We have noticed that a lot of clients are worming their horses with unsuitable wormers this spring, which unfortunately can promote a resistant worm population. We want you to understand the difference between wormers, and sadly not all reputable business give good advice on this.
My first point is to say that most wormers on the market do kill tape worms, and sadly the same
active ingredient ‘Praziquantel’ is used. Ideally we would have a combination of ingredients for
killing tape worms, and we would rotate them, but sadly this is not possible with the wormers we
have available.
So the next thing to try and achieve, is killing all the other worm species with a combination of ingredients. Please look at the label, cross out the ‘Praziquantel’ word, and then count how many drugs are left. If there is only one drug left, then DO NOT USE the wormer!! Please note Strategy T is an exception and does not contain praziquantel but Is a great combination drench that does kill tape worm and all other worms, but should be saved for specific indications.
The next tip, is that even when using combination wormers, they should still be rotated to minimise resistance to the active ingredients. I would recommend saving the product ‘Ultramox’ until the autumn. Use ‘Strategy T’ ONLY in the summer and as a quarantine drench. My advice is very simplistic and broad, but it’s the easiest way to explain whether a wormer is a good one to use.
Last tip:
Faecal Egg Counts are the key to worming success…. But only if they are done at the correct time of year. They should be used to prevent over worming. Remember now with a good combination wormer, there is no indication for worming at intervals less than 12-16 weeks depending on the wormer used.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Your Central Lakes Equine Team