Worming

Choosing the right wormer for your horse can be very confusing as there are many different parasites and many different worming treatments available on the market. Effective worm control aims to prevent worms from completing their life cycle and thus prevent further pasture contamination. Worming programmes have evolved over the years and there are now a number of strategies that horse owners can use to help maintain their horse’s health and performance. Routine blanket use of wormers is no longer recommended as this may encourage the development of drug resistance.

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What is resistance?

Regardless of which wormer you give your horse, a small number of the worms will survive as no wormer will kill every single worm, this is because they have a genetic mutation that gives them resistance to the wormer. The small number of worms that survive,  will go on to produce eggs which hatch into a new generation of worms with inherited resistance to a certain wormer.  By continuously worming with the same wormer, we increase the number of resistant worms!

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The importance of implementing an appropriate worming programme for your horse should not be underestimated. Parasitic worms can adversely affect the health and well-being of horses and ponies of all ages. These internal parasites can do irreversible damage to the gut and other organs and be responsible for poor body condition, colic and in serious cases, fatalities.

At Galley Hill, our Worm Plan Package aims to take the stress out of ensuring your horse receives the correct treatment.

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The package is £45 per year and includes the following:

• One Equest Pramox (up to 700kg)

• Three worm egg counts (WEC) per year

• Full worming schedule detailing when to worm, what to worm with and when to WEC

• Advice and guidance whenever required

• 10% discounts on other worming treatments if required

• WEC reminder service (either by post, email or text)

• WEC sample bags

• Latex gloves

• After your last WEC (3rd sample) you will receive a results card in the post or by email (your preference) detailing your WEC results for the year and when/what your horse was last wormed with so you have it for your own records

 

 

The benefits of the package include:

• A modern alternative to traditional fixed interval dosing regimes using up-to-date veterinary knowledge

• Reduces amount of wormers given over the year

• Reducing the amount of wormers means a reduction in the number of resistant worms

• Cost effective worm control as we only worm when needed

• Detailed and specific plan tailored to your horse/yard

• Provide our patients with best practice solutions for great preventative healthcare

• Provides evidence that your worming control is effective

• Identifies horses carrying strains of resistant worms

• Uses fewer chemicals than fixed interval treatments, and prevents your horse being given medicines they don’t need

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Please contact the surgery if you would like more information.

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