly activity. You could combine this with your winter worming .
WINTER WORMING NEWS
Since the inception of targeted worming practices we have always advised a winter dose for the possibility of the encysted redworm, the dangerous larval stage of this parasite that can’t be monitored on a worm egg count. No more! For the first time ever a new blood test is available! Austin Davies Biologics, the laboratory behind the EquiSal tapeworm test, has announced a second innovation into the equine market; a diagnostic service to detect small redworm, including encysted larvae. The test has been developed by Prof Jacqui Matthews’ group at the Moredun Research Institute (MRI) and primarily funded through The Horse Trust. It is an ELSA blood test that you can request through your vet. A statement from the lab says: “The new test enables accurate detection of all life cycle stages, including the encysted larval phase.
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!
Until now it has not been
possible to test for encysted small redworm as faecal egg counts only detect the presence of
egg laying adult worms.
This has meant that a routine winter treatment to target this life cycle phase has become the recommended practice. Now we will be able to test before we consider using moxidectin.” Carolyn Cummins MVB Phd MRCVS, consultant vet to Westgate Labs, commented: “This is a game changer for parasite control in horses. A means of testing for encysted stages of small redworm is going to revolutionise our approach to winter parasite control. For the first time we will be able to rely on evidence based testing all year round, when combined with regular worm egg counts and twice yearly tapeworm tests. This is great news for helping to slow the development of drug resistance.”
WHAT TO DO NOW
This autumn plan a worm count for redworm and roundworm, EquiSal test for tapeworm and keep an eye out for bots and pinworm activity. If you’re intending to test for encysted redworm then speak to your vet in plenty of time so they can get hold of the new test. This will help you to decide whether any wormer is required. As responsible horse owners our job is to keep parasite levels in check so that our horses remain healthy and to use the drugs we have responsibly to minimise the build-up of resistance to worming chemicals.
This means being aware of which parasites to target seasonally or in specific conditions so there are often a few considerations to take into account. If in doubt please call our friendly helpline to speak to one of our qualified advisors or chat to your prescriber to plan a best course of action.
More information is available at
www.westgatelabs.co.uk
anniversary 1999 - 2019
Westgate Laboratories POSTAL WORM COUNTS & TESTS
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www.westgatelabs.co.uk SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 21
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